Nutrition (Master of Science)
See: Nutrition (MS)
College/School: School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering
Program Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
The Master of Science degree in Nutrition is designed to accommodate employed professionals pursuing an advanced degree, persons wishing to complete the Didactic Program in Dietetics needed for entry into a dietetic internship, and those seeking continuing education in nutrition. The graduate program provides students with knowledge of current theory, research, and nutrition policy, and gives them the skills necessary to apply that knowledge throughout their professional careers. The Master of Science in Nutrition program will prepare students for a variety of positions in nutrition and dietetics. Program graduates have accepted positions in clinical and administrative dietetics, community nutrition, nutrition consulting, food service management, nutrition research, business, and secondary and college education.
A minimum of 36 credit hours are needed for the Master of Science in Nutrition degree.
Admissions
Applicants must have
- An earned Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning with an overall GPA of 2.5 or better;
- Minimum GRE scores of 143 for Verbal Reasoning, 141 for Quantitative Reasoning, and 3.0 for Analytical Essay, or a previously earned graduate degree.
Students must meet adequate undergraduate background requirements, including:
- Chemical Principles I and II with laboratory (8 hours)
- Organic Chemistry I (3 hours)
- Anatomy and Physiology (4 hours)
- Statistics (3 hours)
- Biochemistry (3 hours)
- Chemical Principles I and II and laboratory must be completed before applying. Any other prerequisites not completed at the time of admission can be taken during the initial semesters of the graduate program.
Apply to UIW
Application for the Master of Science in Nutrition program.
Program Requirements
Required Courses
Certain areas of knowledge must be mastered by all nutritionists. Upon review of transcripts a student may be required to satisfactorily complete the following courses, of which two courses may be completed as part of the Master of Science degree:
Core Requirements (18-21 semester hours)
| BIOL 6392 | Advanced Human Physiology | 3 |
| MATH 6363 | Research Statistics | 3 |
| NUTR 6332 | Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease | 3 |
| NUTR 6325 | Advanced Nutrition I | 3 |
| NUTR 6330 | Advanced Nutrition II | 3 |
| EDUC 6302 | Introduction to Quantitative Research | 3 |
| Or | |
| NURS 6355 | Nursing Research and Theory | 3 |
| The following course is required for students who did not complete a lifecycle nutrition course as an undergraduate: | |
| NUTR 6342 | Lifecycle Nutrition | 3 |
Research/Synthesis Completion Requirements
Capstone Option
Students choosing the Capstone option take the Capstone Master's Project across 2 semesters for a total of 4 to 6 semester hours.
Thesis Option
Students choosing the Thesis option take 3 semester hours of NUTR 63TP Thesis Proposal and 3 to 6 hours of NUTR 63TR Thesis Research. Continuous enrollment at UIW is required until completion of Thesis.
Additional Course Requirements
Students complete the core plus a research/synthesis component and an additional 9-15 semester hours of graduate level courses as established in the degree plan in consultation with the program director. Within the additional 9-15 hours of courses, one course must be a lecture course in nutrition. In addition, students may select electives to meet the requirements for the Didactic Program in Dietetics. Students may be required to complete other courses in order to meet these didactic requirements.
Comprehensive Understanding Requirement
Completion of a MS in Nutrition degree requires the student to pass a comprehensive examination. The comprehensive exam includes both written and oral components and should be taken during the student’s last year of study.
Dietetic Internship
Students apply to the Dietetic Internship separately from the graduate program in Nutrition. For information about the Dietetic Internship please contact the Dietetic Internship Director. The Internship and the Didactic Program in Dietetics at the University of the Incarnate Word are currently granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The address and phone number of ACEND are: 216 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606; 312-899-4876.