Degree Programs

Degrees Offered
Who is Eligible
How to Apply

The Nutritional Epidemiology Program leads to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. A full listing of course descriptions is available in the general catalog of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Master of Science

The curriculum includes core courses in the areas of nutrition, biochemistry, biostatistics, and epidemiology. Each student completes a specialization (3-5 courses). Requirements for the Master of Science in the Nutritional Epidemiology program total fifteen and one half credits; a minimum of fifteen credits is required for the M.S. degree. Unless otherwise noted, each course is equivalent to one credit. The exact number of required courses will depend upon the student's prior academic preparation.

Doctor of Philosophy

Students enrolled in the doctoral program must have completed courses equivalent to the Nutritional Epidemiology master's degree based on previous graduate-level coursework taken either at the Friedman School or elsewhere. Students entering at the Ph.D. level must complete or be exempted from all required courses of the M.S. curriculum. Students in the doctoral program must first pass a written and oral qualifying examination, and then complete and formally defend a doctoral dissertation based on original research.

Combined Degree Programs: MS/MPH

A combined degree program, in association with Tufts University's School of Medicine, leads to the Master of Science and the Master of Public Health (MPH). Learn more at the program's website.

Students enrolled in the combined degree program complete all the requirements for both degrees, but by counting selected courses toward both programs, they reduce the total time required for completion. Students must be admitted independently to each program. Our combined degree program allows formal recognition of students emphasizing these additional areas of study, greater depth of professional preparation, and opportunities to make connections with students and faculty in other related programs.

Who is Eligible

Students come from a variety of backgrounds: from biostatistics, epidemiology, nutrition, or biology. Specific prerequisites are undergraduate courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry. Undergraduate courses in general nutrition, physiology, and basic statistics are beneficial, but not required.

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.