Nutritional Science, MS
Do you want to be at the forefront of nutritional science and its intersection with food, biology, chemistry and sociology? Through rigorous internships and research, you'll expand your skill base for a future career or further study.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: Yes
International students (F1) can extend U.S. work experience by 24 months.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
In the Master of Science program in nutritional science, you prepare to translate nutritional science into practice for human health and wellness. Partnered with accomplished faculty, you immerse yourself in the latest nutrition topics and research as you develop practical understanding through internship experiences and your own guided research.
Building on the scientific foundations of human nutrition, you learn strong writing and problem-solving skills and increase your interpretive expertise. The program offers two specialized focus area options: sports nutrition and maternal-child health. You can also customize the focus area to your specific interests in nutrition under the guidance of faculty.
The sports nutrition focus enables you to specialize in exercise science and the nutritional needs of athletes. If you're following this focus area, you complete classes that cover topics such as exercise physiology, hydration, electrolyte regulation and evaluation of sports supplements.
In the maternal-child health focus, you tailor your learning to promote the health and well-being of women and children. This focus area includes courses on policy and advocacy, communication and ethics, leadership development, and medical nutrition therapy.
If you've completed an accredited didactic program in dietetics, you may also elect to apply to the ASU dietetic internship program to meet the requirements to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours and a thesis, or
30 credit hours including the required applied project course (NTR 593)
Required Core (6 credit hours) Focus Area Courses (15 credit hours) Research (3 credit hours) Culminating Experience (6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information This degree program may be pursued concurrently with the Arizona State University Dietetic Internship (MS-DI or MS-VA). Students must apply and be accepted to both the MS program and the internship program. Students who pursue the Veterans Affairs (MS-VA) Dietetic Internship must complete an applied project as their culminating experience.
BST 501 Biostatistics for Research and Practice (3)
NTR 527 Nutrition Policy (3)
NTR 500 Research Methods (3)
NTR 593 Applied Project (6) or
NTR 599 Thesis (6)
The program offers focus areas in sports nutrition and maternal-child health. Students may additionally customize focus area coursework to their academic interests or career goals under the guidance of faculty.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Integrate knowledge of research design that incorporates ethical conduct in nutrition research studies.
- Apply statistical methodology in nutrition research.
- Interpret an emerging issue as it relates to advanced practice nutrition science.
Integrate knowledge of research design that incorporates ethical conduct in nutrition research studies.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the College of Health Solutions. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree (nutrition or science is recommended) from a regionally accredited institution. Students who are pursuing the MS in nutritional science need to complete the following prerequisites: anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, general chemistry with lab, general nutrition for majors, organic chemistry with lab and statistics. If an applicant has completed a didactic program in dietetics (frequently termed a DPD), these prerequisites are considered complete. Prerequisite courses can be in progress when the student submits the application; however, if the student is accepted to the MS program, all prerequisites must be completed before the program begins in the fall semester. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information The personal statement should include the following: Contact information for one reference is required. The reference is contacted via email to submit a letter of recommendation, and must be an instructor at the applicant's undergraduate institution. Finalists may be invited by the program to an interview.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 02/15 | Priority* |
*A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed and on a space-available basis. An application is complete after all materials are received by Admission Services.
Explore expanded study opportunities
This program allows you to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. As a high-achieving student, accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for you to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of your master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Approval to pursue the accelerated master's is typically granted during the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. If you are interested, you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Nutritional science applies the principles of food and nutrition to health. It is a vital, growing profession with many career possibilities. In this field, graduates share their knowledge of food and nutrition to help people make healthful food choices.
Graduates have gone on to:
- apply to medical and professional school to become medical doctors, physician assistants, pharmacists, dentists and other medical professionals
- become registered dietitian nutritionists
- pursue academic doctorates
Graduates can pursue careers in a number of settings, including:
- community and public health organizations
- corporations
- food manufacturing industries
- government agencies
- hospitals and other medical facilities
- long-term care facilities
- nonprofit organizations
- schools
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Human Performance and Lifespan Health
|
HLTHN 401AA
CHSGrad@asu.edu
602-496-3300
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
