Nutrition — Ph.D.
Program director
Sujatha Rajaram
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in nutrition prepares students to effectively conduct nutrition research as well as apply nutritional science knowledge and appropriate research methods to address public health problems. The program provide's an advanced curriculum in nutrition, professional skills, and competencies required to support careers in teaching and research. This program is uniquely situated in the School of Public Health at a health sciences university. The program engages in interdisciplinary research, encouraging collaboration across public health disciplines and the basic sciences, promoting and building upon its core legacy of vegetarian and plant-based nutrition. Areas of curricular strength and research emphasis include plant-based diets and the health of the individual, populations and the planet, nutritional epidemiology, diet and chronic disease-risk reduction, and community nutrition.
Students enrolled in this program are able to concurrently complete coursework and practice experience necessary to sit for the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) exam if not already an RDN.
Program learning outcomes
By the end of the program, the graduate should be able to:
- Evaluate advanced knowledge in nutritional science and explain the biological mechanism underlying the relationship between nutrients, foods, and diet pattern and health;
- Critically evaluate the evidence base and advocate for the role of plant-based diets in promoting health of the individual, population groups, and the planet;
- Apply analytical and fundamental concepts in nutritional epidemiology;
- Apply principles of research ethics; conduct a research study that addresses a nutrition problem; collect/abstract, analyze, and interpret the data; and report findings;
- Effectively communicate nutritional science, orally and in writing, to the scientific community and the public, advancing the field and promoting public health;
- Use best-practice modalities in pedagogy to deliver educational experiences in an academic setting;
- Apply the principles of scientific and professional ethics in research, teaching, and practice.
Educational effectiveness indicators
- Assessment from required courses
- Comprehensive examination
- Dissertation proposal defense (qualifying examination)
- Dissertation manuscript: submission of two manuscripts from the dissertation to peer-reviewed journals
- One manuscript published in a peer-reviewed journal (from dissertation research or other research)
- Oral defense of dissertation
- Teaching assistantship
- Presentation at a scientific conference
Prerequisites
- Master's degree in nutrition preferred; or an M.S. or M.P.H. degree with completion of all prerequisite courses; or a health professional degree at the master's level or higher (M.D. or equivalent)
- Advanced biochemistry (may be taken concurrently with the program)
- Anatomy and physiology, microbiology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry
- G.P.A. of 3.5 or higher preferred
- GRE or equivalent (above the 40th percentile in each section is favorable)
Individuals who may benefit from the program
Individuals seeking careers in:
- Academia (teaching and research)
- Researcher in private industry, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, or research institutes
- Public health nutritionist
- Leadership role in academia and public health sector
- Health practitioners who want to further the evidence base for the role of plant-based diets in the prevention of lifestyle related diseases
| Corequisites | ||
| NUTR ____ | Graduate course in micronutrients or equivalent | |
| NUTR ____ | Graduate course in macronutrients or equivalent | |
| NUTR 506 | Nutritional Metabolism | 3 |
| STAT ____ | Graduate course in analytical applications in statistics (SPSS or SAS) | |
| STAT 521 | Biostatistics I | 3-4 |
| or AHRM 514 | Biostatistics | |
| Public health core | ||
| EPDM 509 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHCJ 606 | Public Health Fundamentals | 4 |
| PHCJ 608A | Doctoral Seminar for Public Health | 1 |
| PHCJ 608B | Doctoral Seminar for Public Health | 1 |
| PHCJ 608C | Doctoral Seminar for Public Health | 1 |
| PHCJ 614 | Pedagogy: The Art and Science of Teaching | 2 |
| PHCJ 615 | Intermediate Biostatistics | 3 |
| PHCJ 618 | Transformative Communication | 2 |
| Nutrition core | ||
| NUTR 617 | Preventive Nutrition I: Carbohydrates and Lipids | 2 |
| NUTR 618 | Preventive Nutrition II: Protein, Vitamins and Minerals | 2 |
| NUTR 619 | Preventive Nutrition III: Phytochemicals | 3 |
| NUTR 620 | Advanced Topics in Nutrition 1 | 6 |
| NUTR 664 | Vegetarian Nutrition: Person, Population, Planet | 3 |
| PHCJ 624A | Scientist Forum 2 | 1 |
| PHCJ 624B | Scientist Forum 2 | 1 |
| PHCJ 624C | Scientist Forum 2 | 1 |
| Religion | ||
| RELE 525 | Ethics for Scientists | 3 |
| RELR 540 | Wholeness and Health 7 | 3 |
| RELT 5__ | Graduate-level Theological | 3 |
| Electives 3 | 5 | |
| Research core | ||
| NUTR 634 | Concepts of Nutritional Epidemiology | 3 |
| NUTR 639 | Research Methods in Nutrition | 2 |
| NUTR 685 | Preliminary Research Experience 4 | 2 |
| NUTR 697 | Dissertation Proposal 6 | 0-3 |
| NUTR 698 | Dissertation 6 | 12 |
| STAT 568 | Data Analysis | 3 |
| Total Units | 72-75 | |
| Optional coordinated program in nutrition and dietetics 5 | ||
| DTCS 544 | Medical Nutrition Therapy II | 5 |
| DTCS 554 | Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy | 3 |
| DTCS 566 | Food Chemistry and Experimental Foods | 4 |
| DTCS 575 | Food Systems Management | 5 |
| NUTR 490 | Topics in Foods and Food Preparation | 1 |
| NUTR 525 | Nutrition Policy, Programs, and Services | 3 |
| NUTR 526 | Nutrition Counseling and Education | 2 |
| NUTR 527 | Assessment of Nutritional Status | 3 |
| NUTR 531 | Community Nutrition Intervention I | 2 |
| NUTR 532 | Community Nutrition Intervention II | 1 |
| NUTR 534 | Maternal and Child Nutrition | 3 |
| NUTR 557 | Nutrition Care Process for Diabetes and Heart Disease | 2 |
| PHCJ 798A | Public Health Practicum | 8 |
| or PHCJ 798B | Public Health Practicum | |
| or PHCJ 798C | Public Health Practicum | |
| or PHCJ 798D | Public Health Practicum | |
| DTCS 777 | Food Systems Management Affiliation | 6 |
| DTCS 778 | Clinical Nutrition Affiliation | 12 |
| Total Units | 60 | |
| 1 | Register twice for a maximum six units. Each offering in an academic year will be a different topic |
| 2 | Students are required to register for this course 3 times. 0 units in Autumn and Winter, and 1 unit in Spring. |
| 3 | Choose in consultation with academic advisor. Must be graduate-level courses in nutrition, dietetics, public health, or basic sciences. |
| 4 | Students will take 1 unit at a time. |
| 5 | All courses are required for eligibility to sit for the RDN examination. Courses completed in a prior program (either at the undergraduate or graduate level) will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis to determine equivalency; thus reducing the number of courses to be completed at LLU. Consult with your advisor if you wish to pursue this option. |
| 6 | Completed units in NUTR 697 Dissertation Proposal (maximum of 3) will reduce NUTR 698 Dissertation units by the same amount. Minimum combined units for NUTR 697 and NUTR 698 must equal 12. |
| 7 | Fulfills service learning requirement |
Culminating experience
As a part of the culminating experience, the student publishes one manuscript in peer-reviewed journal (co-authorship or review article acceptable, can be from dissertation or non-dissertation related research), submits two publishable papers from their dissertation research to peer reviewed journals, successfully defends dissertation, and submits a committee approved dissertation manuscript. Further details provided in the SPH Ph.D. Doctoral Handbook.
Normal time to complete the program
Four (4) years — based on full-time enrollment
