Public Health Nutrition - MPH
About This Degree
This 100% online Master of Public Health Nutrition (MPH) degree includes interdisciplinary training in nutrition-related sciences and prepares students with skills and competencies essential for leadership and administrative positions in public health nutrition.
What You Will Learn
Students will learn about designing, implementing, and evaluating nutrition-related programs and policies to improve the health and well-being of local, national, and global populations. The land grant setting of Utah State University provides unique opportunities for the study of the relationship between human nutritional status and health with strong academic and research programs in nutritional epidemiology, federal and community nutrition programs, USU Extension nutrition outreach programs, food science, food safety, agricultural practices, animal health, climate change, environmental sciences and much more. This program is 100% online so you can complete the program from anywhere around the world. This program can be pursued part-time or full-time.
The MPH Nutrition program is considered a professional program (Plan C). Students must complete an Applied Practice Experience (APE) and write a capstone paper (Integrative Learning Experience (ILE)). Students should contact their advisor early in their program to get approval of an acceptable APE and ILE, to ensure that all degree requirements will be met, and that all appropriate paperwork has been sent to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).
ADVISING
At a Glance
College: College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Department: Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences Department
USU Locations:
- Logan campus
- Statewide campuses
- USU Online
Faculty: View profiles of faculty members on the department directory.
Program Requirements
Career And Outcomes
Career Opportunities
Graduates with an MPH degree in Public Health Nutrition can seek out diverse positions in public health with opportunities for leadership roles, professional development, and higher pay and benefits. Potential positions include public health nutritionist, nutritional epidemiologist, program coordinator, public health educator, executive director, and nutrition services supervisor to name a few. These positions can be found in a variety of governmental, academic, nonprofit, and for-profit settings including state and local public health departments, colleges and universities, health care organizations, Women Infants, and Children (WIC), food banks, food pantries, nutrition education programs such as SNAP-Ed and EFNEP, community action agencies, and anti-hunger/poverty organizations, among many others. When combined with a nutrition degree or other undergraduate science degree, the MPH degree is commonly used as a steppingstone to medical or dental school. For students interested in academic careers in public health, the MPH degree can be excellent preparation for application to doctoral public health programs.
Job Outlook
USU Locations
*This degree is available at various USU locations.
- Beaver
- Bicknell
- Blanding
- Brigham City
- Castle Dale
- Cedar City
- Cortez (CO)
- Delta
- Ephraim
- Heber City
- Junction
- Kanab
- Kaysville
- Moab
- Montezuma Creek
- Monticello
- Monument Valley
- Nephi
- Orem
- Panguitch
- Park City
- Price (USU Eastern)
- Richfield
- Roosevelt (Uintah Basin)
- Salt Lake
- St George
- Tooele
- Tremonton
- Vernal (Uintah Basin)
- Wendover
**This degree is 100% available online. USU is a SARA-approved institution offering fully online programs nationwide; please visit USU's state authorizations for details.
Admission
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet departmental requirements, in addition to requirements of the School of Graduate Studies as seen on the School of Graduate Studies Catalog Page. To be considered for the MPH Nutrition program, applicants must meet these minimum requirements:
- Complete the online application.
- Pay the $55 application fee.
- Provide transcripts for all college/university credits.
- Include a statement of purpose in the online application.
This should be a 1-page single-spaced paper that describes how the MPH Nutrition program aligns with your career goals and what you have accomplished professionally or academically that demonstrates your ability to be successful in graduate school. - Include a current resume/CV in the online application.
- 3.0 or higher GPA for the last 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours.
- 3 professional letters of recommendation.
Deadlines
Application materials received by the deadlines listed below will be prioritized and given full consideration. Late applications will be considered for admissions when space is available. Please reach out to the program director with application questions.
- Fall Semester Start:
- Early Priority Deadline: January 15*
- Application Deadline: March 15
- Spring Semester start:
- Early Priority Deadline: None
- Application Deadline: September 15
*Applications submitted by this date will be reviewed in time for applicants to submit college and university level scholarships through Scholarship Universe.
Plan Options
The MPH Nutrition program is a 42-credit program which includes 21 credits of public health foundational competency courses and 21 credits of public health nutrition concentration courses. This program is considered a professional program (Plan C).
Students must complete an applied practice experience (APE) and write a final paper (Integrative Learning Experience (ILE)). Students should contact their advisor early in their program to outline an acceptable APE and to be certain that all degree requirements will be met and that all appropriate paperwork has been sent to the School of Graduate Studies. Students must complete their APE in their final year of the program and ILE in the final semester of the program. Students are required to demonstrate mastery of select public health competencies upon completion of the APE and ILE.
Take The Next Step
How to Apply
View our step-by-step guide on how to become an Aggie.
Request Information
Contact the School of Graduate Studies to ask questions or receive more information.
Cost and Funding
Calculate the cost of graduate school and learn about funding opportunities.
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