Nutritional Sciences, MS

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The MS in nutritional sciences prepares students to understand the scientific basis of nutrition, its application to health and fitness, and the skills needed to conduct basic and applied nutrition research. Subject areas of concentration include clinical nutrition, obesity, diet and cancer, mineral nutrition and toxicology, nutrition education, nutritional product development, community and international nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, and nutritional epidemiology. The program does not include an RD internship. Cooperating programs include public health, food science, animal sciences, physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, and the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center.

Depending on the area of focus, students are prepared for diverse careers in nutrition and food-related industries, government agencies, and academic institutions. Graduates have found employment as college instructors; nutrition educators or consultants in the private sector; nutritionists in the food industry, fitness facilities, or health-related government agencies; and as research scientists in the health-care industry, private sector, government, or academic research institutions. Many have pursued PhD or other professional degrees at major universities around the country.

Admission Requirements

Academic prerequisites include a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or a closely related field, a minimum grade point average of 3.0, and undergraduate course work in nutrition, physiology, biochemistry, and statistics. Motivated students without a nutrition related degree may apply, but will be expected to make up undergraduate course deficiencies if admitted into the program. Students are strongly encouraged to take introductory science courses prior to applying to the program including at least two of the above mentioned prerequisites (one preferably being introductory nutrition). Additional requirements include submission of GRE General Test scores (no minimum score required), two confidential recommendations (using our program’s recommendation forms), a TOEFL iBT Test or IELTS Test. Foreign applicants must have a minimum TOEFL score of 100 iBT (600 paper, 250 computer) or IELTS score of 7.0; a personal resume; and a completed Graduate Admissions Application including statement of objectives. Interviews by phone (or in person if in Hawaiʻi) may be requested by the admissions committee. The deadlines for receipt of all application materials are February 1 for fall semester applicants, and September 1 for spring semester applicants.

Degree Requirements

Two MS degree options are available: Plan A (thesis) and Plan B (non-thesis). Generally, students are expected to follow Plan A unless the Plan B option is approved by the graduate chairperson and the student’s advisor.

Plan A (Thesis)

Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, including:

18 credit hours of course work at the graduate level, 12 of which must be at the 600 level (excluding FSHN 699 and FSHN 700 )
FSHN 699 - Directed Reading and Research Credits: V (2 credits)
FSHN 700 - Thesis Research Credits: V (10 credits)

Plan B (Non-thesis)

Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours, including:

At least 18 credit hours of course work at the 600 level or above (excluding FSHN 699 )
FSHN 699 - Directed Reading and Research Credits: V (6-9 credits)
Remaining credits are fulfilled by graduate level electives that are selected in consultation with the graduate advisor

Both Plan A and B

All students are required to pass an oral exam of basic nutrition knowledge to advance to candidacy for the MS degree, and pass a final exam/oral defense of their Thesis Research (Plan A) or Directed Reading and Research (Plan B). The following courses are required as a core for most graduate students in nutritional sciences: FSHN 601 , FSHN 681 , FSHN 685 or FSHN 784 , FSHN 689 or PH 748 or PH 663 , a graduate-level statistics course, and at least one of the following: FSHN 682 , FSHN 686 , FSHN 784 or FSHN 685 , FSHN 785 , PH 684 or PH 688 . FSHN 681 - Seminar in Food and Nutritional Sciences must be taken at least four times, including at least twice for a letter grade (A-F). Each student will be required to serve as a teaching assistant (TA), in either a paid or non-paid status, for a minimum of one semester. This experience must include a significant instructional component and evaluation by the instructor.

In both plans (in consultation with the student’s graduate committee), the graduate credit hours will be selected from the graduate courses offered in nutritional sciences as well as other related disciplines such as food science, cell and molecular biology, epidemiology, genetics, physiology, public health, kinesiology, and statistics. Because of the diversity of specializations within nutritional sciences, specific course requirements will vary among students. Please see our website at cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hnfas/Academics/Nutritional-Sciences-MS.

The MS Nutritional Sciences Registered Dietitian (RDN) concentration provides students with the opportunity to complete both the MS Nutritional Sciences degree and supervised practice requirements for the RDN exam. The MS RDN concentration of the MS in Nutritional Sciences has 2 pathways: 1) Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) verification statement holders and 2) non-DPD holders. The DPD holders pathway includes 11 graduate credits (Plan B option) comprised of 12 credits of MS Nutritional sciences degree coursework (FSHN 681 , FSHN 601 , FSHN 685 , FSHN 689 , and statistics), 1 credit of directed reading and research, and supervised practice hours, assignments and activities (15 credits), and topics course (2 credits). The Plan A option includes 1 additional credit of directed reading and research and 4 credits of thesis research (FSHN 700 ). The non-DPD holders pathway includes 42 credits total (Plan B option), comprised of MS Nutritional Sciences degree coursework (FSHN 681 , FSHN 601 , FSHN 685 , FSHN 689 , and statistics), as well as FSHN 641 (3 credits), FSHN 642 (3 credits), FSHN 451 (4 credits), FSHN 467 (3 credits), FSHN 468 (3 credits), FSHN 469 (2 credits), and FSHN 667 (15 credits), FSHN 668 (1 credit) with 1 credit of FSHN 699 . The Plan A non-DPD pathway option (47 credits total) includes the Plan B option with an additional 5 credits of FSHN 700. Contact Dietetics Program Director Monica Esquivel (monicake@hawaii.edu) for questions about this concentration.