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
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college showing potential for achievement in scholarly activities. The following are prerequisites for admission:
- General chemistry with lab (1 year recommended)
- 1 year organic chemistry or 1 semester organic chemistry plus 1 semester of biochemistry
- At least 12 additional credits in advanced (300-400 level) sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, nutrition, or food science)
- If English is a second language, regardless of whether prior education was completed at an English-speaking higher education institution: TOEFL a minimum of 550 (paper-based test); a minimum of 213 (computer-based test); a minimum of 100 (internet-based test; with no individual test score falling below these cut offs: writing 22, speaking 23, reading 21, listening 17); IELTS minimum score of bandwidth 7; or Duolingo minimum score of 130. Admitted international students also must complete additional testing in English at Rutgers and may be required to take remedial English coursework before being considered for funding as teaching assistants.
- GPA: B average or above
- Three letters of recommendation from former university professors and/or research supervisors/advisors who can describe your preparation for graduate study in nutritional sciences and likelihood of success.
- A personal statement describing your academic achievements, research experience, leadership skills, commitment to graduate school, examples illustrating your resilience and adaptability during your education, and how have you contributed to or supported intellectual and/or cultural diversity in higher education and science. Please also identify at least three faculty whose research you are interested in for your graduate training.
- GRE is not required
Requirements for Ph.D. Degree
Please refer to the graduate handbook. 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.