Accelerated Master of Science
The department offers an accelerated 4+1 program with either our traditional Nutritional Sciences MS or online Personalized Nutrition MS that enable highly motivated and capable students to gain both BS and MS degrees in five years. This program is open to all students but works particularly well for those who bring in relevant Advanced Placement or Early College Experience credits from high school. Taking required undergraduate courses ahead of schedule opens up space in the senior year to include graduate coursework, allowing completion of all MS requirements in one additional year.
Students who are interested in the Nutritional Sciences or Personalized Nutrition 4+1 programs are encouraged to discuss this route with their advisors early in the sophomore year, and they should apply for the program in the spring of the junior year.
Program Benefits
- Tuition cost savings. You will earn an MS degree in just one additional year after completing your BS degree, saving one year in terms of time and tuition costs.
- Expedited career growth. The additional year can easily make up for several years of on-the-job experience, providing for a faster and more fulfilling career path.
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension for F-1 students. This STEM-designated program allows international students to apply for up to 24 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) upon graduation.
- Increased earning potential upon graduation. Your MS degree will qualify you to apply for a wider range of economics jobs with higher salaries.
- Online or in-person options. Students can choose either our traditional in-person Nutritional Sciences MS or our online MS in Personalized Nutrition.
Degree Requirements
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0
- At least B- in all Nutritional Sciences and science courses
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal Statement
- GRE is not required for students entering the graduate portion of this program.
Recommended Course Sequences
Nutritional Sciences 4+1
Freshman Year
Fall Semester
*CHEM 1124Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry (4 credits)
*ENGL 1007: Seminar in Writing (4 credits)
*NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)
Electives (0 – 3 credits)
Total: 12 – 15 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 1125Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry II (3 credits)
*NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
*BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Environmental Literacy (3 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Sophmore Year
Fall Semester
*CHEM 2241: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
*NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development (3 credits)
Content Area 2 (3 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
*PNB 2264: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*SOCI 1001: Intro to Sociology (3 credits)
STAT 1100Q**: Elementary Concepts of Statistics (4 credits)
*PNB 2265: Human Anatomy and Physiology (4 credits)
Content Area 4 (3 credits)
W Course (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Junior Year
Fall Semester
NUSC 3233: Food Comp & Preparation (3 credits)
NUSC 3234: Food Comp & Prep Lab (1 credits)
*MCB 2000: Intro to Biochemistry (4 credits)
Electives (6 credits)
Total: 14 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 3230: Community Nutrition (3 credits)
NUSC 3271: Food Service Systems Lab (2 credits)
NUSC 3272: Food Service Systems Management (2 credits)
*NUSC 4236: Metabolism and Functions of Nutrients (4 credits)
*NUSC 4237W: Writing in Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Elective (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Senior Year
Fall Semester
NUSC 4250: Nutrition for Exercise and Sport (3 credits)
NUSC 4260: Dietary Supplements and Functional Foods (3 credits)
NUSC 5100: Concepts of Nutrition (2 credits)
NUSC 5200: Macronutrient Metabolism (3 credits)
Electives (1 – 4 credits)
Total: 12 – 15 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 1125Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry II (3 credits)
*NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
*BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Environmental Literacy (3 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Grad Year
Fall Semester
STAT XXXX: STAT Course (3 credits)
NUSC 5394: Seminar (1 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
GRAD 5910: Responsible Conduct in Research (1 credits)
NUSC 5399: Independent Study (4 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5399: Independent Study (3 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Didactic Program in Dietetics 4+1
Freshman Year
Fall Semester
*CHEM 1124Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry (4 credits)
*ENGL 1007: Seminar in Writing (4 credits)
*NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)
UNIV 1810: Learning Community Seminar: Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Electives (0-3 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 1125Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry II (3 credits)
*NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
*BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology (4 credits)
Content Area 1: (3 credits)
Environmental Literacy: (3 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Sophmore Year
Fall Semester
*CHEM 2241: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
*NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development (3 credits)
Content Area 2 (3 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
*PNB 2264: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*SOCI 1001: Intro to Sociology (3 credits)
