Food Science & Human Nutrition: Clinical and Community Nutrition, MS
for the Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clinical and Community Nutrition Concentration
The Clinical and Community Nutrition concentration can be completed as an on-campus program or an online program.
Two non-thesis Master of Science programs are available through the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition. These programs ensure the same degree of excellence, and courses are instructed by the same faculty, as the on-campus non-thesis program.
For requirements and additional information on the MS Online Clinical & Community Nutrition program, please contact Jennifer Burton (jlkaczm2@illinois.edu).
Research Areas for On Campus Clinical and Community Nutrition, thesis track
In addition to receiving training in the general field of food science or human nutrition, on campus thesis track students have the opportunity to conduct research in the following areas of specialization:
- Food processing, engineering, and biotechnology
- Food ingredients, properties, and interactions
- Food microstructures, micro-carriers, and nanotechnology
- Food chemistry
- Food microbiology and biomass conversion
- Food safety and security
- Sensory sciences
- Dietary quality and food and nutrition patterns for optimal health
- Nutrition and disease interactions, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and gastrointestinal health
- Nutrition across the life span
- Biochemical and molecular nutrition
- Clinical nutrition
- Community nutrition
See our Clinical Community & Nutrition website for additional information.
Admission
In addition to meeting the Graduate College admission requirements, a student planning to pursue a graduate degree in the department should have a baccalaureate degree in a recognized field of biological, physical, agricultural, or engineering science. Background deficiencies may be removed with graduate credit courses designed for this purpose.
Click here to review all Food Science and Human Nutrition Admission requirements
International Applicants
Please visit the Illinois Graduate College resources for further admission requirements.
The Clinical Community and Nutrition, Food Science, and Human Nutrition MS are STEM-designated programs.
Internship in Dietetics
The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition offers a dietetic internship for master's and doctoral students specializing in human nutrition. Completion of the degree and the internship qualifies the student to take the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics registration examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. For information on our dietetic internship program, please contact Ms. Jessica Madson (jamadson@illinois.edu).
Graduate Teaching Experience for On Campus Clinical and Community Nutrition, thesis track
Teaching is neither a Graduate College nor a FSHN requirement. A limited number of teaching assistantships are available to FSHN graduate students. Students are selected to be Graduate Teaching Assistants by the Department Head in consultation with the course instructor.
Financial Aid
Financial aid for thesis track graduate students is available in the form of fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, and tuition and partial fee waivers. Qualified candidates are considered for financial support upon application.
Non-thesis track students are not eligible for fellowships, teaching, or research assistantships.
for the Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clinical and Community Nutrition Concentration
This degree program can be completed with or without a thesis.
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Minimum Hours Required for an MS degree | 32 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall | 12 |
| Maximum 6 credit hours of FSHN 599 applied toward degree requirements | Thesis only |
| Additional courses may be required beyond the concentration minimum per Advisory Committee recommendation | |
| Oral Final Exam | Non-Thesis Only |
| Final Exam/Thesis Defense Required | Thesis Only |
| Thesis Deposit Required | Thesis Only |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis Option (on campus program) | ||
| Concentration in Clinical and Community Nutrition 1,2 | ||
24 hours minimum must be letter-graded coursework out of the 32 total hours required | ||
| Required Courses: | 18 | |
| FSHN 599 | Thesis Research (maximum 6 hours counted toward degree) | 6 |
| FSHN 510 | Topics in Nutrition Research (Science Translation) | 2 |
| FSHN 521 | Molecular Basis of Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Management (prereq FSHN 420) 3 | 2 |
| FSHN 595 | Advanced Topics in Food Science and Human Nutrition (Advanced Diabetes Managment) 3 | 3 |
| FSHN 595 | Advanced Topics in Food Science and Human Nutrition (Nutritional Epidemiology Journal Club) | 1 |
| FSHN 597 | Graduate Seminar (or equivalent) 4 | 0 |
| or NUTR 500 | Nutritional Sciences Seminar | |
| Choose one of the following statistics courses 5 | 4 | |
| Applied Statistical Methods I | ||
CHLH 572 | ||
| Principle/Method Epidemiology | ||
| Elective Courses: | 14 | |
| FSHN 417 | Neuroscience of Eating & Drinking | 4 |
| FSHN 421 | Pediatric Clinical Nutrition | 3 |
| FSHN 422 | Introduction to Personalized Nutrition | 3 |
| FSHN 424 | Biopsychology of Ingestive Behavior | 3 |
| FSHN 429 | Nutrition Assessment & Therapy | 3 |
| FSHN 453 | Nutrition for Performance | 4 |
| FSHN 459 | Nutrition Focused Physical Assessment | 2 |
| FSHN 465 | Principles of Food Technology | 3 |
| FSHN 480 | Basic Toxicology | 3 |
| FSHN 499 | Cur Topics in FS & Human Nutr (Nexus of Food) | 3 |
| FSHN 510 | Topics in Nutrition Research | 3 |
| FSHN 522 | Dietary Prevention of Cardiovascular and Other Chronic Diseases | 1 |
| FSHN 527 | Advanced Vitamins and Minerals: Regulations of Metabolism | 3 |
| FSHN 580 | Ethics in Research, IRB and IACUC | 3 |
| FSHN 590 & FSHN 591 | Dietetic Internship I and Dietetic Internship II 6,7 | 10 |
