Dec 03, 2024  
Graduate School Course Catalog 2024-2025 
    
Graduate School Course Catalog 2024-2025

Nutritional Sciences, M.S.


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The Master of Science degree program in Nutritional Sciences offers 4 pathways based on background level of nutrition experience: NS, NS-RD, DIP-NS GP and GP Certificate. The NS path is for general students. The NS-RD path is for students who are Registered Dietitian/Nutritionists or dietetic interns at other institutions and grants 6 graduate credits for their completed dietetic internship. The DIP-NS Continuing path is for NCCU dietetic interns who have earned 15 credits as part of the dietetic internship and choose to continue into the master’s degree program. The GP path is the Future Education Model Graduate program that is a two-year full-time accredited program which integrates didactic learning with supervised experiential learning in a professional setting where students upon completion earn a MS degree and are eligible for the Registered Dietitian / Nutritionist credentialing exam. The FEM Dietetics Certificate path is a one-year full-time certificate program for students who have a master’s degree and have met year one GP ACEND course competencies. Students must contact the GP Director for assessment of prior learning/experience to determine eligibility. Students have the option of completing designated coursework in a specific field of nutrition to earn a concentration in one of the following areas: community nutrition educator, gerontological nutrition, obesity & weight management pediatric nutrition, or sports dietetics. GP students are assigned to the dietetics concentration.

NS and NS-RD Track


I. Admission Requirements


For an unconditional admittance the prospective student needs to have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, preferably in a major of nutritional sciences or related field. Students with a cumulative GPA lower than 3.0, or who majored in another area may be considered for conditional admittance. Students must have a minimum of two letters of recommendation, preferably from current or former faculty who can evaluate the student’s ability to handle graduate work. Students must also submit a personal statement that discusses in detail why the individual wants to pursue an MS degree in Nutritional Sciences. Work and volunteer experience in the field is also evaluated. The Department uses a rubric for evaluating each applicant and scores points for: overall GPA, personal Statement, letters of recommendation, and work, volunteer, or internship experience.

II. Program Requirements


NS Path


NS-RD Pathway


Nutrition Elective Courses - 9 hours (selected from the following courses)

Elective - 3 hours

Option to take any 5000 level or above graduate class from any department. Can be from the Nutrition Electives Courses.

Internship

Internship requirements is fulfilled by prior ACEND accredited dietetic internship and 6 credits are granted towards the degree program using transfer of credits.

Total Credit Hours in NS-RD path- 27 additional hours

(27 hours + 6 transfer internship hours = 33 hours)

III. Exit Requirements (NS & NS-RD paths)


1. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required.
2. Successful completion of at least 33 credit hours for either the Thesis or Non-Thesis (Internship) option is required.
3. Successful completion of a written Comprehensive Examination is required with 80% minimum score.
4. Successful completion of a minimum of three-credit internship program project or thesis, including passing an oral exam is required. NS-RD students complete this requirement through their dietetic internship and RD exam.

Combined MS and Dietetic Internship Program (DIP-NS continuing pathway)


I. Academic Requirements


Students who were formerly admitted to NCCU’s Dietetic Internship Program (DIP) through DICAS and D&D Digital matching process and successfully earn their DIP Certificate are eligible to continue into the MS degree program and apply the 15 credits earned through the DIP toward the MS degree requirements. Please note that NCCU’s DIP was discontinued in Spring 2023.

II. Program Requirements


DIP Requirements - 15 hours


  • NSCG 5910 - Nutrition through the Life Cycle (3)
  • NSCG 5920 - Special Problems in Dietetics (3)
  • NSCG 5930 - Applied Medical Nutrition Therapy (3)
  • NSCG 6000 - Dietetic Internship (6)

Graduate Program Requirements - 18 hours


Professional Core - 3 hours

  • NSCG 5600 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
Research Core - 6 hours

  • NSCG 5800 - Research in Foods and Nutrition (3)
  • NSCG 5420 - Biostatistics (3)
Nutrition Elective Courses - 6 hours (selected from the following courses)

  • NSCG 5610 - Nutrition Therapy & Disease States (3)
  • NCSG 5640 - Public Health Nutrition (3)
  • NCSG 5720 - Advances in Nutrition Education (3)
  • NCSG 5740 - Pediatric Nutrition (3)
  • NSCG 5820 - Gerontological Nutrition (3)
  • NSCG 5840 - Weight Management, Obesity & Diabetes (3)
Electives - 3 hours

Option to take any 5000 level or above graduate class from any department. Can be from the Nutrition Electives Courses.

Total Credit Hours in DIP-NS continuing track - 33 hours


III. Exit Requirements


1. Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required.
2. Success completion of 33 credits through 18 credits of graduate program requirements and 15 credits of dietetic internship program requirements is required.
3. Successful completion of all DIP requirements to earn DIP certificate.
4. Successful completion of 6 credit hours of supervised internship practice through the DIP is required.
5. Successful completion of a RDN Comprehensive Examination is required with 85% minimum score.
 

Concentration Requirements for MS in Nutritional Science


Students may earn a concentration in the areas below by complete 9 hours of specialty work as designated below. Director of Graduate Studies approves all concentration plan of study.

Community Nutrition Educator:


NSCG 5640 - Public Health Nutrition (3)
NSCG 5720 - Advances in Nutrition Education (3)
CON 5351 - Principles and Procedures of Group Counseling
NSCG 5890 - Specialized Studies in Nutrition Concentration or similar courses as approved by Director of Graduate Studies (3)

Gerontological Nutrition:


NSCG 5910 - Nutrition Through Life Cycle (3)
NSCG 5820 - Gerontological Nutrition (3)
Choice of: RECG 5410 - Social Gerontology, PERG 5410 Social Gerontology in Recreational Therapy, NSCG 5890 Specialized Studies in Nutrition Concentration or similar courses as approved by Director of Graduate Studies (3)

Obesity and Weight Management:


NSCG 5600 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
NSCG 5840 - Weight Management, Obesity & Diabetes (3)
NSCG 5610 - Nutrition Therapy & Disease States or NSCG 5930 Applied Medical Nutrition Therapy (3)

Pediatric Nutrition:


NSCG 5910 - Nutrition Through Life Cycle (3)
NSCG 5740 - Pediatric Nutrition (3)
Choice of: CON 5308 - Counseling Children & Adolescence (3), NSCG 5890 - Specialized Studies in Nutrition Concentration (3) or similar courses as approved by Director of Graduate Studies.

Sports Dietetics:


NSCG 5600 - Advanced Nutrition (3)
NSCG 5630 - Sports Nutrition (3)
Choice of PEDG 5100 - Sociological Aspects of Sports & Leisure (3), NSCG 5890 Specialized Studies in Nutrition Concentration (3) or similar courses as approved by Director of Graduate Studies.

Dietetics: (DIP only)


NSCG 5910 - Nutrition through the Life Cycle (3)
NSCG 5920 - Special Problems in Dietetics (3)
NSCG 5930 - Applied Medical Nutrition Therapy (3)
NSCG 6000 - Dietetic Internship (6)

Dietetics: Future Education Model GP Students only


NSCG 5910 - Nutrition through the Life Cycle (3)

NSCG 5930 - Applied Medical Nutrition Therapy (3)

NSCG 5940 - Concepts in Dietetics and Nutrition Practices (1)

NSCG 5950 - Dietetics Seminar (2)

NSCG 6010 - Supervised Experiential Learning (2)

NSCG 6210 - Supervised Experiential Learning (4)

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