IUPUI Campus Bulletin 2010-2012

• Admissions
  • Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
  • Health Sciences
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
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• Student Learning Outcomes

Academic Programs

Master's Programs

Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics

Location of the Program

The program is located at the Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

Description and Purpose of the Program

This graduate program, offered through the Indiana University Graduate School, is designed for registered dietitians. The objective of this program is to provide an opportunity for registered dietitians to deepen their knowledge base, improve critical thinking skills, and develop research skills in nutrition and dietetics.

The curriculum is designed for the dietitian with a special interest in nutritional requirements and provision of medical nutrition therapy in acute and chronic conditions such as diabetes or in the care of special populations such as children and preterm infants. Program affiliations throughout central Indiana provide the opportunity for the student to work with patient populations in both outpatient and inpatient settings as well as with the general public.

Course Requirements

Students are required to take graduate-level courses in biochemistry, statistics or biostatistics, and physiology. Other courses and clinical study (open only to students who are registered dietitians) may be selected from the graduate-level offerings of the Nutrition and Dietetics Department and from other schools and departments on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus.

Minimum Requirements for the Degree

To earn the M.S. degree, a minimum of 36 credit hours at the graduate level are required. Candidates for this degree may petition to apply up to 8 credit hours of graduate work from other institutions or programs to this degree. There are both thesis and non-thesis options.

Curriculum

A total of 36 credit hours is required to complete the degree. Candidates for this degree may petition to apply up to eight credit hours of graduate work from other institutions or programs to this degree. The M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics with the thesis option requires 30 credits hours of course work and six credits of research. The M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics without the theses requires 33 credit hours of course work and a three credit non-thesis problem. Students may choose between two areas of interest: either adult nutrition or pediatric nutrition.

The hours are allocated as follows:

Nutrition and Dietetics Core (15-16 credits)

Science Requirement (6 or 7 credits)

Statistics and Research Methods (6 credits)

Choose one of the following areas of interest:

Pediatrics Nutrition (15-18 credits)

Adult Nutrition (15-18 credits)

Non-Thesis Problem or Thesis (3-6 credits)

Admission

The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences offers the M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics through the Indiana University Graduate School. Students accepted into the program must meet all the requirements of both the University Graduate School and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

The minimum admission requirements are:

• a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• proof of dietetic registration
• a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• an appropriate level of achievement on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• for international students, a suitable level of achievement on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Applicants must submit the following:

• official undergraduate transcripts
• a 300- to 500-word personal statement of academic and professional goals
• three letters of recommendation from those familiar with the applicant’s academic and professional performance
• official scores of the GRE and the GRE Writing Assessment Exam, taken within the last five years
• proof of dietetic registration

• for international students, official TOEFL scores

Grade Requirement

A minimum of a 3.0 (B) grade point average in graduate work is required for continuance in graduate study. If the grade point average of a student falls below 3.0 or the student is not making sufficient progress toward completion of the degree, the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Academic Studies and Research Development Committee will review the student’s record and recommend to the dean that the student be placed on probation. Unless the student achieves a 3.0 grade point average or begins making satisfactory progress in the next semester of enrollment, the student ordinarily will not be allowed to continue in the graduate program. For more information about academic regulations, contact the program director.

For further information, contact: