Master of Science in Nutrition

Website: https://twu.edu/nutrition-food-sciences/graduate-programs/ms-in-nutrition/

You can tailor our M.S. in Nutrition to meet your professional needs. If you are working full-time, want to advance your career and complete your degree at your own pace, choose our online master’s option. The 36 semester credit hours (SCH) of coursework for this degree mirrors that offered in the classroom.

If you have a nutrition-related Bachelor’s degree and want to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), select the Dietetic Internship/Master's program. Or, if you are an RDN looking for an advanced degree that will better position you for academia or management, pick the Master’s offered on our Denton and Houston campuses with either a coursework (36 SCH) or thesis (30 SCH) option. If you want to become an RDN and do not have a nutrition-related Bachelor's degree, consider the B.S. in Nutrition (Dietetics) program or post-baccalaureate.

The M.S. in Nutrition along with the dietetic internship prepares graduates to take the national Registration Examination for Dietitians and apply for a license to practice through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Dietitians. Licensing of dietitians in Texas is voluntary. If you are a resident of another state, contact our department to determine whether our program fulfills requirements to apply for licensure in your home state.

Marketable Skills

Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."

  1. Apply nutrition knowledge to optimize specific health benefits.
  2. ​Appropriately interpret nutrition research to support evidence-based practice.
  3. Communicate nutrition information in written and verbal form for both professional and general audiences.
  4. ​Effectively contribute to a healthcare team.

Admissions

All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.

The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours Required

Thesis Option: 30 semester credit hours (SCH)

Coursework-Only Option: 36 semester credit hours (SCH)

Thesis Option (30 SCH)

Required Courses
NFS 5213Human Nutrition and Metabolism: Macronutrients3
NFS 5223Human Nutrition and Metabolism: Micronutrients3
NFS 5363Human Nutrition in Disease3
NFS 5331Seminar in Nutrition1
Select 3 SCH from the following:3
Research Techniques in Nutrition Sciences
Statistics for Family Sciences
Applied Statistical Principles
Statistical Methods I
Required Thesis Courses
NFS 5983Thesis3
NFS 5993Thesis3
Nutrition Electives*
Select a minimum of 11 SCH from the following:11
Eating Behaviors and Eating Disorders
Nutritional Aspects of Vegetarianism
Functional Foods
Advanced Nutritional Care
Nutrition and Gerontology
Nutrition and Women's Health
Nutrition Education
Advanced Preventive Nutrition
Medical Nutrition Therapy in Pediatrics
Nutrition for Collegiate and Professional Sports
Nutrition in Pregnancy and Infancy
Nutrition and Exercise
Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements
Pathophysiology and Treatment of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
Human Resource Management in Nutritional Care Systems
Advanced Nutritional Epidemiology
Special Topics
Special Topics
6000 level courses offered in Nutrition with approval of advisory committee and permission of the instructor
*Coursework to be selected from additional courses above, other NFS program areas, coursework from another department, or coursework transferred from another institution with approval of advisory committee (up to 6 credits). Research hours (NFS 5961, NFS 5963) are permitted.
A minor of 9 graduate credit hours in an area of emphasis can be achieved within the total number of program hours or by taking additional coursework. If a minor is declared, a faculty member in that minor area of study must serve on the academic committee.
Note: A maximum of 9 credits for internship experiences, or 6 credits in practicum, independent study, or cooperative education is permitted in this option.
Total SCHs30

Coursework-Only Option (36 SCH)

Required Courses
NFS 5213Human Nutrition and Metabolism: Macronutrients3
NFS 5223Human Nutrition and Metabolism: Micronutrients3
NFS 5363Human Nutrition in Disease3
NFS 5633Capstone Lecture (Students take this seminar course during their final semester of formal coursework for degree completion. Students must submit the Application for NFS MS Capstone Seminar form on the next page for approval to take the Capstone Seminar. Students cannot receive credit for both NFS 5331 and NFS 5332.)3
Select 3 SCH from the following:3
Research Techniques in Nutrition Sciences
Statistics for Family Sciences
Applied Statistical Principles
Applied Statistics in Health Promotion
Nutrition Electives*
Select 21 SCH from the following:21
Eating Behaviors and Eating Disorders
Nutritional Aspects of Vegetarianism
Functional Foods
Advanced Nutritional Care
Nutrition and Gerontology
Nutrition and Women's Health
Nutrition Education
Advanced Preventive Nutrition
Medical Nutrition Therapy in Pediatrics
Nutrition in Pregnancy and Infancy
Nutrition and Exercise
Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements
Pathophysiology and Treatment of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
Food Safety/Foodborne Illness
Advanced Nutritional Epidemiology
Special Topics
Special Topics
Drug and Nutrient Interactions
**Coursework to be selected from additional courses above, other NFS program areas, coursework from another department, or coursework transferred from another graduate institution with approval of advisory committee (up to 6 credits).
Note: A maximum of 9 credits for internship experiences, or 6 credits in practicum, independent study, or cooperative education is permitted in this option. Research hours are not permitted.
Total SCHs36

Final Examination

Students in the MS in Nutrition Coursework-Only Option must complete NFS 5633 during their final semester for degree completion.

Minor

A minimum of 9 graduate semester credit hours in an area of emphasis can be achieved within the total number of program hours or by taking additional coursework. If a minor is declared, a faculty member in that minor area of study must serve on the academic committee.