Location:

Chapel Hill, United States

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Nutrition & Food Science

Program Overview

Program Description:

"PhD/DrPH: The Department of Nutrition offers degrees in two doctoral tracks. The PhD degree program prepares graduates for leadership in academic and related settings which emphasize teaching and research. PhD students will conduct original research, and their degree will culminate in a dissertation which expands the boundaries of nutrition knowledge, theory, or methodology. The DrPH track provides training in the application of nutritional science to public health practice, with an emphasis on competence in policy analysis and leadership in program administration. Faculty interests in the Department of Nutrition address a range of topics which center around the role of nutrition in disease prevention and healthy development. Department research and teaching interests reflect the role of nutrition in successful pregnancy outcome, in the physical and mental development of infants and children, and in promoting health and preventing chronic disease throughout life. The curriculum and interaction with faculty allow the student to integrate (1) laboratory-derived knowledge of basic biological mechanisms, (2) epidemiologically derived knowledge of the relationship between diet and health or disease, and (3) theory-based approaches for changing the diets of individuals and populations in order to prevent disease and improve health.

MPH: Successful completion of the coordinated Masters Program in Public Health Nutrition leads to the MPH degree and meets all requirements identified by the American Dietetic Association for dietetic registration. Entrants include RD's, nutrition majors, and those with degrees as diverse as biology, chemistry, journalism, and psychology. Depending on prior training, the degree is completed in 1-2 years. The MPH program combines coursework and supervised experiential learning in the areas of nutrition science, clinical dietetics, nutrition behavior, and public health principles and practice. When combined with coursework in epidemiology, bi