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 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 credit hours) or thesis (30 credit hours) 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."
- Apply nutrition knowledge to optimize specific health benefits.
- Appropriately interpret nutrition research to support evidence-based practice.
- Communicate nutrition information in written and verbal form for both professional and general audiences.
- 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.
This 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)
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| NFS 5314 | Nutrition and Human Metabolism | 4 |
| NFS 5363 | Human Nutrition in Disease | 3 |
| NFS 5331 | Seminar in Nutrition | 1 |
| Statistics or Research Design | 3 | |
| Additional Courses in Major | ||
| Select a minimum of 10 SCH from the following | 10 | |
| 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 | ||
| Nutrition and Metabolic Syndrome | ||
| Food Safety/Foodborne Illness | ||
| Advanced Nutritional Epidemiology | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Special Topics | ||
6000 level courses offered in Nutrition with approval of advisory committee and permission of the instructor | ||
Internship experience, independent study, or cooperative education. (Note: A maximum of 6-9 semester credit hours is permitted. Research hours are not permitted.) | ||
| Additional Coursework | ||
| 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 the advisory committee. | 3 | |
| Thesis | ||
| NFS 5983 | Thesis | 3 |
| NFS 5993 | Thesis | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 30 | |
Coursework-Only Option (36 SCH)
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| NFS 5314 | Nutrition and Human Metabolism | 4 |
| NFS 5332 | Capstone Seminar | 2 |
| NFS 5363 | Human Nutrition in Disease | 3 |
| Select one the following | 3 | |
| Applied Statistics for Health Educators | ||
| Applied Statistical Principles | ||
| Statistics for Family Sciences | ||
| Additional Courses in Major | ||
| Select 15 SCH from the following | 15 | |
| Eating Behaviors and Eating Disorders | ||
| Nutritional Aspects of Vegetarianism | ||
| Functional Foods | ||
| Professional Practicum | ||
| 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 | ||
| Nutrition and Metabolic Syndrome | ||
| Food Safety/Foodborne Illness | ||
| Advanced Nutritional Epidemiology | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Coursework selected from additional courses above, other NFS program areas, coursework from another department, or coursework transferred from another institution with approval of the advisory committee. | 9 | |
| Total SCHs | 36 | |
Final Examination
Students in the MS in Nutrition Coursework-Only Option must complete NFS 5332 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.
