University General Course Catalog 2012-2013

Nov 24, 2024

University General Course Catalog 2012-2013 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

Nutrition, M.S.

The purpose of the Nutrition Graduate Program is to provide students with a post-baccalaureate education (i.e., Master of Science) that:

Strengthens and advances core nutrition knowledge such that students are competent in the areas of nutritional biochemistry/physiology, and have an in-depth understanding of clinical and epidemiological applications of this knowledge as it relates to nutrition status assessment, and the prevention and treatment of disease; and
Provides opportunities such that students may develop proficiency in a more defined area that links nutrition with other biological or behavioral sciences (e.g., toxicology, molecular biology, epidemiology, human development). This will be accomplished through elective course work and completion of research/scholarly efforts that culminate in a written document (i.e., thesis or professional paper).

The program serves as an introduction to scholarly activity for those who wish to pursue doctoral training or research careers, and provides courses and other opportunities that serve to advance the knowledge of the nutrition profession.

Admission Criteria

Students who seek admission to the program should have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0, a GRE score of at least 1,000 (verbal + quantitative sections), and have completed the following undergraduate courses (or equivalent courses, as determined by the nutrition department):

CHEM 121A - General Chemistry I (3 units)
CHEM 121L - General Chemistry Laboratory I (1 unit)
CHEM 220A - Introductory Organic Chemistry Lecture (3 units)
CHEM 220L - Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1 unit)
BIOL 223 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 units)
BIOL 224 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II (4 units)
BIOL 251 - General Microbiology (4 units)
MATH 128 - Precalculus and Trigonometry (5 units)
NUTR 223 - Principles of Nutrition (3 units)
BCH 400 - Introductory Biochemistry (4 units)
NUTR 452R - Advanced Nutrition (4 units)

Requirements

Plan A students must complete 32 credits, including 6 credits of thesis (NUTR 797 or equivalent). A thesis is a scientific document that describes the background, methods, results and conclusions of an original research activity.

Plan B students must complete 35 credits, including 3 credits of professional paper (NUTR 796 or equivalent). A professional paper here refers to a critical analysis of existing knowledge on a specified nutrition topic/problem that is written in a style suitable for a scientific journal.

Students enrolled in Plans A and B must complete and earn a “B” or better (i.e., 3.0) in each of the following core nutrition courses (total of 13 credits):

NUTR 725 - Nutrition and Health (3 units)
NUTR 726 - Seminar in Nutrition (1 to 2 units)
NUTR 730 - Macronutrients (3 units)
NUTR 732 - Nutrition Assessment Techniques (3 units)
NUTR 735R - Micronutrients (3 units)

Note(s):

Students who fail to earn a “B” or better in one or more of the core nutrition courses have the option of re-enrolling in the course(s) the next time it is offered. There are no substitutions available for these classes.

Other required courses for both Plans A and B are listed below. (The selection among these course offerings should be made in consultation with the Advisory/Examining Committee members.)

A. Graduate-level research methods course (3 units).

Students may select a research course among the following approved courses:

EDRS 700 - Introduction to Educational Research (3 units)
EDRS 785 - Survey Research in Education (3 units)
EECB 750R - Research Design in Ecology (4 units)
NUTR 685R - Nutrition Research and Contemporary Issues (3 units)
SOC 737 - Survey Research Methods (3 units)

B. Graduate-level statistics course (3 units).

Students may select a statistics course among the following approved courses:

APST 663 - Design and Analysis of Experiments (3 units)
EDRS 640 - Educational Measurements and Statistics (3 units)
EDRS 740 - Advanced Educational Measurement and Statistics (3 units)
CHS 780 - Biostatistics in Public Health (3 units)

C. Graduate-level seminar course (1 unit).

In addition to NUTR 726 (1 unit) listed previously, all students must complete a second graduate seminar course. This requirement may be fulfilled by completing an additional semester of NUTR 726 or by enrolling in a graduate seminar related to their area of specialization/interest.

To fulfill the remaining credit hours, students may complete other elective courses that are directed toward developing proficiency in the students’ selected area of specialization/interest.

Graduate Advisory/Examining Committee Membership

All graduate Advisory/Examining Committees must have a minimum of three faculty members. At least two must be members of the Nutrition Program Graduate Faculty, including the committee chair, and at least one must be a faculty member from the Department of Nutrition. The committee must also include one member external to the Nutrition Program Graduate Faculty to provide representation from the Graduate School.

Application

Students are admitted to the program on a competitive basis. Prospective students should submit a completed application to the Graduate School, a letter indicating career goals and research interests, GRE and TOEFL results, official transcripts, and three letters of reference. The application to the Graduate School must be accompanied by a $60 non-refundable payment. Students should submit these documents by Feb. 1. They may also apply for graduate assistantships, which offer both teaching and research experiences.