Thesis Option
This program would be suitable for any student of the Health Sciences, who wishes to emphasize nutrition in their course work or research. Graduates can go on to further study in a graduate or medical school, or to work in the health sciences and biotechnology industries, especially (but not limited to) those emphasizing nutrition.
This option requires students to become actively engaged in a significant research project related to the nutritional sciences, while also providing students with a comprehensive understanding of nutritional science through coursework. It emphasizes active participation in hypothesis-driven research that is expected to result in publishable results. This option is for students who anticipate a professional career involving research or discovery. It is preferred by students who anticipate a significant reliance on knowledge of the basic biological basis of nutrition in their careers. This path is also usually (not always) undertaken by students who expect to pursue further advance study, i.e., additional graduate studies or medical school, after graduation.
Degree Requirements:
The program of study must include a minimum of 30 graduate credit and completion of a master's thesis based on a research project.
Master's Thesis:
Each student will design and test an experimental hypothesis and report their findings in a written thesis. A draft of the thesis proposal will be submitted to the student's thesis committee for feedback by the second semester of the first year of study. This permits the committee to offer advice before the first summer of research. A revised, final proposal will be submitted to the committee after completion of the initial experiments, no later than the beginning of the fall semester of the second year. The second year of study will involve completion of research and writing of the thesis. Candidates for the M.S. degree will be required to pursue an oral examination based on graduate courses and completed thesis.
