Nutritional Sciences Program

PhD in Nutritional Sciences

General Program Description

The doctoral program in Nutritional Sciences offers interdisciplinary training to prepare students to meet the needs for expanding the base of new knowledge in nutritional sciences and to apply this knowledge in public health and clinical health care settings. The PhD program is designed to assist students in gaining an advanced understanding of nutrition and metabolism, and of related biological, biochemical, molecular, and behavioral sciences, in acquiring skills in research methods, and in developing timely and original hypotheses in nutritional sciences.

Additionally, the program seeks to meet the substantial state, regional and national need for doctorally prepared faculty in schools or departments of nutrition and the health sciences and for leadership positions in agencies in which PhD level nutrition researchers study the relationships between human nutrition and health.

The program provides an educational structure that facilitates the pursuit of advanced study and research training in the field of human and clinical nutrition, and/or public health. Students first undertake coursework and a preliminary examination covering the fundamental areas of study and the core knowledge areas. Students then develop their dissertation project, an original research endeavor focused on one primary and another secondary core knowledge area. A general and a final examination are required to complete the degree.

NOTE: Students in the Dietetic Internship may apply 8 credits of the internship toward the Nutritional Sciences PhD Degree requirements.

Requirements for admission to and completion of the program:

For admissions requirements and prerequisites please visit our Admissions Information page.

It is expected that most applicants to the PhD program will hold a Master's degree in Nutrition; however, students wishing to bypass the Master's degree, or qualified holders of graduate degrees in related discipline, may apply to the program. Students enrolled in this Master's degree program in nutrition have the option to petition to enter into the doctoral program after approximately a year.

Students are appointed an appropriate academic advisor from the core faculty, and throughout the program, this faculty advisor monitors the student's progress and assists in mapping out an appropriate plan of study. During the course of their study,students will choose a dissertation chair and select a research topic that coincides with their individual interests.

Transfer Credits Not Accepted for PhD program

According the the Graduate School, "Approved transfer credits are applied toward total credit count for the master's degree only. (Transfer credits are not applicable toward a doctoral degree.)"

Useful Links

Updated April 17, 2013

Announcements

Spring Quarter 2013

Congratulations!

2013 Outstanding Student Award Recipient, Carrie Dennett

Nutritional Sciences Minor Now Available!
The Nutritional Sciences Program is pleased to announce the availability of its new undergraduate minor. The minor provides an exciting opportunity for students in any major to explore nutritional sciences. For more information, please see the minor page or contact the minor adviser, Katie Freeman.