Master of Public Health in Public Health Nutrition

The Rutgers School of Public Health’s Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Nutrition degree prepares students to improve the nutrition and health of local and global populations.

Program Overview
Curriculum Details

About the Program

In partnership with the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences in the Rutgers School of Health Professionals, this program provides students with the in-depth training required to assess dietary needs and develop nutrition interventions. Graduates will be prepared to uniquely serve the needs of various communities including analyzing local and global food systems, identifying the nutritional status of populations, and the relationships between diet, nutrition, and health outcomes.

Graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health Exam.

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Program Format and Length

The Master of Public Health in Public Health Nutrition degree is offered to students on a full-time or part-time basis. Courses are available in-person, remote, and/or online. Students will complete a total of 45 credits, including a practicum experience and capstone research project.

If completing the program as a full-time student (nine or more credits per semester), the degree requirements may be completed in as little as two years (four to five semesters). Part-time students taking at least six credits per semester may expect to finish within four years. Taking courses in the summer may help expedite part-time students’ timing.

Students are also required to register for and complete an Interprofessional Education activity prior to graduation.

Students can earn a post-baccalaureate certificate alongside their degree with an additional 6-12 credits. Contact admissions for additional information at admissions@sph.rutgers.edu.

Dual Degree and Program Options

MPH/MS in Clinical Nutrition: The Rutgers School of Public Health and the Rutgers School of Health Professions offers students the opportunity to earn a MPH in Public Health Nutrition and a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition (MS) dual-degree. Students who complete the dual- degree program are eligible to sit for the Registered Dietitian certification/exam.

MPH/Dietetic Internship Graduate Certificate: The Rutgers School of Public Health and the Rutgers School of Health Professions also offer an MPH in Public Health Nutrition degree and DI graduate certificate, preparing students to become registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) providing population, community, and client- centered care through interprofessional work and evidence-based nutrition care. This dual program allows students to take the RDN credentialing exam after completing or receiving the MPH in Public Health Nutrition degree and DI graduate certificate. This is New Jersey’s first and only MPH/DI dual program. Additional information on the program can be found on the Rutgers School of Public Health's website here and on the Rutgers School of Health Profession's website here.

Dual-degree options are also available in partnership with other Rutgers University schools.

Competencies

Each concentration identifies competencies for each degree offered. These competencies reflect the full range of knowledge, skills, and other attributes that a student will acquire as a result of completing the requirements for a particular degree.

Upon graduation, a student completing the MPH curriculum in Public Health Nutrition will be able to:

MPH-PHNU1: Analyze local and global food systems;
MPH-PHNU2: Assess the nutritional status of communities;
MPH-PHNU3: Demonstrate the use of evidence-based research in practice to study the relationships between diet, nutrition, and health outcomes across the life span;
MPH-PHNU4: Design an evaluation framework for a population-based nutrition intervention or program;
MPH-PHNU5: Utilize culturally appropriate assessment methodologies to identify and prioritize diet and nutritional problems for members of diverse populations; and
MPH-PHNU6: Apply research methodology, interpretation of research literature, and integration of research principles into evidence-based public health nutrition practice or policy.

Application Deadline and Requirements

Fall Semester Start Date
January 15 (priority)
May 1 (regular)

Spring Semester Start Date
October 15 (priority)
December 1 (regular)

A complete application includes:

Completion of the online application
Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
Statement of goals, one-to-three pages in length, which addresses:
- Interest in the program
- Preparedness for the program
- Goals and aspirations
Two letters of recommendation with at least one letter from an academic reference if you are currently enrolled in a degree program or have graduated within the last four years.
Resume or CV
GRE General Exam (optional)
TOEFL or IELTS score for applicants educated in a non-native English-speaking country

Applications are accepted on a rolling, space-available basis following the regular deadline.

Download MPH-Public Health Nutrition Info. Sheet

Core Courses (18 credits)

PHCO 0501 - Health Systems and Policy
PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology
PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Health
PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
PHCO 0505 - Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health
PHCO 0513 - Leadership and Management Essentials for Public Health

Practicum (3 credits)

Note: Students should review the Practice Experience webpage for information about Practicum.

