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MS Program

• undergraduate degree in nutrition or a related field*
• appropriate course work in biochemistry, basic nutrition, human physiology, and introductory statistics
• graduate program supplemental information form (download form)
• statement of objectives (download form)
• current resume
• two letters of recommendation (Use form provided by the graduate program.)
• interview (in person or by phone)
• official GRE General Test scores
• official TOEFL scores — 580/237/92 or above (Required of most non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions.)

PhD Program

• undergraduate or master's degree in nutrition or a related field*
• appropriate course work in biochemistry, basic nutrition, human physiology, and introductory statistics
• GPA of 3.4 or above for undergraduate course work or GPA of 3.6 or above for graduate course work
• graduate program supplemental information form (download form)
• statement of objectives (download form)
• current resume
• three letters of recommendation (Use form provided by the graduate program.)
• interview (in person or by phone)
• official GRE General Test scores above the 50th percentile
• official TOEFL scores — 600/250/100 or above (Required of most non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions.)

* Motivated applicants without the appropriate degree may apply, if they possess excellent academic records and a strong background in biological sciences. Once admitted, they will be expected to make up course deficiencies.

The Department of Human Nutrition, Food, and Animal Sciences at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) offers a graduate program leading to the MS in nutritional sciences. The department also offers an interdisciplinary PhD program, in collaboration with the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i and the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

The MS program prepares students to understand the scientific basis of nutrition and its application to health and fitness. The curriculum applies a strong scientific base to the disciplines of food science and human nutrition. Students learn the basic principles in these related disciplines, as well as data analysis, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills. Students may specialize in obesity, bioactive food components, diet and cancer, mineral nutrition and toxicology, sports nutrition, nutrition education, nutritional product development, community and international nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, and nutritional epidemiology. For those interested in sports nutrition, completion of the International Olympic Committee's online program in sports nutrition may be used to fulfill part of the MS degree requirements, subject to certain conditions.

The PhD program prepares students to become future educators and policy makers in expanding the existing knowledge base on nutrition and health, in developing new approaches to solve nutrition-related problems, and in guiding the development of new products and services. The curriculum consists of comprehensive courses on core nutrition knowledge, advanced scholarship in a specialty area, and preparation for effective communication and career building. Students will develop expertise in at least one overlapping biomedical discipline, such as biochemistry, biostatistics, cell and molecular biology, epidemiology, functional foods, medicine, physiology and psychology.

Students in both MS and PhD programs will develop skills in research methodologies and an understanding of research ethics. MS students will carry out basic and applied research, while PhD students will conduct original scholarly research and disseminate their findings via peer-reviewed publications. PhD students will also receiving training in grantsmanship.

The department is housed in a state-of-the-art building. In addition to instructional facilities, the building contains research laboratories, an experimental kitchen, taste panel and sensory evaluation rooms, food processing facilities, computer laboratories, graduate student cubicles with ample computer access, faculty offices, and conference and seminar rooms. The department also maintains an animal research facility nearby for studies based on animals. The department works closely with a number of cooperating graduate programs at UHM (see Related Programs). Several cooperating graduate faculty members are based in the Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i and the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Nutritional scientists pursue diverse careers in nutrition and food-related industries, health-care and fitness facilities, nutrition education and communication enterprises, government food and nutrition agencies, or scientific research laboratories. Graduates have found employment as university educators; nutrition educators or consultants in the private sector; nutrition specialists in the food industry, health-care and fitness facilities, and government agencies; or as nutrition research scientists in government, private sector, and academic institutions.

MS Degree Requirements
Students may select either Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis). Generally, students are expected to follow Plan A, unless the Plan B option is approved by the graduate chair and the student’s academic adviser.

• Plan A requires 30 credits (including 10 credits of thesis research), a written thesis and defense of the thesis.
• Plan B requires 30 credits, including six to nine credits of directed research.
• Both plans require one semester of teaching experience, a general exam for advancement to candidacy, and a final exam.

PhD Degree Requirements
The PhD program requires the following:

• qualifying exam,
• 18 credits of course work beyond the MS-level,
• teaching experience,
• comprehensive exam,
• dissertation,
• final oral exam / defense of dissertation.

In addition, students who do not already hold an MS degree need to complete 18 credits of MS-level course work and 12 credits of directed research, and to defend their proposal for dissertation research.

Courses
To view a listing of courses offered, visit www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/fshn.htm.