Nutritional Sciences: Master of Public Health Degree

MPH students will acquire advanced knowledge and understanding about:

  • Nutritional sciences, including the biochemistry of cellular nutrition.
  • The application of nutritional sciences to individuals, groups, and populations.
  • Factors that affect accessibility, adequacy, and safety of the food supply system (production, processing, distribution, and consumption) and the relationship to community food systems assessment and analysis.
  • The relationships between food intake, nutrition, contaminant exposure, and biological and chemical hazards.
  • Federal, regional, state, and local government structures and processes involved in the development of public policy, legislation, regulations, and delivery of services that affect food intake, nutritional status, and population health.

Applicants should have a strong interest in science and health, an undergraduate degree in a field of basic or applied science, and, at a minimum, should have taken courses in biology, physiology, general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, and calculus.  Non-science undergraduate degrees are acceptable, however applicants are required to complete the NS prerequisites.  

Master of Public Health - Nutritional Sciences Core Curriculum

SPH Core Curriculum
Course Number Credits Course Name
BIOSTAT 521 4 Applied Biostatistics
PUBHLTH 508  1  Social Determinants of Health
PUBHLTH 509  1  Introduction to Qualitative Methods
PUBHLTH 510 1 Communication Fundamentals
PUBHLTH 511 2 Nutrition and Public Health
PUBHLTH 512 3 Principles of Epidemiology for Public Health
PUBHLTH 513 3 Public Health Systems, Policy and Management
PUBHLTH 514 2 Public Health Sciences and the Environment

 

NS Core Requirements
Course Number Credits Course Name
NUTR 600 2 Professional Development in NS
NUTR 688 1 Research Topics in NS (year-long course)
NUTR 630 3 Principles of Nutritional Sciences
NUTR 631 3 Metabolism of Vitamins and Minerals
NUTR 639 3 Pathophysiology of Obesity
NUTR 640 3 Nutritional Assessment
NUTR 642 3 Community Nutrition*
BIOSTAT 522 3

Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies

 *NUTR642 is recommended for all MPH students, but it is required for the Didactic Program in Dietetics.  We recommend this because a major project in NUTR642 is conducting a mock community needs assessment which is relevant to anyone considering community public health work. 

NOTE: Students must complete a program evaluation course before graduation.  Choose one course:

NUTR 650 Socio-Ecological Approaches to Child and Adol Nutrition (3) (only offered winter 2021)

NUTR 633 Evaluation of Global Nutrition Programs (3) (only offered winter 2020)

NUTR 677 Physical Growth and Maturation (2) (most likely offered only in fall 2020)

Prerequisites for MPH program

  • Inorganic/general chemistry* 1 semester, lab not required
  • Organic chemistry 1 semester, lab not required
  • Biochemistry 1 semester
  • Human Physiology or Anatomy and Physiology 1 semester of either but must be human
  • No lab required

*AP high school classes are accepted based on AP final exam score

MPH Internship

All UM-SPH MPH students are required to complete a summer internship. The primary purpose of the internship is to help the student learn how to apply theory and principles to the realities of work situations and to develop and expand professional skills and competencies essential to these tasks. The student will explore areas of interest and become acquainted with agencies, community and other organizations engaged in Nutritional Sciences-related work. Please see the NS MPH Internship Handbook and other related materials for more information.

How Do I Apply?

MPH applicants apply to our program through SOPHAS (School of Public Health Application Service), a centralized application service for public health.

PLEASE NOTE: The new Department of Nutritional Sciences is an enlargement and expansion of the (former) Human Nutrition Program at SPH. Students applying via SOPHAS before July 2015 will apply to the Nutrition program through the Environmental Health Sciences department. During the summer of 2015, those who have applied to Nutrition will be transferred to the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Additional information for international applicants.

Financial Support

Qualified students can receive financial support through grants or scholarships from the Rackham Graduate School and the School of Public Health. Please visit our Admissions & Financial Aid page for more information.

More Information

For answers to any questions that you might have, please visit other pages on this website and/or contact:

Susan Aaronson, Program Manager: susaaaro@umich.edu

Carole Durgy, Student Services Coordinator: beckca@umich.edu