Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences

Program Description 

The doctoral degree program is designed to prepare students for research, teaching and administrative positions in colleges, universities, government and industry. Competence in related fields is emphasized, and supporting work is selected from areas such as biochemistry, biology, molecular biology, computer sciences, genetics, communication, geriatrics, immunology, physiology, kinesiology, psychology and health promotion.

The doctoral program typically requires four to five years of full-time study. Students are expected to meet the following requirements for admission to candidacy by the end of the second year: 

1. Completion of courses conditional to admission; 

2. 18 semester hours in nutrition, including the following courses with a grade of at least B in each: Nutrition 390 (Topic 1: Advances in Nutritional Sciences I), 390 (Topic 6: Molecular Nutritional Sciences), 390 (Topic 7: Advances in Nutritional Sciences II), and 394 (Topic 1: General Nutrition); 

3. Six hours of graduate coursework outside nutrition in fields germane to the dissertation research, such as biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, educational psychology, curriculum and instruction, health education, and kinesiology; 

4. Presentation and defense of a dissertation research proposal and satisfactory response to questions on nutrition and related sciences; and 

5. Approval by the Graduate Studies Committee of the proposed course plan and proposed dissertation research program. Further supporting work in nutrition or related sciences is usually needed to augment the program. All doctoral candidates must write a dissertation based on the results of their original research and must make a formal oral defense of the dissertation. The Graduate Studies Committee must certify that all of the degree requirements have been completed.

Learn more about degree requirements and course descriptions.