Department of Nutrition

Master of Science - Nutrition


Graduate Program In Nutrition

The Master of Science degree in Nutrition is designed to accommodate employed professionals pursuing an advanced degree, persons wishing to complete requirements for registration with the American Dietetic Association, and those seeking continuing education in nutrition. The graduate program provides students with knowledge of current theory, research, and nutrition policy, and gives them the skills necessary to apply that knowledge throughout their professional careers.

The Master of Science degree in Nutrition will prepare students for a variety of positions in nutrition and dietetics. University graduates have accepted positions in clinical and administrative dietetics, community nutrition, nutrition consulting, food service management, nutrition research, business, and secondary and college education.

For additional assistance, please contact:

Beth C. Senne-Duff, Ph.D., R.D.
4301 Broadway
University of the Incarnate Word
(210) 829-3165
beths@uiwtx.edu


Mission Statement

The Misssion of the University fo the Incarnate Word Nutrition Program is to prepare professionals committed to providing nutrition and dietetic services to improve the health and well-bein of individuals and groups. The program emphasizes the importance of scientific and evidence-based practice, ethical decision-making, and understanding of social justic issues including regional through global ecological dimensions of food and nutrition.

The Graduate Nutrition Program engages students in learning, research and discovery, and service to address human needs by promoting nutrition for well-being across the life-span of individuals, families and communities while embracing evidence and ethical-values-based decision-making.

Admission to the Graduate Program

For admission to the Master of Science in Nutrition program, applicants must submit the following:

Any undergraduate prerequisites not completed at the time of admission can be taken during the initial semesters of the graduate program.

Certain areas of knowledge must be mastered by all nutritionists. Upon review of transcripts a student may be required to satisfactorily complete the following courses of which 2 courses may be completed as part of the Master of Science degree:

NUTR 4460—Community and World Nutrition
NUTR 4470—Human Nutrition and Metabolism
NUTR 4475—Clinical Nutrition

Program Options

Students may select a general program or one of the program concentrations, which are designed to enhance your career choices and opportunities:

            Nutrition Education

            Medical Nutrition Therapy

            Nutrition Promotion

            Administration

UIW also offers a Dietetic Internship which is developmentally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation Approval for Dietetic Education of the American Dietetic Association.

 

Requirements for Master of Science Degree

1. Core Requirements : 18 semester hours
BIOL 6392 or NURS 6492 — Advanced Human Physiology, or Advanced Pathophysiology
MATH 6363—Research Statistics
NURS 6311—Research I: Analysis and Interpretation
NUTR 6352 or NUTR 6342 — Issues in Food and Nutrition, or *Lifecycle Nutrition
NUTR 6325—Advanced Nutrition I
NUTR 6330—Advanced Nutrition II

*Lifecycle Nutrition is required for students who did not complete a lifecycle nutrition course as an undergraduate

2. Research/Synthesis Completion Requirements: 4-9 semester hours
NUTR 6XCS—Master’s Project, or
4-6 semester hours of Capstone: Master's Project ( taken across 2 semesters), or
NUTR 63TP/NUTR 6XTR—3 semester hours of Thesis Proposal and 3-6 hours of Thesis Research. Continued enrollment until completion of Thesis is required.

3.Additional Course Requirements: 9-15 hours

Students complete the core plus a research/synthesis component and an additional 9-15 semester hours of graduate-level courses as established in the degree plan with the graduate advisor. Within these additional courses, one course must be didactic course in nutrition. Students are encouraged to select on of the concentrations (see below), or they may select electives to meet the didactic requirements for registration by The American Dietetic Association (see "Requirements to Receive the ADA Verification Statement" below and the Dietetic Program page). Students may have other courses to complete in order to meet theses didactic requirements.

The Didactic Program in Dietetics at the University of the Incarnate Word is currently granted approval by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council of Post-Secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education, of The American Dietetic Association.  The address and phone number of CADE are 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, and (312) 899-0040, Extension 5400.

4. Comprehensive Understanding Requirements:

Completion of M.S. in Nutrition degree requires the student ot pass all comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination covers material related to the core, and as appropriate, the selected concentration of the student. The comprehensive exam includes both written and oral components, and should be taken during the student's last year of study.

 

Concentration in Nutrition Education and Health Promotion:

NUTR 6464—Nutrition and Health Behavior
Electives: Student chooses 3-6 additional hours from the following:
NUTR 6334—Nutrition and Health Promotion Practice: Program Planning and Evaluation
ADED 6381 - Adult Learning and Development
ADED 6385 - Methods and Strategies in Adult Education
EDUC 6304 - Theories of Learning

ADED 6388—Working with Adult Groups
EDUC 6305—Multicultural Concepts in Education
EDUC 6350—Lifespan Development
EDKE 6381—Topics in Exercise Physiology and Fitness

Total Credit Hours = 36-37

Concentration in Medical Nutrition Therapy:

NURS 6492—Advanced Pathophysiology – taken as part of core instead of BIOL 6392
NURS 6341—Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice
NUTR 6314—Advanced Nutrition Services Administration
NUTR 6366—Advanced Clinical Nutrition
Electives: Student chooses 0-4 additional hours.
Total Credit Hours = 36


