Michigan State University
MSU Food Science and Human Nutrition

Human Nutrition Graduate Programs

Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.)

For the doctor of philosophy degree in human nutrition, 24 research credits are required beyond the master's of science degree. There is no specific number of course credits that is required for the Ph.D. beyond that specified for the M.S. degree. There is, however, a core of graduate courses that is required for fulfillment of the Ph.D. in human nutrition. Additional course work will be specified by the Guidance Committee.  Such courses will likely be those that will benefit the student’s research as well as courses necessary to complete the M.S. core requirements (especially for students who have earned the M.S. degree in another department). A typical doctoral program is recommended to include 20 to 34 course credits to provide the desired breadth and depth of academic training of the student. Program requirements for a Ph.D. in human nutrition are found in Section 8 of the Graduate Handbook. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be maintained (exclusive of collateral and research credits).

One year of residence (defined as enrollment in courses offered and attended on campus) is required to meet the university residence requirement. One year of residence will be made up of two consecutive semesters involving the completion of at least six credits of graduate work per semester.

All human nutrition Ph.D. students are required to present two seminars for credit (HNF 892). The topics for these seminars should be outside of the student’s dissertation research area. Two additional formal seminar presentations related to the dissertation are required. After meetings with the Guidance Committee, but prior to final review and approval, the dissertation proposal shall be presented to departmental faculty and graduate students. Ph.D. candidates are also required to present a dissertation defense seminar at the time of their final examination. These seminars are open to the entire department and neither is scheduled as part of HNF 892 series.

The doctoral comprehensive examination is a required component of the human nutrition doctoral program at MSU.

The purposes of the examination are:

  1. To evaluate the student's ability to integrate and to apply knowledge obtained in the core courses recommended for the Ph.D. program (Section 8.5) to general problems in human nutrition.
  2. To evaluate the student's preparation and knowledge in his/her research emphasis area to ascertain the candidate's potential to communicate ideas, design experiments, conduct research and interpret data – qualifications necessary for successful completion of a Ph.D. dissertation.


The FSHN comprehensive examination consists of two components: a written examination and an oral examination. The human nutrition written examination will be administered by the faculty exam mentor once per year (in the month of August).  The oral examination must be taken within three months after the successful completion of the written examination. 

The final examination consists of an oral presentation open to the entire department, followed by a closed examination in the defense of the dissertation. 

Minimum core course requirements for the Ph.D. in human nutrition are outlined as follows:

Nutrition

A graduate course in community and clinical nutrition

Biochemistry

Physiology

Statistics

HNF 892 – Nutrition Seminar

HNF 999 – Doctoral Dissertation Research 24 credits

Human Nutrition Graduate Courses and Prerequisites

The following are the 800 and 900 HNF courses offered in the HNF graduate program; the prerequisites (P) for these courses are listed below.

HNF 840 – Human Nutrition and Chronic Diseases (P: BMB 401, HNF 461 & 462)

HNF 843 – Community Nutritional Assessment (P: HNF 461 & 462, CEP 932 or approval of department)

HNF 890 – Supervised Individual Study (P: HNF 461 & 462)

HNF 891 – Topics in Human Nutrition (MTC)

HNF 891A – Topics in Human Nutrition: Current Trends in the Food Industry

HNF 891 – Nutrition Seminar

HNF 894 – Human Nutrition Practicum (P: HNF 461 & 462)

HNF 899 – Master's Thesis Research

HNF 935 – Nutrition:  Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism – Interdepartmental with the Department of Animal Science (P: HNF 461 & 462 or ANS 313, and BMB 462)

HNF 936 – Protein Nutrition and Metabolism – Interdepartmental with the Department of Animal Science (P: BMB 461, BMB 462, one year of physiology)

HNF 937 – Mineral and Vitamin Nutrition and Metabolism – Interdepartmental with the Department of Animal Science (P: One year of BMB (BMB 461, 462), one year of PSL, HNF 460 or ANS 313 or approval of department.)

HNF 999 – Doctoral Dissertation Research

 

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