Nutrition Science (MS)

What is A Nutrition Science (MS) Degree?

Nutrition Science is the field that has to do with what you eat, what medications/drugs you take, and your general overall health.  The basic of the science is mainly biology and chemistry, but the behavioral sciences like psychology and sociology can be important, too. Professionals in the field may work as dietitians in hospitals or clinics, as nutrition researchers for corporations, as nutrition specialists in schools or institutions, home healthcare aide, etc.

The MS degree in Nutrition is for students who want to prepare for management, teaching, or research-related positions in the field.  Most applicants to these programs will have a BS in Nutrition or a closely related field.  Graduate coursework will include foundational topics like nutritional and human metabolism, human nutrition in disease, and review of research literature in nutrition.  Other topics that may be studied are nutrition in vegetarianism, in gerontology, in women, in pregnancy, or in infancy; eating behaviors and disorders; nutrition in sports; management of foodservice systems; human resource management in nutritional care; etc.  Some programs can be completed with coursework only, followed by a comprehensive exam, while others may have options for a thesis and/or an internship as capstone experiences.