The doctoral program prepares students for careers conducting original research in nutritional sciences in academic, governmental, health-care, or industrial settings. This degree program has two options: Nutritional Biochemistry & Physiology and Applied & Community Nutrition.
Admission Criteria (click here)
Requirements for Ph.D. Degree
Please refer to the graduate handbook (PDF). Doctoral candidates are required to take a total of 72 credits: 33 course credits (minimum), 24 research credits (minimum), and 15 additional credits of course and/or research credits.
For Nutritional Biochemistry & Physiology, students are required to complete Nutrition: A Biochemical and Physiological Basis (16:709:552, 4 credits; 16:708:553, 4 credits), Nutrition Seminar (16:709:601, 1 credit), Nutrition Seminar (16:709:602, 2 credits), Statistics (3 credits), Biochemistry (6-8 credits), Principles of Nutrition Research (16:709:515, 3 credits), Nutritional Aspects of Disease (16:709:506, 3 credits), and additional relevant courses (up to a total of 33 credits) in consultation with their advisor and the Curriculum Committee.
For Applied & Community Nutrition, students are required to complete Nutrition: A Biochemical and Physiological Basis (16:709:552, 4 credits; 16:708:553, 4 credits), Nutrition Seminar (16:709:601, 1 credit), Nutrition Seminar (16:709:602, 2 credits), Community Nutrition (16:709:521, 3 credits), Health Promotion and Disease Prevention II (16:709:526, 3 credits), Advanced Topics in Nutritional Sciences (16:709:620, 2-3 credits), Statistics through regression (6 credits), and two of the following three courses: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention I (16:709:524, 3 credits), Principles of Nutrition Research (16:709:515, 3 credits), or Nutrition Epidemiology (16:709:530, 3 credits). The students complete additional relevant courses (up to a total of 33 credits) in consultation with their advisor and the Curriculum Committee.
All students must pass a written qualifying exam (usually at the end of their second year of residence in graduate school). This exam covers course work as well as the ability to critically read the literature, interpret experimental data, and design novel experiments. The doctoral thesis involves completion of original research in an area relevant to nutrition, under the guidance of a faculty member. The thesis is presented in a public seminar, defended orally to a committee consisting of members of the Nutritional Sciences Graduate Program, and submitted to the Graduate School prior to the award of the Ph.D. degree. Typical time for completion of all doctoral work is five years.