As our understanding of the importance of nutrition in human health continues to increase, professionals who are well-versed in nutritional science are in high demand. The University of Texas at Austin’s Master of Science in Nutritional Science (MSNS) degree program is designed for a variety of candidates, including students and working professionals in nutrition, wellness, and other health-related fields who want to expand their knowledge base to include the specialization. Human nutrition and public health impact are woven into every aspect of this program.
We offer the program in two tracks. The 1-year track offers the opportunity for students preparing for medical school, pharmacy school, dental school or physician assistant programs to build a strong knowledge base in nutritional science. The 2-year track allows working professionals the flexibility to successfully complete the program while continuing to meet job responsibilities.
Our program is science-based and human-focused and addresses the cutting edge nutrition issues of today, including:
- The impact of food preparation and processing on the nutrient quality of food
- The role of diet on the gut microbiome
- The interaction between what we eat and how our genes function
- How to motivate nutritional behavior change
- The nutritional and environmental underpinnings of energy balance and weight gain
The Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences (MSNS) offers advanced training in nutritional science to current and future medical, health, and wellness professionals. It also prepares individuals for teaching in community colleges; administration in public health programs; and technical positions at food, pharmaceutical, and chemical laboratories.
100% Online
This 100% online degree offers the rigor and excellence of the on-campus graduate program to a wider audience.
Graduate students will benefit from the strong support network of fellow students that comes from cohort-based learning and readily accessible faculty. Further, professional students can immediately apply industry-aligned and challenge-based learning strategies to the workplace, whether in a clinical, community, food service, wellness, or private setting.
We are also excited to announce that the MSNS program from UT Austin fulfills part of the current academic requirements for the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) certification. The CNS certifications requires a graduate degree in the field of nutrition from a regionally accredited university, specific coursework, and 1,000 hours of supervised practice experience. CNS reviews each candidate individually, including current course descriptions, transcripts, and experience to determine eligibility. To learn more about becoming a CNS, visit the FAQ section of this website here.
The MSNS program does not satisfy the educational or practice requirements to become a Registered Dietitian. If this is your interest, please refer to our Coordinated and Didactic Programs in Dietetics (undergraduate students) or Didactic Program in Dietetics (undergraduate students and returning students).
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