All students must meet the Requirements for the Master's Degree
Overview
The mission of the Nutrition and Food Science department is to foster the intellectual and professional growth of our students through engaged teaching, innovative instruction, and community-based applied learning opportunities. We conduct research that contributes to the public good by advancing knowledge in weight inclusive nutrition; safe and innovative foods; food security and food agency; and sustainable food systems.
The Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences offers a thesis-based or non-thesis-based Master of Science degree, as well as an Accelerated Master’s Pathway (AMP) for students currently enrolled as undergraduates in NFS at the University of Vermont. The thesis-based M.S. degree, which requires the writing and defending of a thesis, is a course and research based program with 15-24 credits in course work and 6-15 credits of research. The minimum number of credits required is 30. A non-thesis M.S. degree also requires 30 credits: 24-27 credits in course work, and in consultation with their faculty mentor, the student chooses their final project for 3-6 credits toward the completion of a final project.
Specific Requirements
Requirements for Admission to Graduate Studies for the Degree of Master of Science
An undergraduate major in nutrition, dietetics, food science or a science-related field. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is recommended. Students need to complete the Graduate College Application form that must include three letters of recommendation. Students must be admitted through the Graduate College before taking any courses that will be applied to the master’s degree requirements.
Minimum Degree Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
A minimum of 30 credits and successful completion of a written comprehensive exam are required for completion of a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. At least 6 credits must be at the 6000-level or above. Students enrolled in the thesis-based program must also write, present and successfully defend their research thesis.
Students must meet the UVM Graduate College Requirements for the Master’s Degree. A minimum of 15 graded credits must be taken after matriculation into the graduate program. Required courses for both the thesis and non-thesis M.S. are as follows:
| THESIS | ||
| Statistics course approved by faculty advisor | 3 | |
| 2 credits of Nutrition & Food Science Seminar (NFS 6350) | 2 | |
| NFS 6362 | Intro to Research Methods | 3 |
| NFS 6391 | Master's Thesis Research | 6-15 |
| Electives approved by faculty advisor | 7-16 | |
| AMP and NON-THESIS | ||
| Statistics course approved by faculty advisor | 3 | |
| 2 credits of Nutrition & Food Science Seminar (NFS 6350) | 2 | |
| NFS 6362 | Intro to Research Methods | 3 |
| NFS 6392 | Master's Project Research | 6 |
| Electives approved by faculty advisor | 16 | |
Remaining elective courses for both the thesis and non-thesis courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor and must be approved for graduate credit.
Comprehensive Examination
Thesis M.S. candidates will present a seminar before the end of the second semester of the degree program. This seminar will focus on the background to the proposed M.S. thesis research and experimental design. The abstract (electronic version) must be submitted to the course instructor no later than one week prior to the seminar date. The course instructor will distribute the abstract and link to the NFS faculty and students. Within 2 weeks following the seminar date, the candidate will meet with their thesis defense committee to discuss the student’s performance with the seminar and provide feedback. This seminar and the committee meeting that follows will constitute the student’s M.S. Comprehensive Examination.
Non-Thesis M.S. candidates will present an oral presentation on their final project by the end of the semester for which the final project credits have been assigned. The oral presentation will be attended by the Faculty Mentor and at least 2 additional members from the NFS Graduate Program. These 3 people form the student’s Faculty Project Review Committee. One Graduate College faculty member from another department can substitute for one NFS faculty member. The student must create a flyer announcing the oral presentation 2 weeks before the presentation date and send it to their committee and to the NFS administrator for distribution. The following information should be included: project title, student’s name and degree program, presentation date, time and location, and project description. This oral presentation and the Faculty Project Review Committee meeting that follows will constitute the student’s M.S. Comprehensive Examination.
Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Science
Advancement to candidacy requires satisfactory completion of the comprehensive exam.