Learning goals: Attain and maintain an advanced level of knowledge in key content areas of nutrition and/or food sciences. Demonstrate the ability to design and defend a scientifically valid hypothesis-driven project to advance the field of nutrition or food sciences. Develop professional level oral and written communication skills designed to disseminate nutrition or food science research findings. Demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to critically evaluate current research in specific scientific areas related to the nutrition or food sciences field. Conduct research for a successful transition into research, industry, government or other non-profit related jobs.

Undergraduate degree in nutrition, dietetics, food science or another science (such as biology or chemistry); Undergraduate course in biochemistry, which has organic chemistry as a prerequisite. GREs with satisfactory results in the general (aptitude) portion. A TOEFL score of 100 or above is required for a funded assistantship. Interested individuals whose educational and/or professional experiences are not directly related to nutrition and food science are welcomed, too, but need to complete at least one semester of undergraduate-level biochemistry, which has organic chemistry as a prerequisite, before applying.