Nutrition, Master of Science
Applicants to the program leading to a degree in Nutrition are required to have earned a bachelor’s degree and have either completed at least 3 credits in chemistry and 6 credits in anatomy and physiology or plan to complete these prerequisites once admitted to the program. If applicants wish to meet the academic requirements to earn their Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential, other prerequisites will be necessary. These vary depending on what the applicant has taken as an undergraduate.
The Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition is a 36-credit degree which requires 9 credits in core nutrition courses, 9 credits in the research sequence, and 18 credits of electives. In addition to the required courses, the candidate must successfully complete and defend an original research project (ND 595 A, B & C) or complete the ND 596 Capstone Experience course. If students pursue the thesis option, they will select a member of the Nutrition and Dietetics faculty as a mentor. The mentor and two other committee members will work with the candidate on an individual basis throughout the research project.
Four program tracks lead to this degree: the on campus MS in Nutrition track, the online/distance MS in Nutrition track, the on campus MS in Nutrition + Dietetic Experiential Learning track, and the online/distance MS in Nutrition + Dietetic Experiential Learning track.
For the MS in Nutrition + Dietetic Experiential Learning track, students need to complete an additional 3 predetermined credits to earn both the MS in Nutrition as well as the Verification Statement.
Nutrition Program of Study (36 semester hours)
Core Courses (12 semester hours)
| ND 520 | Recent Trends in Normal Nutrition | 3 |
| ND 530 | Health Promotion | 3 |
| ND 581 | Advanced Topics in Macronutrient Metabolism | 3 |
| ND 582 | Advanced Topics in Micronutrients Metabolism | 3 |
Research Sequence (6 semester hours)
Non-Thesis
Elective Courses (18 semester hours)
| ND 502 | Exercise Testing and Nutritional Assessment | 3 |
| ND 503 | Endocrine Disorders, Nutrition & Exercise | 3 |
| ND 504 | Nutrition and Gerontology | 3 |
| ND 505 | Maternal and Child Nutrition | 3 |
| ND 506 | Nutrition and Human Behavior | 3 |
| ND 507 | International Nutrition | 3 |
| ND 509 | Principles of Strength and Conditioning | 3 |
| ND 510 | Biomechanics | 3 |
| ND 513 | Exercise and Aging | 3 |
| ND 515 | Nutrition Assessment | 3 |
| ND 523 | Immunology, Exercise & Nutrition | 3 |
| ND 525 | Clin Nutr: Fluid Elec Bal/Pharmacology Balance & Pharmacology | 3 |
| ND 534 | Private Practice in Nutrition,exercise Science & Hlth Promot | 3 |
| ND 536 | Communication Techniques in Nutrition & Exercise | 3 |
| ND 541 | Nutrition and Women's Health | 3 |
| ND 549 | Sports & Human Perf Nutrition I: Theory | 3 |
| ND 550 | Sprts & Hmn Prfrmnce Nutrition II - App | 3 |
| ND 574 | Exercise Physiology | 3 |
| ND 575 | Body Composition for Sports & Performnce Management | 3 |
| ND 578 | Sports Supplement | 3 |
| ND 599 | Independent Study | 3 |
ND 502, 510 and 574 include a lab component
Students cannot be guaranteed that a particular elective course will be available.
Because ND courses are cross listed with Sports and Human Performance Nutrition (SHPN) courses, additional courses from the core or electives in the MS in SHPN may be selected with permission of the department chairperson. Other graduate-level courses may be acceptable from Psychology, Business, or other departments with permission of the chairperson.