NUFS Graduate Degrees
The Department of Nutrition and Food Science offers graduate study leading to a Master of Science (M.S.) degree, with an emphasis in Food Science, Nutrition, or Hotel and Restaurant Management. The department also offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Nutrition and Food Science with an emphasis in Nutrition, Food Science, or Hotel and Restaurant Management.
Course Requirements
The M.S. degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours. At least one half of these hours must be earned in course work at the 7000-level or 8000-level; the remaining classes may be at the 6000 level. Students may earn a master's degree with an emphasis in Nutrition, Food Science, or Hotel and Restaurant Management. A thesis is required for the M.S. degree except in the non-thesis hotel and restaurant management (HRM) emphasis. Graduate course work is available through distance education for the HRM emphasis.
Core courses are required in each option. Electives may be selected to allow for specialization in a particular area. For example, students wishing to pursue a master's degree in nutrition may select electives to focus on sports nutrition, clinical nutrition, or may select a broader array of more general nutrition courses. Students also may select electives from other areas of science such as immunology, molecular biology, physiology, to name a few.
Residency Requirement
Master's degree students under the thesis option must spend at least one semester on campus as a full time student. There is no residency requirement for master's degree students under the non-thesis option.
Selection of Courses, the Major Professor, and the Plan of Study
Selection of initial courses to be taken shall be made under the direction of the temporary advisor or Graduate Program Officer. A major professor should be selected by the student during the first semester of graduate work after becoming familiar with all the faculty and their areas of research interest. Each student should confer with her/his major professor to select the courses for the degree.
A Plan of Study ( Graduate School Form 3 available at the Graduate School Web Page) listing the graduate student's selection of course work for the degree should be prepared and approved by the end of the first semester by the major advisor along with the student's Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee should represent the academic areas required for the successful completion of the student's work. The committee should be selected by the graduate student and the major professor by the end of the second semester. The plan of study must be turned into the Graduate School at least one semester prior to the student's graduation.
The Advisory Committee is to be composed of a minimum of three faculty members: the major professor, at least one other member of the department, and a third member who may be from an allied discipline or from the department. Faculty selected will be associate (level 1) or full (level 2) members of the Graduate Faculty. The student is responsible for carrying out the program which has been planned and for conferring with the major professor regarding any necessary changes. Major changes (four or more) will require a new Plan of Study to be approved by the Graduate School. Additional information on the Advisory Committee and Plan of Study may be found in the Auburn University Bulletin under The Graduate School or at the Graduate School Web Page.
The Thesis
The topic selected for the thesis must be approved by the student's major professor and advisory committee. The student conducts the research and prepares the thesis under the direction of the major professor. Students are required to have a minimum of 4 credit hours of research and thesis hours (NUFS 7990). No more than 6 credit hours of research and thesis (NUFS 7990) may count toward the degree. A final oral examination of the thesis is required and must be scheduled according to the deadline indicated in the Graduate School Calendar.
Time Limit
Graduate work toward a Master's degree must be completed within five calendar years of the start of the course work. The student, with the major professor, develops a plan for completion of the work based on student needs and Graduate School deadlines. It is the graduate student's responsibility to accomplish work according to the predetermined schedule. A "graduation check" must be scheduled with the Graduate School before the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Students must be registered in the semester of graduation.
Financial Aid
Departmental assistantships (teaching and research) are competitive and vary in number and type from year to year. Out-of-state tuition fees are waived for students receiving one-quarter time (or more) research assistantships. The assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis and require superior academic performance. Other types of part-time positions with various research projects may be available on a short-term basis. NUFS Department Graduate Assistanship Application Form.
Refer to the Auburn University Bulletin or the Graduate School Web Page for other requirements and information regarding Auburn University.
For additional information email or write to:
Dr. Sareen S. Gropper, R.D.
Graduate Program Officer
Department of Nutrition and Food Science
328 Spidle Hall
Auburn University, AL 36849-5606
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