PRAC 0715 - Applied Practice Experience (0 credits) [Prerequisite: APE Learning Agreement and select PHCO and concentration courses]
PRAC 0716 - Practicum Capstone (3 credits) [Prerequisite: Completion of the APE and Practicum Capstone Learning Agreement]

Review the School’s Registration Calendar for important MPH Practice Experience Registration dates specific to PRAC 0715 and PRAC 0716.

Concentration Courses (18 credits)

Note: Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.

UGPH 0630 - Global Food Systems and Policy (Fall)
UGPH 0670 - Global Food and Culture (Fall)
HBSP 0652 - Program Planning and Evaluation (Fall/Spring/Summer)
NUTR 5300 - Nutrition Across the Lifespan (Spring-Even Years)
NUTR 5513 - Global and Public Health Nutrition (Summer)
NUTR 6490 - Nutritional Epidemiology (Fall-Even Years)

Other Requirements (0 credits)

PRAC 0621 - Interprofessional Education (0 credits) [Fall/Spring]
Students are required to register for and complete an Interprofessional Education activity prior to graduation.
Complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training on Human Subject Research Protections (For Students Enrolled Fall 2024 and After)

Recommended Elective Courses (6 credits)

Electives may be chosen from the below list of recommended courses; other courses offered across the School of Public Health, including the School’s global courses (INTL courses); or with approval of the academic advisor. An Independent Study may also be done for up to 3-credits, with approval of the academic advisor and an SPH faculty member. Students interested in taking a graduate course at another Rutgers school must consult with their academic advisor and complete appropriate cross-registration forms in advance of registration. (Public Health Nutrition students do not need to complete cross-registration forms for NUTR courses at the School of Health Professions.) When choosing electives, students should consider the prerequisite requirements(s) and the location or teaching modality of the course.

Electives with Emphasis on Skills and Methods

UGPH 0605 - Qualitative Research Methods (Fall)
UGPH 0644 - Methods for Hard to Reach Populations (Fall)
UGPH 0650 - Community Engaged Methods in Public Health (Summer)
EPID 0621 - Survey Research in Epidemiology (Fall)
EPID 0641 - GIS in Public Health (Spring)
HBSP 0600 - Health Behavior and Policy Research Design and Methods (Fall/Spring/Summer)

Students thinking about pursuing a doctoral degree may want to consider taking additional quantitative data analysis and/or research methods courses as electives.

Electives for Completing an Internal Certificate

The following are examples for students potentially interested in concurrently completing a Certificate program in addition to their MPH degree. Students interested in completing both their MPH and a Certificate must discuss this with their advisor and the respective Certificate Coordinator, complete the necessary forms in advance, and plan their curriculum to account for the six shared credits. (Students are not able to pursue a certificate in the same concentration as their MPH degree program.)

No more than six (6) credits may be shared between a degree and a certificate program. Depending on the certificate’s curriculum, some of these electives may be applied to the certificate program only. Students should carefully review the Request for Internal Certificate information.

Electives that May Contribute to a Global Public Health Certificate:

UGPH 0515 - Global Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases (Spring)
UGPH 0600 - Introduction to Global Public Health (Fall/Spring)
HBSP 0623 - Cross National Comparisons of Health Systems (Spring)

Electives that May Contribute to a LGBTQ Health Certificate:

UGPH 0640 - LGBTQ Health: History and Context (Spring)
UGPH 0642 - LGBTQ Health and Health Disparities (Fall)
UGPH 0646 - Transgender Health (Fall)
UGPH 0648 - Public Health Aspects of HIV Prevention and Care (Spring)

Electives that May Contribute to a Maternal and Child Health Certificate:

UGPH 0560 - Foundations of Maternal and Child Health (Fall)
UGPH 0621 - Public Health and Health Disparities (Fall)
EPID 0607 - Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology (Fall)

Electives that May Contribute to a United Nations and Global Public Health Certificate:

UGPH 0521 - Culture and Health
UGPH 9000 - Introduction to the United Nations

Electives that May Contribute to an Urban Public Health Certificate:

UGPH 0621 - Public Health and Health Disparities (Fall)
UGPH 0680 - Urban Public Health (Spring)