Concentration in Nutrition Services Administration:
NUTR 6314 - Advanced Nutrition Services Administration
ADMN 6375 - Strategic Planning and Policy

Electives: Student chooses 6-9 additional hours from the following:
ADMN 6360 - management Concepts and Issues
ORGD 6320 - Organizational Behavior and Learning
BNGT 6311 - Human Resource Management
ADMN 6310 - Accounting Concepts and Issues

Total Credit Hours = 36 - 37

Requirements to Receive the ADA Verification Statement

To be eligible to receive the ADA Verification Statement indicating completion of the Didactic Program in Detetics, graduate nutrition students must fulfill the following requirements:

1) Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 during pursuit of the Master of Science in Nutrition degree

2) Obtain a minimum grade of "C" in all nutrition and supporting discipline courses listed on the "Graduate Student Guidelines - Policy for the Completion of Didactic Requirements in Dietetics." Download a copy of the Graduate Student Guidelines as an Acrobat PDF

3) Present a professional portfolio demonstration acquisition and progression of knowledge and skills related to nutrition and dietetic. This portfolio will be examined by the Nutrition faculty prior to completion of the student's degree. Completion of the M.S. in nutrition degree is NOT a requirement for receipt of the ADA Verification Statement.

Course Descriptions

6200—Community Nutrition Practice
Worksite placement experience in community nutrition organizations and agencies. Didactic presentation focuses on current issues and topics to help students develop the skills necessary to provide community nutrition services, such as assessment of community nutrition needs, nutrition education of community groups, and implementation of community nutrition programming. Prerequisites: Admission to the Dietetic Internship Program and Instructor’s signature.

6290—Practicum in Nutrition
Supervised work experience in nutrition-related setting. Prerequisite: NUTR 4460, 4475.

6300—Foodservice Management Practice
Worksite placement experience in foodservice settings. Didactic presentation focuses on current issues and topics to help students develop the skills necessary to manage foodservice systems, including production, inventory control, sanitation and quality management. Prerequisites: Admission to the Dietetic Internship Program and Instructor’s signature.

6314—Advanced Nutrition Services Administration
The application of management principles and techniques specific to the needs of dietary systems in clinical and community settings. Methods of establishing dietary management criteria utilized in treatment of various disease states. Prerequisite: NUTR 4460, 4475.

6325—Advanced Nutrition I
Current status of nutrition theory and its interpretation together are considered in nutrient interrelationships and metabolism in maintaining health and the prevention and development of chronic diseases. This course focuses on the macronutrients and energy metabolism. Prerequisite: BIOL 6392 or NURS 6492.

6330—Advanced Nutrition II
Current status of nutrition theory and its interpretation together are considered in nutrient interrelationships and metabolism in maintaining health and the prevention and development of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes mellitus. This course focuses on vitamin and mineral requirements. Prerequisite: Advanced Nutrition I (NUTR 6325); BIOL 6392 or NURS 6492.

6334—Nutrition and Health Promotion Practice: Program Planning and Evaluation
Course utilizes a theoretical framework to guide and facilitate the planning, implementation and evaluation of nutrition/health promotion programs. Specific assessment and evaluation techniques are explored. Course requires the application of skills and knowledge to increase professional competence and effectiveness in program planning and evaluation.

6342—Lifecycle Nutrition
This course is an examination of nutrition requirements and assessment, and dietary intake during gestation, infancy, childhood, adolescence and senescence. Integration of current research will focus on nutritional issues related to these lifecycle stages and on long-term health.

6352—Issue s in Food and Nutrition
Analysis of food and nutrition issues including non-nutritive food substances. Impact of these issues on food choices, public policy, global perspectives, and future practice of food and nutrition professionals will be explored.

6364—Nutrition and Health Behavior
Major learning and health behavior theories are outlined utilizing examples applicable to the practice of nutrition, dietetics and health promotion. Techniques for interviewing, motivating and counseling, and their application to groups and individuals, are explored. Course requires the application of skills and knowledge to increase professional competence and effectiveness in promoting health behavior change.

6366—Advanced Clinical Nutrition
Modern concepts of clinical nutrition and abnormalities treated by modified diets. Critical evaluation of diet patterns currently used. Prerequisite: NUTR 4475 or clinical experience.

6391—Tutorial in Nutrition
Student will choose and develop a topic in any area of nutrition. The grade will be determined by evaluation of regular reports, regular conferences with faculty sponsor, periodic examinations, and final examination, or any combination of these methods.

6400—Clinical Dietetics Practice
Worksite placement experience in inpatient and outpatient health care settings. Didactic presentation focuses on current issues and topics to help students develop the skills necessary to provide medical nutrition therapy care, including screening, assessment, education and care planning development, nutrition support, and participation in quality management. Prerequisites: Admission to the Dietetic Internship Program and Instructor’s signature.

6XCS—Master’s Project
The Master’s Project is an integration of graduate level coursework with research and communication skills to develop and report on a tangible nutrition project that addresses a concern of the community or an area of interest of the student. The course is taken for two semesters for a minimum of total of 3 to 4 hours of credit. Prerequisites: Graduate level research class plus 12 additional semester hours of Nutrition Core. Permission of instructor is required.

6XTR—Master’s Thesis

CE90—Comprehensive Examination
 Fee.