Nutrition

The online Master of Nutrition is a non-thesis, applied degree, designed to prepare graduates for career success in either human nutrition or animal nutrition. Upon completion, graduates possess broad knowledge of nutrition science plus the skills necessary to effectively communicate scientific information and to succeed in industry or the non-profit sector.

The Master of Nutrition curriculum requires 36 credit hours of coursework, which includes up to 6 credit hours of a directed practicum, internship or related independent project. Students choose between a human nutrition emphasis and a feed science emphasis. A majority of the program coursework is in graduate-level nutrition and related science. The professional skills component that qualifies students for the Professional Science Masters (PSM) designation consists of a variety of relevant courses and activities developed in consultation with prospective employers.

Emphasis areas include:

• Human Nutrition
• Feed Science

Eligibility

To be considered for admission, you should:

• Hold a B.S degree in a science-related area, including coursework in biology and organic chemistry;
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0;
• Have a TOEFL score of 80 or higher and/or IELTS of 6.5 or higher (for international students only).

**NOTE: We recommend higher scores to increase competitiveness within the program.

When you apply for a Master of Nutrition (non-thesis option), you need to:

• Choose your program (Traditional or Distance Education); and
• Choose your emphasis:
  • Master of Nutrition (non-thesis);
  • Professional Science Master of Nutrition-Human Nutrition Emphasis; or
  • Professional Science Master of Nutrition-Feed Science Emphasis.

The Nutrition program is an interdepartmental program, including the:

• Department of Animal Science
• Department of Agriculture and Human Sciences
• Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences
• Department of Horticulture Science
• Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry
• Department of Poultry Science
• College of Veterinary Medicine

Plan of Study

Program: Master of Nutrition–Professional Science Master

• The Master of Nutrition is a non-thesis, applied degree. Upon completion of the degree, graduates possess a broad knowledge of nutrition science and related fields and the management of this field and are capable of effectively communicating scientific information. The curriculum requires 36 credit hours of coursework, which can include up to 6 credits of a directed practicum or internship. Students will be able to select between a human nutrition emphasis and a feed science emphasis.
• Nine credits per semester is considered a full-time graduate load at NC State University.

• A majority of the program coursework is in graduate-level science courses.
  • At minimum, 15-16 credit hours of nutrition science courses are required (excluding the internship). The requirement for Professional Development (Plus) courses is at least 9 credits and at most 12 credits, leaving 6 credits for science electives.
  • Total science courses: 21-24 credits
  • Total PLUS courses: 12-15 credits (including internship)

• The professional skills component (often called the “plus” component of a “science-plus degree”) consists of a variety of relevant courses and activities developed in consultation with prospective employers. The professional component should result in a portfolio of experiences recognized by and involving the client employers. The professional skills component will contain:
  • Activities developed in consultation with current or prospective employers (3-6 credits  required). Students will participate in internships developed by the nutrition program and employers or propose other internships and problem-based projects sponsored by employers. Examples of internships under development include work with the NC State University Feed Mill (feed mill operation and management), the local Mothers Milk Bank (processing and lactation consulting), state government (feed inspection and label verification), a non-profit community action organization concerned with food security (community nutrition) and a retail functional food outlet (nutritional product development, marketing, and communications). Students will receive recognition for these activities through registration in FM 594 Advanced Feed Mill Practicum, or NTR 665-601 Nutrition, Food and Feed Science Practicum. Representatives from these organizations serve on an industry advisory board.
  •  Communications and instructional skills training (FM/NTR 601 Seminar, in which presentation is required and skills are taught)
  • Management skills (at least 9 credits are required for the business, management, and regulatory courses listed in Appendix 1, Group B)

• Students enrolled will agree to maintain contact with the program to track the career trajectory of every graduate in order to help assess program outcomes and success.
• Additional information and Professional Science Master programs is available at the website developed by the Council of Graduate Schools.

Career Prospects

Interested in working as a nutrition scientist? Our graduates find success working in public health, health and wellness promotion firms and departments, and schools. They also find success working in corporations interested in supporting healthy diets, food and pharmaceutical companies that emphasize the nutritional health of their products, and animal science diet support such as feed mills. Many students find this master’s degree to be the perfect foundation for or complement to specific certifications in various allied health fields.
The Master of Nutrition delivers practical, industry-specific knowledge designed to support career advancement. The professional skills development piece of the program is intended to connect students with potential employers or, if the student is already employed in this field, to assist in employer-specific career growth.