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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog [Current Academic Year]
Human Nutrition [M.S.]
Location(s):
Online
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Advance your knowledge of evidence-based nutrition with superb faculty and gain a competitive edge with the online Master of Science in Human Nutrition. The faculty have years of experience teaching online graduate courses because we were one of the first M.S. in Human Nutrition degrees to be offered online in the U.S. Our accomplished alumni work in health care, education, public health, human performance, business, and many other settings. This degree does not lead to the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential, but the Dietetics [M.S.] degree is recommended for those seeking the RDN credential. Out-of-state students receive Michigan resident (in-state) tuition rates for all online EMU courses.
A total of 30-36 graduate-level credit hours are required to complete the M.S. in Human Nutrition program. Total credits are dependent upon the student’s individualized Program of Study. A minimum of 30 credits is required for the thesis option, and a minimum of 36 credits is required for the non-thesis research project or research writing options.
The M.S. in Human Nutrition program achieves its mission through:
- Providing an exceptional distance learning environment;
- Providing student-centered learning opportunities;
- Promoting evidence-based knowledge and skills; and
- Enhancing students’ critical thinking skills by collaborating with faculty to develop and complete research projects and professional publications.
Career Opportunities
This degree will enhance your current degree and provide opportunities in health care, education, public health, human performance, business, and other related fields. In addition, if you are a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, this degree allows you to obtain Continuing Professional Education toward maintaining your credential.
Important Information
Human Nutrition Infographic [PDF]
Human Nutrition Student Handbook [PDF]
Online Education Eligibility
- The U.S. Federal Government limits the number of online courses international students may enroll in while living in the United States. For this reason, we cannot admit students on F1 or J1 VISAs to fully online programs. Please check with International Admissions to confirm eligibility before applying.
- All applicants, please review Online Education for Out-of-State Students to confirm your eligibility to enroll in an online program based in Michigan.
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Program Admission
Admit Terms and Deadlines
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; students may start the program in the Summer, Fall, or Winter. See Application Deadlines.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
For full admission, applicants must have 1) Earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution, 2) a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program. Conditional admission may be available to applicants not meeting minimum admission requirements.
Program Requirements
Applicants must also meet the following program requirements. Requirements may be more stringent than the minimum graduate school requirements.
- Personal Statement for why you are applying for a Master of Science in Human Nutrition
- Two letters of recommendation from non-relatives
Application
Your application will be submitted using GradCAS, a Centralized Application Service (CAS) hosted by Liaison. After reviewing the admission requirements, please review the application instructions and select the appropriate application.
- Go to 2023-2024 GradCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2024, Fall 2024, or Winter 2025.
- Go to 2024-2025 GradCAS to apply to a program beginning in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, or Winter 2026.
Domestic Applicants Within the application, follow the instructions to submit an official transcript from all previously attended institutions.
International Applicants Before applying, applicants must review the international application/process deadlines at emich.edu/international as they may differ from general program requirements.
For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.
Prerequisite Courses
Taken at EMU or an approved equivalent course at another university.
A grade of “C” or better in:
- Anatomy and Physiology (EMU equivalent EXSC 269 or BIO 326 )
- Fundamentals of Organic and Biochemistry (EMU equivalent CHEM 120 ) OR Foundations of Biochemistry (EMU equivalent CHEM 351 )
- Elementary Statistics (EMU equivalent SOCL 250 or STAT 170 )
A grade of “B” or better in:
- Principles of Human Nutrition (EMU equivalent DTC 202 )
- Nutrient Metabolism - Macronutrients (EMU equivalent DTC 302 )
- Nutrition of the Lifecycle (EMU equivalent DTC 372 )
- Community Nutrition/Nutrition Therapy III (EMU equivalent DTC 430W )
Note | Students who do not have a degree in nutrition or dietetics will need two nutrition courses with a grade of B or above before taking any graduate courses.
Degree Requirements: 30-36 hours
A total of 30-36 credit hours are required to complete the program. Total credits are dependent upon the individualized program of study. A minimum of 30 credits are required for the thesis option and a minimum of 36 credits are required for the research project or research writing option. If there are prerequisite deficiencies in your undergraduate degree or if a course needs to be repeated, additional credit hours may be required.