| FSHN 595 | Advanced Topics in Food Science and Human Nutrition | 0 to 4 |
| CHLH 409 | ||
| CHLH 415 | ||
| CHLH 421 | ||
| CHLH 448 | ||
| CHLH 470 | ||
| CHLH 540 | ||
| CHLH 572 | 4 | |
| CHLH 573 | ||
| CHLH 575 | ||
| CHLH 579 | ||
| Total Minimum Hours | 32 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Non-thesis Option (On campus or Online) | ||
| Concentration in Clinical and Community Nutrition 1,2 | ||
24 hours minimum must be letter-graded coursework out of the 32 total hours required | ||
| Required Courses: | 12 | |
| FSHN 510 | Topics in Nutrition Research (Science Translation) | 2 |
| FSHN 521 | Molecular Basis of Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Management (prereq FSHN 420) 3 | 2 |
| FSHN 595 | Advanced Topics in Food Science and Human Nutrition (Advanced Diabetes Managment) 3 | 3 |
| FSHN 595 | Advanced Topics in Food Science and Human Nutrition (Nutritional Epidemiology Journal Club) | 1 |
| FSHN 597 | Graduate Seminar (or equivalent) 4 | 0 |
| or NUTR 500 | Nutritional Sciences Seminar | |
| Choose one of the following statistics courses 5 | 4 | |
| Applied Statistical Methods I | ||
CHLH 572 | ||
| Principle/Method Epidemiology | ||
| Elective Courses: | 20 | |
| FSHN 417 | Neuroscience of Eating & Drinking | 4 |
| FSHN 421 | Pediatric Clinical Nutrition | 3 |
| FSHN 422 | Introduction to Personalized Nutrition | 3 |
| FSHN 424 | Biopsychology of Ingestive Behavior | 3 |
| FSHN 429 | Nutrition Assessment & Therapy | 3 |
| FSHN 453 | Nutrition for Performance | 4 |
| FSHN 459 | Nutrition Focused Physical Assessment | 2 |
| FSHN 465 | Principles of Food Technology | 3 |
| FSHN 480 | Basic Toxicology | 3 |
| FSHN 499 | Cur Topics in FS & Human Nutr (Nexus of Food) | 3 |
| FSHN 510 | Topics in Nutrition Research | 3 |
| FSHN 522 | Dietary Prevention of Cardiovascular and Other Chronic Diseases | 1 |
| FSHN 527 | Advanced Vitamins and Minerals: Regulations of Metabolism | 3 |
| FSHN 580 | Ethics in Research, IRB and IACUC | 3 |
| FSHN 590 & FSHN 591 | Dietetic Internship I and Dietetic Internship II 6,7 | 10 |
| FSHN 595 | Advanced Topics in Food Science and Human Nutrition | 0 to 4 |
| CHLH 409 | ||
| CHLH 415 | ||
| CHLH 421 | ||
| CHLH 448 | ||
| CHLH 470 | ||
| CHLH 540 | ||
| CHLH 572 | 4 | |
| CHLH 573 | ||
| CHLH 575 | ||
| CHLH 579 | ||
| Total Minimum Hours | 32 | |
- 1
Students can take up to 12 credit hours as a non-degree student and have these credits transferred towards their MS degree requirements if they receive a grade of a B or higher.
- 2
The degree requires at least 12 hours of 500- level course work, and at least 8 of these 12 hours must be in the major field for graduation. Students are encouraged to take new courses, rather than retake required courses they have already taken. If you have already taken a required course at the University of Illinois, it is highly recommended that you do not retake it. No petition is required. If you have taken a very similar course at another university, you are strongly encouraged to petition for acceptance of that course in lieu of the required course. Courses should be selected to expand and strengthen your knowledge in core and related disciplines, and/or to increase your research capabilities. Retaking a course does not meet that objective. For additional advice on this topic, contact your advisor.
- 3
A course in Diet and Disease or Medical Nutrition Therapy (FSHN 420) is a required pre-requisite before taking FSHN 521 Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Management and FSHN 595 Advanced Diabetes Management.
- 4
Students are required to enroll in another seminar course if they have a conflict that precludes their enrollment in FSHN 597 or NUTR 500. The seminar course may be offered by another department. 12 hours of documented continuing education units from webinars and other forms of continuing education in clinical and community nutrition in one semester may count as one semester of FSHN 597, for additional advice, contact your advisor.
- 5
May take 400, 500 level courses not listed here including CHLH, HDFS, KIN and MCB or in other departments, for additional advice, contact your advisor.
- 6
To apply for a Dietetic Internship (FSHN 590 and FSHN 591), a verification statement from an approved/accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics is required.
- 7
A maximum of 8 internship credit hours can be used toward the 32 credit hour requirement.
for the Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clinical and Community Nutrition Concentration
Graduate Degree Programs in Food Science & Human Nutrition
Graduate Majors:
Joint Degree Program:
for the Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clinical and Community Nutrition Concentration
A FSHN graduate student:
- Demonstrates knowledge in at least three areas of expertise (based upon required coursework; see FSHN graduate handbook for areas).
- Displays effective and relevant written and oral communication skills.
- Conducts methodical and logical research that addresses key issues in food science and/or human nutrition.
- Displays professional ethics in scholarly achievements.
for the Master of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clinical and Community Nutrition Concentration
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Department Head: Nicki Engeseth (engeseth@illinois.edu)
Associate Head of Graduate Programs: Pratik Banerjee (pratik@illinois.edu)
Director of Online Master's Program in Clinical and Community Nutrition: Jennifer Burton (jlkaczm2@illinois.edu)
Department website
Graduate Program Overview
Faculty Directory
260 Bevier Hall
905 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-4498
FSHNGradAdmissions@illinois.edu
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences website
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Course Catalog website
Admissions
Food Science & Human Nutrition Graduate Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements