Master of Science in Nutrition Education
The Nutrition and Education master's degree prepares graduates to work with individuals and groups in many settings, such as communities, worksites, healthcare facilities, businesses, government and international agencies, visual media, and private practice. Students take additional electives beyond the core that will especially prepare them to provide culturally competent food and nutrition education in these various settings and though various media, to conduct individual and group counseling and patient education, and to participate in programs to improve environmental supports for behavior change. The master's degree program also prepares graduates to serve as resource specialists and curriculum developers in schools, communities, non-profit organizations, and universities.
This degree program conforms to the Nutrition Education Competencies for Promoting Healthy Individuals, Communities, and Food Systems set forth by the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior.
Admissions Information
Master of Science
- Points/Credits: 47
- Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Application Deadlines
- Spring: November 1
- Summer/Fall (Priority): January 15
- Summer/Fall (Final): Rolling
* For details about rolling deadlines, visit our admission deadlines page.
Supplemental Application Requirements/Comments
- GRE General Test, MCAT, GMAT, or DAT
How to Apply
The Nutrition faculty reviews applications throughout the year. However, preference in scholarship awards will go to students whose applications arrive during the initial months of each calendar year.
To be considered for admission to the Program in Nutrition, applicants must submit the following through the Admissions application:
- Application document
- Official undergraduate transcript
- Official transcripts that confirm completion of at least five of the seven master's prerequisite courses. If admitted to the Program in Nutrition, the outstanding master's prerequisites must be successfully completed prior to beginning master's courses. Please note that the following master's prerequisites must be completed within five years of beginning master's courses: introductory nutrition, biochemistry, anatomy & physiology I with lab, and anatomy & physiology II with lab. (Basic statistics, general chemistry with lab, and organic chemistry with lab can be older than five years.)
- Two or three letters of recommendation
- Personal essay
- Resume
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores on the general exam.
Each application is reviewed within a few weeks of the Nutrition faculty receiving the application from the Office of Admission. Prospective students will receive formal letters informing them of their admission status.
Since applications remain "active" for one year within the Office of Admission, applications can be submitted in piecemeal. However, an application will not be forwarded to the Nutrition faculty for review until the application is submitted as complete. If you have questions about your submitted application, please contact Admissions at 212-678-3710.
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Course Requirements
Master of Science: General Requirements
The major program emphases are in the fields of Nutrition Education, Nutrition and Public Health, and Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. Students in all three M.S. programs may qualify for the Dietetic Internship through coursework for the M.S. degrees and the completion of additional academic prerequisites and requirements specifically for the Dietetic Internship. All three M.S. Nutrition degrees require the following core courses:
- HBSV 4010 Food, Nutrition, and Behavior
- HBSV 4013 Nutritional Ecology
- HBSV 4014 Community Nutrition
- HBSV 5010 Advanced Nutrition I
- HBSV 5011 Advanced Nutrition II
- HBSV 5013 Strategies for Nutrition Education and Health Behavior Change
- HBSV 5014 Analysis of Current Literature and Research in Nutrition
- HBSV 5015 Nutritional Epidemiology
- HBSV 5033-5034 Nutrition Care Process and Medical Nutrition Therapy I and II
- HBSV 5036 Nutrition Counseling
- HBSV 5231, 5232, or 5233 Extended Fieldwork in Nutrition and Public Health, Nutrition and Education, or Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
- BBSR 5582 Research Eesign in the Movement Sciences, or
- HBSS 5040 Research Methods in Health and Behavior Studies , or
- HBSS 6100 Measurement and Program Evaluation
As noted above, all three Master of Science degrees require a block of supervised fieldwork as well as a substantial integrative departmental project or thesis. Fieldwork can take place in the New York City area, in other parts of the United States, or in an international setting, depending on the interests of the student. The Dietetic Internship may satisfy the fieldwork experience requirement. Students must also submit a portfolio of their work in preparation for a Dietetic Internship.
Master of Science: Nutrition Education
Students working toward the 40- to 43-point Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Education have the option of electing courses that will especially prepare them to conduct individual and group counseling and patient education or to provide food and nutrition education in community, school, work site, health care, or mass media settings.
In addition to the core curriculum in nutrition science, the behavioral aspects of diet, and nutrition education, students are also required to take at least two electives from a variety of other disciplines in keeping with their own goals and their area of specialization. The degree conforms to the guidelines for the Nutrition Education Competencies for Promoting Healthy Individuals, Communities, and Food Systems set forth by the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior.