Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Philosophy in Nutrition Sciences

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Nutrition Sciences program is housed within the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management (NHM). The program is designed to train and mentor students to become proficient teachers, practitioners, and researchers.

Program Information

Degree

Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences

Required Credit Hours

66

Program Type

Doctorate Program

Program Location

Oxford

School

School of Applied Sciences

Duration

3-4 years

Program Details

Concentrations

• Sports Nutrition
• Nutrition Policy
• General Nutrition

Course Requirements

The program consists of a minimum of 66 post-baccalaureate credit hours. The degree requirements include:

• 21 hours of core requirements
• 15-18 hours of emphasis area requirements, of which 6 or more hours must be at 700-level
• 9-12 hours of supporting coursework at 500-700 levels to bring the total coursework to 48 hours, which may be selected from emphasis area courses and/or from outside of NHM
• 18 hours of dissertation.

Graded credit hours other than the thesis from the students masters degree coursework within the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management at UM may be applied to the doctoral degree.

Transfer Credits

• If the student has been enrolled in another graduate degree program outside the Department within the University, up to 6 hours of relevant graduate coursework credit completed outside the Department and within the University may be applied toward Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences upon the advisory committees approval.
• Students may request the transfer from another institution up to 21 hours of the graded coursework credit hours required for a degree program. The student must have made a "B" or better on the course(s) to be transferred.

Doctoral Admission Criteria

To be considered for the Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences, applying students should be able to meet the following criteria for admission:

• Baccalaureate degree in nutrition, hospitality management, or related fields.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Scores of no less than 150 on the verbal and 150 on the quantitative divisions are preferred.
• Grade-Point Average (GPA): A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher over the last 60 hours or over the entire transcript is recommended for admission.
• English Proficiency: Must meet the Graduate Schools admission criteria. (Only for the applicants whose native language is not English)
• Clear Goals, readiness and motivation to pursue the doctoral degree.
• Research interests that align with potential identified advisor(s).

Application Process and Deadlines

Applications for admission to the graduate programs must be submitted to the University of Mississippi Graduate School. In order to be assured consideration, applicants must submit the following materials:

• An online application completed through the Graduate School website.
• A statement of purpose not exceeding 1,000 words, which clearly demonstrates interest in the field, readiness to pursue a graduate degree, academic and professional goals, and how joining the graduate program will help meet these goals.
• 3 Letters of academic and professional reference.
• Official GRE scores taken within 5 years of applying to the graduate program.
• Official transcripts from all institutions where a degree was obtained AND from institutions attended for any graduate coursework.
• Official English proficiency test scores (Only if the applicants native language is not English).

Accreditation Information

• The B.S. in Dietetics and Nutrition program and the Coordinated Program (CP) in Dietetics program at the University of Mississippi are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).
• The Hospitality Management Program at the University of Mississippi is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA).

Career Prospects

• Median income for Postsecondary Teachers in 2023: $84K
• Median income for Dietitians and Nutritionists in 2023: $70K