The Master of Science in Nutritional Science

Course Requirements for the Master's Degree: 30 units

Continuous enrollment is required. At the discretion of the academic program, a maximum of 30 percent of the units counted toward the degree requirements may be special session credit earned in non-matriculated status combined with all transfer coursework. This applies to special session credit earned through Open University, or in courses offered for academic credit through Regional and Continuing Education.

Graduate Time Limit:

All requirements for the degree are to be completed within five years of the end of the semester of enrollment in the oldest course applied toward the degree. See Master's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements.

The MS in Nutritional Science provides an opportunity for students to:

1. Specialize in nutrition, food science, clinical nutrition, or community nutrition.

2. Complete a master's degree and concurrently qualify for membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

3. Increase competence in food and nutrition subject matter in preparation for college teaching, research, graduate study beyond the master's degree, and administrative positions in public and private agencies.

Prerequisites for Admission to Conditionally Classified Status:

1. Satisfactory grade point average as specified in Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Admission Requirements in the University Catalog.

2. Approval by the department and the Office of Graduate Studies.

3. An acceptable baccalaureate from an accredited institution, or an equivalent approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, which includes a minimum of 24 upper-division units among the subject areas of biochemistry, chemistry, nutrition and food science, mathematics, microbiology, physiology, and statistics. Computer literacy is also required. Students with deficiencies in undergraduate preparation may be required to take prerequisite course work at the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator after consultation with the student and faculty in the subject matter area(s) considered deficient. In addition, prerequisites for graduate-level courses must have been completed within the five years prior to taking the graduate courses. Outdated prerequisites must be validated either by examination or by registration (credit will not be earned for validating this course work).

4. Approval by the Nutrition and Food Science Graduate Coordinator.

Prerequisites for Admission to Classified Status:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

1. Development and submission of an approved program plan in consultation with the Graduate Advisor and a faculty member of the student's choice.

2. Completion of 12 departmentally specified units of letter-graded 400/500/600-level course work (of which 9 units must be in residence and part of the approved program) with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

Advancement to Candidacy:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

1. Classified graduate standing and completion at the University of at least 15 units of approved course work.

2. Completion of MATH 615 or equivalent.

Requirements for the MS in Nutritional Science:

Completion of all requirements as established by the program graduate committee, the graduate advisory committee, and the Office of Graduate Studies, to include:

1. Completion of 30 units of approved 400/500/600-level course work as follows:

(a) Units required for both options:

13 units required:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
MATH 615	Statistical Methods for Graduate Research	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: MATH 105, MATH 305, MATH 315, or MATH 350 (only one is required). Introduction to common procedures used to analyze data. Single and two-sample inference, analysis of variance, multiple regression, analysis of co-variance, experimental design, repeated measures, nonparametric procedures, and categorical data analysis. Examples will be drawn from Biology and related disciplines. Statistical computer packages will be introduced. Appropriate for biology, agriculture, nutrition, psychology, social science, and other majors. 3 hours discussion. (005597)
NFSC 600	Research Methods in Nutritional Sciences	4.0	FA
Prerequisites: MATH 615 or similar statistics course. An examination of quantitative and qualitative research methods via the analysis of data and the design and implementation of original research and evaluation studies. Activities are designed to develop skills in research design, sampling design, instrumentation, data collection, statistics analysis, presentation and interpretation of results, and the presentation of original research via poster boards and journal manuscripts. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours activity. This course requires the use of a laptop computer and appropriate software. (006380)
NFSC 641	Topics in Macronutrients	3.0	SP
Prerequisites: NFSC 440, biochemistry. Review of current scientific literature in selected aspects of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, and their use by the body. 3 hours seminar. (004362)
NFSC 642	Topics in Vitamins and Minerals	3.0	FA
Prerequisites: NFSC 440, biochemistry. Review of current scientific literature in contemporary issues of selected micronutrients. 3 hours seminar. (004363)

3-6 units required:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
NFSC 697P	Professional Paper	3.0	FS
Culminating activity for the MS degree. A professional paper is written based on original research. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. 9 hours supervision. Credit/no credit grading. (006386)
NFSC 699T	Master's Thesis	1.0 -6.0	FS
Offered for 1.0-6.0 units, the master's thesis is the culminating activity for the MS degree. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. 9 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (006387)

2-6 units selected from:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
NFSC 530	Nutrition Program Management and Administration	3.0	INQ
Prerequisite: NFSC 431 or faculty permission. Study and application of program and organizational management within the fields of food and nutrition, such as community nutrition and health programs, clinical nutrition administration, and school and hospital foodservice administration. 3 hours lecture. (021446)
NFSC 662	Advanced Nutrition Counseling	2.0	INQ
Prerequisites: NFSC 460, NFSC 471 or faculty permission. Advanced communication skills for nutrition counseling including disease-specific counseling strategies, the nutrition care process, documentation, and motivational interviewing. 2 hours seminar. (020938)
NFSC 665	Topics in Community Nutrition	2.0	INQ
This course reinforces principles of community-based organization and evaluation. Oral presentation and critique of research-based interventions, current issues, and strategies for effective grant writing are addressed. 2 hours seminar. (006381)
NFSC 667	International Issues in Nutrition	2.0	INQ
Prerequisites: NFSC 429, biochemistry. Review of international issues that influence nutritional status of individuals and populations, with emphasis on contemporary problems in less developed countries. 2 hours seminar. (004366)
NFSC 670	Topics in Clinical Nutrition	2.0	INQ
Prerequisites: NFSC 470, biochemistry. A review and application of the nutrition care process to selected contemporary issues in therapeutic nutrition. Role of dietitian as health care team member is considered and examined. 2 hours seminar. (004360)

Note: May be taken to fulfill elective requirement for General Nutrition Science Option only.

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
NFSC 689	Graduate Internship	1.0 -6.0	FS
This course is an internship offered for 1.0-6.0 units.You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. The internship is designed to provide semiprofessional field experience for graduate students in agencies which use application of theoretical knowledge in the discipline. May be repeated more than once for credit. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 15.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (004368)
NFSC 697	Independent Study	1.0 -3.0	FS
This course is a graduate-level independent study offered for 1.0-3.0 units. You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. 9 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (006382)

Completion of one of the following options:

The Option in General Nutritional Science

8 units required:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
BIOL 416	Vertebrate Physiology	4.0	FS
Prerequisites: BIOL 152, BIOL 153; CHEM 108 or CHEM 270. General features of vertebrate physiology. Function of muscular, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, excretory, and endocrine systems. 2 hours discussion, 6 hours laboratory. (001180)
CHEM 451	Biochemistry	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: CHEM 370 with a grade of C- or higher. A general study of the chemistry of biomolecules. Conformation and function of enzymes and other proteins; metabolism, energy generation, and storage; brief discussion of important physiological processes. 3 hours discussion. (001900)
CHEM 453L	Biochemistry Laboratory	1.0	FS
Prerequisite: CHEM 451 (may be taken concurrently). Recommended: CHEM 370L or CHEM 370M. Separation, identification, and/or analysis of biological materials by modern procedures, such as spectrophotometry, chromatography (gas, TLC, column, ion exchange), electrophoresis, enzymology, fluorimetry, and high-speed centrifugation. Fulfills laboratory requirement for certain biological science majors. Does not fulfill requirement for biochemistry major. 3 hours laboratory. (021067)

The Option in Nutrition Education

9-12 units required:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
NFSC 660	Nutrition Education	3.0	INQ
Prerequisites: NFSC 465. An integrated approach to the ways in which individuals and groups use nutrition information. Includes considerations of human development, learning theory, curriculum development, and the evaluation process. 3 hours seminar. (004361)
NFSC 670	Topics in Clinical Nutrition	2.0	INQ
Prerequisites: NFSC 470, biochemistry. A review and application of the nutrition care process to selected contemporary issues in therapeutic nutrition. Role of dietitian as health care team member is considered and examined. 2 hours seminar. (004360)
NFSC 689	Graduate Internship	1.0 -6.0	FS
This course is an internship offered for 1.0-6.0 units.You must register directly with a supervising faculty member. The internship is designed to provide semiprofessional field experience for graduate students in agencies which use application of theoretical knowledge in the discipline. May be repeated more than once for credit. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 15.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (004368)
PSYC 573	Counseling Psychology	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: PSYC 381 or PSYC 382, senior or graduate standing, faculty permission. Theory of individual and family counseling and laboratory practice in individual counseling. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory. (007976)

(b) At least 18 of the units required for the degree must be in 600-level courses.

(c) At the discretion of the academic program, a maximum of 30 percent of the units counted toward the degree requirements may be special session credit earned in non-matriculated status combined with all transfer coursework. This applies to special session credit earned through Open University, or in courses offered for academic credit through the Center for Regional and Continuing Education. (Correspondence courses and UC Extension coursework are not acceptable for transfer).

(d) Not more than a total of 10 units of Independent Study (697), Professional Paper (697P), and Master's Thesis (699T); not more than 3 units of Professional Paper (697P) and 6 units of Master's Thesis (699T).

2. Completion and final approval of a thesis or a professional paper as specified by the graduate advisory committee.

3. Completion of a comprehensive final oral examination in the field of study.

4. Approval by the graduate advisory committee and the Graduate Coordinators Committee on behalf of the faculty of the University.

Culminating Activity:

1. Thesis Plan. The candidate shall submit an acceptable thesis based on original research and developed by the student and agreed to by the student's graduate advisory committee.

(a) Thesis proposal: A proposal of the thesis must be submitted and approved by the graduate advisory committee before the student begins the research. The proposal includes a literature review, a statement of the problem and purpose or hypothesis of the research, research design, and methods to be used. The proposal is a formal document that must have appropriate attention given to the matters of format, documentation, and quality of writing.

(b) Registration in NFSC 699T, Master's Thesis.

(c) Approval of thesis: Members of the graduate advisory committee shall approve the thesis.

(d) Oral defense: the candidate's graduate advisory committee shall conduct an oral defense of the thesis. The oral defense is generally limited to matters within the scope of the thesis.

2. Professional Paper Plan. The candidate shall submit an acceptable professional paper based on original research developed by the student and agreed to by the student's graduate advisory committee.

(a) Professional paper proposal: A proposal of the professional paper must be submitted and approved by the graduate advisory committee before the student begins the research. The proposal includes a literature review, a statement of the problem and purpose or hypothesis of the research, research design, and methods to be used. The proposal is a formal document that must have appropriate attention given to matters of format, documentation, and quality of writing.

(b) Registration in NFSC 697P, Professional Paper.

(c) Approval of professional paper: Members of the graduate advisory committee shall approve the professional paper.

(d) Oral defense: the candidate's graduate advisory committee shall conduct an oral defense of the professional paper. The oral defense is generally limited to matters within the scope of the paper.

Graduate Requirement in Writing Proficiency:

Writing proficiency is a graduation requirement.

Nutritional Science majors will demonstrate their writing competence through successful completion of written papers assigned in NFSC 660. For those students not completing NFSC 660 under the Option in General Nutritional Science, a writing portfolio will be evaluated for literacy.

Graduate Grading Requirements:

All courses in the major (with the exceptions of Independent Study - 697, Comprehensive Examination - 696, Master's Project - 699P, and Master's Thesis - 699T) must be taken for a letter grade, except those courses specified by the department as ABC/No Credit (400/500-level courses), AB/No Credit (600-level courses), or Credit/No Credit grading only. A maximum of 10 units combined of ABC/No Credit, AB/No Credit, and Credit/No Credit grades may be used on the approved program (including 697, 696, 699P, 699T and courses outside the major). While grading standards are determined by individual programs and instructors, it is also the policy of the University that unsatisfactory grades may be given when work fails to reflect achievement of the high standards, including high writing standards, expected of students pursuing graduate study.

Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average in each of the following three categories: all course work taken at any accredited institution subsequent to admission to the master's program; all course work taken at CSU, Chico subsequent to admission to the program; and all courses on the approved master's degree program.

Graduate Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory each semester for Nutritional Science majors. Consult the Graduate Coordinator for specific information.