Nutritional Science Education
Answering the Demand for Highly Trained Nutritional Scientists
The impact of nutrition on health and disease has produced major clinical and public policy challenges that are shaping research and career opportunities for highly trained nutritional scientists in academia, industry and government. Disease prevention efforts, increased health consciousness, and an aging population are further fueling the demand for nutritional scientists.
The interdisciplinary division of nutritional sciences enables students in its PhD and Master’s of Science programs to explore the interrelationship between environmental factors and nutrients, and their effect on biochemistry, physiology and disease development. More than 60 faculty members provide teaching and individualized research guidance across 28 departments and divisions at the University of Kentucky’s Colleges of Medicine, Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Nursing and Agriculture, as well as the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education.
One of the division’s primary areas of research and training targets nutrition and chronic diseases, with a focus on obesity and associated disorders of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Other specialty areas include nutrition and oxidative stress, nutrition and aging, clinical nutrition, animal nutrition and food science.
The graduate program of nutritional sciences at the University of Kentucky was recently ranked in the top 25% of all nutrition programs by the National Research Council.
Master's Program
The Master’s of Science Program in the division of nutritional sciences provides students with multidisciplinary training while enabling them to focus on areas in which they are particularly interested. The MS program prepares students for a number of careers in health care, academia, education, wellness and other nutrition-related fields.
PhD Program
The PhD Program in the division of nutritional sciences offers advanced multidisciplinary studies that serve as a springboard for nutrition-related careers in academia, industry, and government.
Graduate Certificate in Applied Nutrition and Culinary Medicine - Online
The new, online graduate certificate in applied nutrition and culinary medicine is a 12-credit program designed for health and medical professionals. This graduate certificate spans three colleges at the University of Kentucky.
Admissions
Applicants for the PhD and Master’s of Science programs must meet admissions requirements for both the University of Kentucky Graduate School and the department of pharmacology and nutritional sciences, division of nutritional sciences. Detailed application information for both the PhD Program and the MS Program is outlined on this site.
The Graduate School will not process any applications unless application fees have been paid in full and the applications have been fully completed. Please note that there are no specific formats for the reference letters, essays or CVs.
Curriculum
Departmental courses related to the PhD and MS Program Requirements. See the MS Handbook and the PhD Handbook for more information on nutritional sciences curriculum. For current course listings, please consult the schedule of nutritional sciences courses. Please contact Dr. Glauert if you have any question.
NS 601 – Integrated Nutritional Sciences I (3 CREDITS)
The material covered in CNU/NS 601 consists of three major emphasis areas: (1) review of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein structure, synthesis, absorption, and metabolism, (2) the impact of nutritional influences on macronutrient metabolism to health and disease, (3) the influence of macronutrient metabolism on the regulation of energy balance.
NS 602 – Integrated Nutritional Sciences II (3 CREDITS)
Integrated study of the properties, metabolism, biochemical and physiological functions and interactions of vitamins and minerals, and their relationships to chronic diseases, deficiency symptoms and toxicity.
NS/CNU 603 - Integrated Nutritional Sciences III (2 CREDITS)
Working knowledge of dietary requirements and guidelines, nutritional assessment, food safety issues and nutritional requirements through the lifecycle.
NS 605 - Advanced Sports Nutrition (3 CREDITS)
Emphasis is directed toward nutrition as applied to prevention of disease through lifestyle management and the application of nutrition in exercise and sport.
NS 606 - Molecular Biology Applications in Nutrition (2 CREDITS)
Focus will be on the use of the most recently developed techniques and model systems in molecular biology for studying nutrient regulation of gene expression.
NS 609 - Ethics in Clinical Research (1 CREDIT)
Representative issues addressed may include data selection and retention, plagiarism, scientific review of grants and manuscripts, scientific misconduct, and informed consent.
NS 704 - Current Topics in Nutrition (1 CREDIT)
Discussions of relevant publications representing cutting edge topics in nutritional sciences
NS 771 - Graduate Seminar in Nutritional Sciences (0-1 CREDITS)
Seminars by students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty both internal and external to the University in areas of nutritional sciences.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
ELECTIVE COURSES 5 - 6 CREDITS
Department Contacts
Director of Graduate Nutritional Sciences Education
Sara Police, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
900 Limestone Street
Lexington, KY 40536-0200
Director of Graduate Studies
Howard P. Glauert, PhD
Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
Director of Graduate Studies
MS-371 Chandler Medical Center
780 Rose Street
Lexington, KY 40536-0298