Nutrition and Food Science and Public Health (M.A./M.P.H. Joint Degree)
The M.A. in Nutrition and Food Science/M.P.H. is a joint degree program offered by the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine.
Students must meet the admission and graduation requirements of both programs and enroll concurrently in the two programs during most of the period in which they are earning the degrees. If they complete requirements for only one degree, one degree will be awarded.
Admission Requirements
Admission to this program is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School. Admission criteria for the MA-MPH Joint Degree will meet the requirements of both MA and MPH degrees by requiring:
- A minimum undergraduate Grade Point Average of 3.0 and all requirements for admission to the WSU Graduate School that include satisfying the English proficiency requirements. If applicants have not completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution in the US or in a country where English is the native language, satisfactory attainment of scores in the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) (85), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (79 internet-/550 paper-based), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (6.5) will be required. Tests should not be more than 2 years old. The MPH Program has established a minimum TOEFL score of 90 and a minimum IELTS score of 7.
- Standardized Test Scores: GRE, MCAT, GMAT or LSAT within the last five years.
- The submission of a professional curriculum vitae together with a satisfactory personal statement indicating the applicant's background, research and/or work experience, interests, and career goals as they relate to attainment of the MA-MPH degree. Three letters recommendation will also be required. An interview may be conducted.
- Completion of college-based courses in mathematics and the social sciences, and completion of the following undergraduate courses or equivalent:
Course List Code Title Credits NFS 2130
& NFS 2140Introductory Food Science
and Introductory Food Science Laboratory4 NFS 2220 Nutrition Laboratory 1 NFS 3230 Human Nutrition 3-4 BIO 2200 Introductory Microbiology 5 BIO 2870 Anatomy and Physiology 5 One semester of Organic Chemistry Courses in biochemistry and statistics are recommended
Program Requirements
A minimum of 59 graduate credits beyond the baccalaureate degree is required for completion of the MA-MPH program.
Students enrolled in the MA-MPH Joint Degree Program will be required to take specific NFS and FPH listed public health-related courses. The culminating master's essay (NFS 7999) requirement of the MA degree will be substituted by completion of the 3-credit hour MPH project course (FPH 8990). A total of 12 credits can be double-counted towards completion of this joint degree program.
Graduation requirements for the MA-MPH Joint Degree are consistent with the MA and MPH Degrees and will:
- Require completion of all required courses for both the MA and MPH degree segments, the public-health related courses specific to the MA-MPH Program, the culminating MPH project course, and elective courses for a minimum total of 59 credit hours within a 6 year period. A total of 15 credits may be double-counted.
- Require students to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the entire program. A minimum of a B grade in all required courses in both the MA and MPH segments will also be required. Students obtaining less than a B grade in any core or required course will be allowed to retake it only once. Departmental policies will allow for only one C grade over the course of the entire program (and only in an elective course).
M.A. in Nutrition and Food Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| NFS 7850 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| NFS 6000 | Nutritional Biochemistry | 3 |
| NFS 6030 | Microbiological Safety of Foods 1 | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Nutrient and Gene Interaction | ||
| Nutritional Metabolomics and Bioinformatics | ||
| Nutrition and Physical Performance | ||
| Major M.A-M.P.H. Specific Courses | ||
| NFS 5220 | Community Nutrition | 2 |
| NFS 6210 | Nutrition through the Life Cycle 1 | 3 |
| FPH 7240 | Epidemiology 1 | 3 |
| NFS 7240 | Nutritional Epidemiology 1 | 3 |
| Required Culminating Course | ||
| FPH 8990 | Integrated Learning Experience 1,2 | 3 |
| Minor Elective Courses | ||
| Select a minimum of five credits of the following: | 5 | |
| Nutrition and Disease | ||
| Eating Behavior and Body Weight Regulation | ||
| Controversial Issues | ||
| Directed Study | ||
| Biostatistics II | ||
| Advanced Statistical Programming (SAS) | ||
| Directed Studies in Community Health Services | ||
| Cancer Epidemiology | ||
| Computer Use in Research | ||
| Total Credits | 32 | |
- 1
MA-MPH Joint Degree double-counted courses
- 2
in lieu of NFS 7999
Master of Public Health
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| FPH 7010 | Urban Community Assessment and Planning | 1 |
| FPH 7015 | Biostatistics I | 3 |
| FPH 7240 | Epidemiology 1 | 3 |
| FPH 7320 | The Social Basis of Health | 3 |
| FPH 7420 | Principles of Environmental Health | 3 |
| FPH 7100 | Health Care Organization and Administration | 3 |
| FPH 7250 | Health Data Analytics | 3 |
| FPH 7230 | Health Program Evaluation | 3 |
| FPH 7210 | Research Methods for Public Health Professionals | 3 |
| Major M.A.-M.P.H. Specific Courses | ||
| NFS 6030 | Microbiological Safety of Foods 1 | 3 |
| NFS 6210 | Nutrition through the Life Cycle 1 | 3 |
| NFS 7240 | Nutritional Epidemiology 1 | 3 |
| Required Culminating Courses | ||
| FPH 7440 | Applied Learning Experience | 3 |
| FPH 8990 | Integrated Learning Experience 1 | 3 |
| or FPH 7440 | Applied Learning Experience | |
| Electives | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 41 | |
- 1
MA-MPH Joint Degree double-counted courses