Campuses:
This is archival data. This system was retired as of August 21, 2023 and the information on this page has not been updated since then. For current information, visit catalogs.umn.edu.
![]() |
Twin Cities Campus
Nutrition M.S.Food Science & Nutrition
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, 225 Food Science and Nutrition Building, 1334 Eckles Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108 (612-624-6753; fax: 612-625-5272)
Email:
fsgrad@umn.edu
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the
General Information section of
this
website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
Nutrition is the study of how nutrients, both essential and nonessential, affect health and all life processes. Consequently, nutrition is an extremely broad field that encompasses physiology, biochemistry, education, public health, and public policy. The nutrition graduate program is interdisciplinary. Advisors and financial support may come from any of the departments or schools in which nutrition graduate faculty reside, including the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences); Division of Epidemiology (School of Public Health); Departments of Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Lab Medicine and Pathology, and Family Medicine and Community Health (Medical School); Department of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies (College of Education and Human Development); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (University of Minnesota Duluth); University of Minnesota Extension; Hormel Institute (Austin, MN); and V.A. Medical Center and Park Nicollet Institute (Minneapolis, MN).
Three subspecialty areas are offered in the program: human nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, and public health nutrition. Thesis work can be conducted locally or internationally in the laboratory, clinic, or field.
Students are allowed a maximum of 5 years in the program.
Program Delivery
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program
is 3.00.
Applicants to the program need a bachelor's degree in any field or its international equivalent.
Other requirements to be completed before admission:
A strong foundation in the biological and physical sciences is required. This background includes college mathematics, the equivalent of one semester of general chemistry, organic chemistry, general biology, biochemistry, physiology, and statistics. For the doctoral program, additional prerequisite courses include calculus and physics. If there is evidence that the applicant has a good background in the sciences, some of the prerequisites can be met after admission. The M.S. program also requires the following nutrition courses, or equivalent, which may be completed after the student's admission to the program: Principles of Nutrition (FSCN 1112), Life Cycle Nutrition (FSCN 3612), and Human Nutrition (FSCN 4612).
Applicants must submit their test score(s) from the following:
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
Key to test
abbreviations
(GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the
General Information section of this
website.
Program Requirements
Plan A: Plan A requires
14
major credits,
6
credits outside the major,
and
10
thesis credits.
The final exam is oral.
Plan B: Plan B requires
24
major credits and
6
credits outside the major.
The final exam is oral.
A capstone project is required.
Capstone Project:The Plan B project is a combined total of approximately 120 hours (the equivalent of three full-time weeks) of work. The graduate faculty, including the student's advisor and director of Graduate Studies, specify both the nature and extent of the course and project work necessary to satisfy this requirement.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses toward program requirements is permitted under certain conditions with adviser approval.
A minimum GPA of 2.80
is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 1 semesters must be completed
before filing a Degree Program Form.
All students are expected to obtain teaching experience, subject to the policies of the advisor's department or division.
Required Coursework
All students must take the following courses for at least 20 credits:
Orientation Course
NUTR 8621 - Presentation Skills
(1.0 cr)
Core Coursework
NUTR 5625 - Nutritional Biochemistry
(3.0 cr)
NUTR 5626 - Nutritional Physiology
(3.0 cr)
NUTR 5622 - Vitamin and Mineral Biochemistry
(3.0 cr)
NUTR 5624 - Nutrition and Genetics
(2.0 cr)
Advanced Topics Course
Take at least one course from the following list after completing two semesters in the program:
NUTR 8620 - Advances in Nutrition
(2.0 cr)
Outside Coursework
All students must complete at least 6 credits outside the major, including at least one statistics course and at least one methods course.
Statistics Course
Take at least one statistics course from the following list. A different statistics course can be substituted with advisor approval.
PUBH 6450 - Biostatistics I
(4.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6451 - Biostatistics II
(4.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6414 - Biostatistical Literacy
(3.0 cr)
or
STAT 5021 - Statistical Analysis
(4.0 cr)
Research Methods Course
Take one or more courses for at least 2 credits of research methods coursework from this list, or graduate-level methods coursework from another field with advisor approval.
ANSC 5091 - Research Proposals: From Ideas to Strategic Plans
(3.0 cr)
or
NURS 8173 - Principles and Methods of Implementing Research
(3.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6341 - Epidemiologic Methods I
(3.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6617 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6803 - Conducting a Systematic Literature Review
(3.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6806 - Principles of Public Health Research
(2.0 cr)
Additional Outside Coursework
Other courses may be from any field, but must be at the 5000 or 8000 level. Exceptions: 6000 level courses from Public Health (PUBH) are allowed.
Plan Options
Plan A: Master's Thesis Credits
Plan A students take at least 10 credits of the following:
NUTR 8777 - Thesis Credits: Master's
(1.0-18.0 cr)
-OR-
Plan B: Additional Coursework
Plan B students must take at least 10 credits from the following, or other graduate-level coursework with advisor approval:
NUTR 8695 {Inactive}
(1.0-10.0 cr)
NUTR 8xxx
NUTR 5xxx
Program Sub-plans
A sub-plan is not required for this program.
Students may not complete the program with more than one sub-plan.
Integrated BS/MS-Nutrition
This sub-plan is limited to students completing the program under Plan B.
The Department of Food Science and Nutrition offers and integrated bachelor of science (BS) and master of science (MS) in nutrition. The integrated BS/MS program offers students the opportunity to earn both degrees in five years by working toward a master's degree while simultaneously working toward their undergraduates degree.
Nutrition undergraduate students in the DPD or nutrition studies sub-plans are welcome to apply to this program during their 3rd year of undergraduate study. During the 4th year, students take undergraduate and graduate courses concurrently and are advised by an undergraduate and graduate program advisor.
Students in this program will complete the 120 undergraduate credits required for a BS degree in nutrition by the end of the 4th year and must be awarded an undergraduate degree at the 4th year mark. During the 4th and 5th years, students will complete 30 graduate credits and a Plan B research project with a final oral defense as required for the nutrition MS degree. Students who satisfy the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) verification requirements can begin the Emily Program Dietetic Internship in August following their 5th year. Students cannot double-count credits to meet credit requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Rochester
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 1.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Nurs 8173/SAPh 8173 |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | PubH 6320PubH /6341 |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | OPT No Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -18.0 [max 50.0] |
Grading Basis: | No Grade |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |