Graduate Program in Nutrition
In This Section:
Ph.D. Course Requirements
No specified number of courses completed or credits earned will ensure attainment of the doctorate. General requirements are based on:
- a one-year period of residence
- passing comprehensive and final oral examinations
- planning, executing, writing, and defending a satisfactory thesis
A doctoral program consists of such a combination of courses, seminars, individual study, and research as meets the minimum requirements of the Nutrition program and is approved by the doctoral committee for each student. A master's degree is not a prerequisite for the Ph.D. degree, but is usually encouraged. After a student is accepted as a doctoral candidate, he or she may take no more than nine years to complete the program.
Core Courses
The core courses to meet Ph.D. degree requirements should be the equivalent to Master's Degree Core Course Requirements.
Additional Courses
A minimum of 12 course credits in nutrition or a related field are required in addition to the core courses. An example of an additional course would be in statistics or another root discipline. At least 5 credits should be at the 500 level.
The selection of additional courses should be tailored to individual graduate student's interests, relying on the advice of his/her Ph.D. Committee. This committee should be formed within 2 months after completion of the Candidacy Exam.
Seminar
One seminar for each year the student is in residence. Students may select from NUTRN 520, NUTRN 551, or a departmental graduate seminar to meet the requirement.
Communications Requirement
A candidate for the Ph.D. degree in Nutrition must satisfy this requirement before taking the comprehensive examination. The manner in which these requirements are satisfied must be approved by the candidate's committee.
- Three credits of technical writing - e.g., English 418 Advanced Technical Writing and Editing, or some equivalent coursework. Speech or speech communication may also be recommended by the committee.
- Two to three credits in one or more courses taken post-baccalaureate as part of the Ph.D. requirements from one of the following areas:
- College of extension teaching - e.g., Agricultural Education 530, Agricultural College Teaching; Higher Education 546, Principles of College Teaching; NUTRN 602, Supervised experience in College Teaching.
- Logic or philosophy of science - e.g., Philosophy 212, Symbolic Logic; Philosophy 421, Philosophy of Science; Philosophy 512, Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Science.
- Foreign Language. Education Testing Service competency in French or Spanish. Graduate School competency in other languages.
- Computer applications.