*STAT 1100Q: Elementary Concepts of Statistics (4 credits)
*PNB 2265: Human Anatomy and Physiology (4 credits)
Content Area 4 (3 credits)
W Course (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Junior Year
Fall Semester
*NUSC 3245: Profession in Dietetics (1 credits)
*NUSC 3233: Food Comp & Preparation (3 credits)
*NUSC 3234: Food Comp & Prep Lab (1 credits)
*MCB 2000: Intro to Biochemistry (4 credits)
*AH 4244: Management for the Health Professional (3 credits)
*AH 4242: Counsel/Teach for Health Professional (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Spring Semester
*NUSC 3230: Community Nutrition (3 credits)
*NUSC 3271: Food Service Systems Lab (2 credits)
*NUSC 3272: Food Service Systems Management (2 credits)
*NUSC 4236: Metabolism and Functions of Nutrients (4 credits)
*NUSC 4237W: Writing in Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Elective (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Senior Year
Fall Semester
*MCB 2160: Fundamentals of Microbiology (4 credits)
*NUSC 3150: Medical Nutritional Therapy I (3 credits)
*NUSC 4272: Food Service System Management II (2 credits)
*NUSC 4294: Seminar in Dietetic Internship Prep (1 credits)
NUSC 5100: Concepts of Nutrition (2 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 3250: Medical Nutrition Therapy II (3 credits)
NUSC 5300: Vitamins and Minerals (3 credits)
NUSC 5XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
Electives (6 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Grad Year
Fall Semester
NUSC 3250: Medical Nutrition Therapy II (3 credits)
NUSC 5300: Vitamins and Minerals (3 credits)
NUSC 5XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
Electives (6 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5399: Independent Study (3 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Pre-Medical Profession 4+1
Freshman Year
Fall Semester
*CHEM 1127Q: General Chemistry (4 credits)
*ENGL 1007: Seminar in Writing (4 credits)
*NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)
*BIOL 1107 (or 1108): Principles of Biology (4 credits)
UNIV 1810: Learning Community Seminar: Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 1128Q: General Chemistry II (4 credits)
NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
STAT 1100Q: Elementary Concepts of Statistics (4 credits)
BIOL 1108 (or 1107): Principles of Biology (4 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Sophmore Year
Fall Semester
*CHEM 2443: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
*NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development (3 credits)
MATH 1131Q: Calculus I (4 credits)
*PNB 2264: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 2443: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
*NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development (3 credits)
MATH 1131Q: Calculus I (4 credits)
*PNB 2264: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Junior Year
Fall Semester
NUSC 3233: Food Comp & Preparation (3 credits)
CHEM 2445: Organic Chemistry & Laboratory (3 credits)
PSYC 1100: General Psychology I (3 credits)
*MCB 2000: Intro to Biochemistry (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*NUSC 4263: Metabolism and Functions of Nutrients (4 credits)
*NUSC 4237W: Writing in Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
NUSC 3230: Community Nutrition (3 credits)
MCB 2210: Cell Biology (3 credits)
NUSC 4299: Independent Study (3 credits)
Environmental Literacy (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Senior Year
Fall Semester
MCB 2400 (or 2410): Human Genetics (or Genetics) (3 credits)
PHYS 1201Q: General Physics I (4 credits)
NUSC 4299: Independent Study (3 credits)
NUSC 5100: Concepts of Nutrition (2 credits)
NUSC 5200: Macronutrient Metabolism (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Spring Semester
PHYS 1202Q: General Physics II (4 credits)
NUSC 4296W: Honors Thesis (3 credits)
NUSC 5300: Vitamins and Minerals (3 credits)
Electives (5 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Grad Year
Fall Semester
STAT XXXX: STAT Course (3 credits)
NUSC 5394: Seminar (1 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
GRAD 5910: Responsible Conduct in Research (1 credits)
NUSC 5950: Master’s Thesis Research (4 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (4 credits)
NUSC 5950: Master’s Thesis Research (5 credits)
Total: 12 credits
*required for a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and to earn a Verification Statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This Plan of Study assumes the foreign language requirement is completed before admission to the University. If needed, a student may take these as electives.
Please note that this program has both Plan A and B options. Students will enter the Plan B (non-thesis) track by default, although Plan A (thesis) is possible with PI support. Applicants must their identify 4+1 graduate advisor.
Plan A option works well for Honors students (although not necessary), who can build upon their Honors research work to construct an MS thesis. Students in this option may have an opportunity to receive a teaching or a research assistantship that comes with a full tuition waiver and a stipend. Students with an interest in dietetics can stay an extra year and complete the Plan B MS degree with coursework, prior to applying for a Dietetic Internship. From 2024, an MS degree will be required to sit for the Registered Dietitian credentialing exam.
Scholarships are available on a competitive basis for the students who take this option.
Online Graduate Certificate Programs
Our career-focused online certificate programs provide healthcare practitioners of all types opportunities to advance in their fields. Our certificates could also be a convenient add-on to our other graduate programs.