Degrees Offered

The Food Policy and Applied Nutrition Program leads to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Shorter, individualized nondegree programs of instruction may be available by special arrangement. Also available are several combined degree options which provide an opportunity for a limited number of highly qualified students to earn both the Master of Science at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and a second master's degree.

Degrees Offered
Who is Eligible
How to Apply

Master of Science

For the Master of Science program, a personalized learning experience is built around sixteen credits of coursework, including a set of core requirements, specialization requirements, and electives. In addition to the core courses, students in each specialization choose electives drawn from a wide range of courses in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and other schools in the university. Students have the opportunity to complement their studies through course work for credit at other related institutions in the Boston area.

Most students choose to focus on one of the following areas of specialization:

• Food Policy and Economics 
• Nutrition Interventions: Design, Operation and Management 
• Humanitarian Assistance  

In addition, students may design their own learning specialization according to their interests in consultation with their advisers, subject to approval. Students normally complete the Master of Science degree in two years of full-time study; part-time study is also possible.

Doctor of Philosophy

Students enrolled in the doctoral program must have completed courses equivalent to the FPAN master's degree based on previous graduate-level coursework taken either at the Friedman School or elsewhere. Students in the doctoral program participate in the Ph.D. seminar and must pass a written and oral qualifying examination in three areas—Food Policy and Programs, a specialization (of choice), and General Nutrition—and then complete and formally defend a doctoral dissertation based on original research.

Combined and Joint Degree Programs: MALD, MPH, MAHA

Students enrolled in the following combined degree programs complete all the requirements for both degrees, but by counting selected courses toward both programs, they reduce the total time required for completion.

• A combined degree program with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, resulting in both the Master of Science from the Friedman School and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD);
• A combined degree program in association with Tufts University's School of Medicine, leading to the Master of Science from the Friedman School and the Master of Public Health (MPH).

The Friedman School also offers a one-year Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance (MAHA) jointly with the Fletcher School that is open to mid-career professionals in the field.

Who is Eligible

Tufts is among the select few universities in the world to offer this kind of applied, interdisciplinary training for persons seeking careers that deal with hunger, malnutrition, and food policy in industrialized and developing countries. Students come from a variety of backgrounds: from volunteer work in poor village communities, to careers in domestic welfare systems and the national government; others have had no prior hands-on experience, but are committed to the issues addressed by the program. To be eligible, applicants must have completed a minimum of one course in human biology or general chemistry. Prior course work in statistics, nutrition, and economics is recommended but not required. Entering students should have strong basic mathematics skills (algebra and pre-calculus). For students who seek to refresh their quantitative skills, self-study materials and sample questions are available from the Educational Testing Service.

How to Apply

Before you apply, please examine the prerequisites for each program of study.

Application instructions and deadlines are available as part of our online application. The online application includes the personal statement, official transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores, application fee and three letters of recommendation.

Applicants to the Combined Dietetic Internship / Master's Degree program need to apply via the matching process conducted by D&D Digital Systems. Read further instructions for admissions to this program.

Admissions Timeline and Deadlines

The priority admissions application deadline for the Friedman School is January 15th for the Fall semester and October 15 for the Spring semester. Applications received after this deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Eligibility for admission and scholarships will depend upon availability. International students are encouraged to apply before the priority deadline.

The application deadline for the Combined Master of Science/Dietetic Internship program is February 15th. For the Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance, the application deadline is February 28th.

Applicants will be notified of the admissions committees action on their application as soon as a decision has been made.

Interviews

Interviews are not required, but are recommended.

After reviewing an applicant's file, the admissions committee will decide if a personal interview or telephone interview is warranted. If so, the applicant will be contacted to arrange a meeting time or to schedule a conference call.

Part-time Status

Students may choose to study part-time while continuing their jobs. Enrollment in two courses or fewer constitutes part-time status. (Full-time is three or four courses.) International students must be enrolled as full-time students.