Nutrition Science, MS

Contact

Lynn Brann, Director of Graduate Programs in Nutrition

559 White Hall

315-443-4805

lbrann@syr.edu

Faculty

Kay Stearns Bruening, Lynn S. Brann, L. Beth Dixon, Tanya M. Horacek, Sudha Raj, Sarah H. Short, Jane Burrell Uzcategui, Margaret A. Voss, Jennifer L. Wilkins

Program Description

The master’s degree represents the professional qualification for many practitioners in dietetics and community nutrition and hence has become the terminal degree for many students. However, the increased number of higher education programs in nutrition and dietetics has also increased interest in doctoral programs that prepare practitioners for faculty positions. The master’s degree may thus serve as a preparatory step toward more advanced study.

Because of the varying backgrounds and professional interests of students, the master’s degree program is flexible. The M.A. degree requires the completion of a minimum of 36 credits, and the M.S. degree requires the completion of a minimum of 30 credits including a thesis.

The thesis involves investigative work on a specific topic, extensive examination and interpretation of nutrition literature on that topic, and the presentation of results in a clear and logical form. Completion of the thesis may require an additional year of study beyond completion of coursework. Students completing the Didactic Program in Dietetics or DPD requirements (to be eligible to apply to a dietetic internship) will require a minimum of 40 credits.

General Program Requirements

Students selecting nutrition as a major field of study must have minimum proficiency in chemistry and physiology. A recent course in nutrition must be presented upon entrance.

If you have a bachelor’s degree outside nutrition and would like to become a registered dietitian, make an appointment with the director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), Nancy Rindfuss, M.A., R.D., to obtain an evaluation of your DPD status. The evaluation might dictate classes you have to complete prior to starting the program.

Both the M.A. and M.S. degrees should include coursework from the major area and supporting areas.

Major Area Courses

Students are expected to complete all of the core courses, with a grade of B or higher.

Supporting Area Courses

6 to 18 credits may be selected from any field(s) approved by the student’s advisor as being supportive of the total program. The program of study must be approved by the department’s graduate committee.

Thesis

The thesis should be selected in a specific area of interest that is reflected by the selection of courses within the major and related fields. Students should register for six credits of NSD 997 - Master’s Thesis . A written proposal for the thesis must be presented to the department for approval. Oral defense of the thesis is required.

Transfer Credits

Students may transfer 30% of the required graduate credit hours (with a grade of B or higher) with the approval of the graduate committee. A maximum of 12 credits (with a grade of B or higher) may be taken as a non-matriculated student at Syracuse University.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination for both the M.A. and M.S. degrees consists of an essay test on advanced topics in nutrition and an oral examination.

Master’s students are required to complete the Master’s Comprehensive Examination as part of their master’s degree and must pass this in order to receive their degree. The Master’s Comprehensive Examination is given to candidates who are in the final stages of completing all requirements for the master’s degree. This examination provides the master’s candidate an opportunity to demonstrate his/her capabilities for critical analysis and thinking and assimilation of information contained in the body of nutrition literature. The exam is a take home exam. It will be given to students in early March of their final year of study; students will be given two weeks to complete the exam and prepare a 15 minute oral presentation to be presented to the faculty as the oral exam on a specified date toward the end of the semester.

If the student fails to pass the Comprehensive Exam, they will be given a second chance to complete it. Failure to pass the second time will result in suspension from the Nutrition Science Graduate Program.