Required Courses: 12 hours
Culminating Experience and Electives: 18-24 hours
Select from either Option I, Option II, or Option III
Option I - Thesis: 18 hours
The thesis option involves a research study that is planned, executed, and written in a thesis format. This option includes three classes (six credit hours). Each student must have a committee of at least two people; the thesis chair must have a Ph.D. and be an EMU faculty. The thesis consists of a research study that requires five chapters detailing the study. Statistical analysis is the responsibility of the student. Chapters 1-3 are a proposal of the study, written in Thesis I. Chapter 1 is the introduction, chapter 2 is the literature review, and chapter 3 is the methodology (how you will do the study). Thesis II involves data collection and statistical analysis of the data. Chapters 4 (Results) and 5 (Conclusions) are written. Thesis III involves disseminating the research through a poster presentation or an article in a peer-reviewed journal.
Required Courses: 6 hours - DTC 691 Thesis I 2 hrs
- DTC 692 Thesis II 3 hrs
- DTC 693 Thesis III 1 hr
Additional Coursework: 12 hours
Students will complete a minimum of 12 additional credit hours, selected from the “Supporting Nutrition and Foods:” and “Cognate” lists below. A minimum of three hours must be selected from the “Supporting Nutrition and Foods:” list.
Option II - Research: 24 hours
The research option is a three-class series (six credit hours) working with one professor on a project agreed on by the student and professor. More specifically, you may follow the same format as the thesis without the complicated statistics. You may also choose something completely different. For example, one student has designed a module to train future students on autism. In addition, students are guided toward submitting manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals.
Required Courses: 6 hours - DTC 694 Research I 2 hrs
- DTC 695 Research II 3 hrs
- DTC 696 Research III 1 hr
Additional Coursework: 18 hours
Students will complete a minimum of 18 additional credit hours, selected from the “Supporting Nutrition and Foods:” and “Cognate” lists below. A minimum of three hours must be selected from the “Supporting Nutrition and Foods:” list.
Option III - Research Writing: 24 hours
The research writing option is one class (three credit hours) focused on biomedical research writing. Students complete a series of assignments in research writing; complete a newsletter article and a short manuscript that is distributed electronically to faculty and staff in the School of Health Sciences at the end of the semester.
Required Course: 3 hours - DTC 601 Research Writing 3 hrs
Additional Coursework: 21 hours
Students will complete a minimum of 21 additional credit hours, selected from the “Supporting Nutrition and Foods:” and “Cognate” lists below. A minimum of three hours must be selected from the “Supporting Nutrition and Foods:” list.
Additional Coursework Options:
Critical Graduation Information
Each graduate student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements or equivalents of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.
Master’s degree requirements must be completed within six (6) years of first enrollment in the master’s degree program.
In the event a student does not complete the master’s degree requirements within six years of the date of their original registration, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their degree in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.
The following are minimum requirements for all master’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University. Some programs require more than the minimum in one or more areas below.
- A master’s degree must require a minimum of 30 credit hours.
- No more than six credits of independent study courses and no more than 12 credit hours of special topics and independent study courses combined may be applied to a graduate degree.
- Residency Requirement:
- For students admitted to master’s degree programs of 36 or fewer required hours, at least 24 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at EMU. The remaining program requirement hours may be met through transfer or prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere).
- For students admitted to master’s degree programs of 37 or more required hours, at least 30 new graduate hours beginning the semester of acceptance and enrollment into the degree program must be earned at EMU. Minimum degree hours must still be met for graduation. The remaining program requirement hours may be met through transfer or prior degree credit (EMU or elsewhere).
- Residency and enrollment in multiple programs: Students enrolled in multiple master’s/specialist degree programs must have 24 unique credit hours in each degree program.
- Only credits from one completed graduate certificate may be applied to a master’s or specialist degree in a relevant field of study, as determined by the Graduate School and with the approval of the degree-granting academic department, and be included in the residency hours above.
- Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all graduate-level courses taken at EMU and in their program of study to remain in good academic standing and be eligible for graduation. Students do not need to be registered for classes during the semester of graduation.
- The Graduate School does not permit the use of undergraduate courses (499 and below) to meet degree requirements on graduate programs of study.
- Some master’s programs require a thesis; others require a special project or internship; others require students to pass a final exam. See the Graduate School website for Thesis and Dissertation Manuals, all forms, and information about research and human subject approval. Every completed thesis or dissertation must be submitted to Digital Commons. Any form of graduate student work submitted to Digital Commons must first be approved by a faculty advisor and the Graduate School.
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