This 100% online Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Nutrition 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. Potential positions include public health nutritionist, nutritional epidemiologist, program coordinator, public health educator, executive director, and nutrition services supervisor. 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, healthcare 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.
Students 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 students can complete the program from anywhere around the world. This program can be pursued part-time or full-time.
The MPH in Public Health Nutrition program is considered a professional program (Plan C) program. Students must complete an Applied Practice Experience (APE) and write a capstone paper, also known as the Integrative Learning Experience (ILE). Students should contact their advisor early in their program to start planning their 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).
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Accreditation
The CAAS MPH Program is an applicant for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health. The accreditation review will address the CAAS MPH degrees only. Other degrees and areas of study offered by this institution will not be included in the unit of accreditation review. Please see the CEPH website to learn more about the applicant and accreditation process.Follow us on social media
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Affordable Tuition
No GRE
Admissions Requirements
Admissions Requirements
To be considered for the MPH Nutrition program, applicants must meet these minimum requirements.
- Complete 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 in Public Health Nutrition program 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
- Completed and passed undergraduate courses in statistics and human nutrition
Application 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.
| Semester Start | Early Priority Deadline | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | January 15* | March 15 |
| Spring | None | September 15 |
*Applications submitted by this date will be reviewed in time for applicants to submit college and university level scholarships through Scholarship Universe.
Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos
Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Services l Director of MPH Program l Associate Professor
Savannah Daines
MPH Program Assistant & Graduate Program Coordinator
Career Outlook for Graduates
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, registered dietitians, executive director, and nutrition services supervisor. 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 degree, the MPH degree is commonly used as a stepping stone 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.
Where our graduates are working:
- Bright Water Foundation
- Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services
- Utah State Board of Education
- Utah State University
- Texas Department of State Health Services
- University of Minnesota Extension
- Oklahoma State University Extension
- Intermountain Health
- Volunteers of America
- Weber-Morgan Health Department
- Tri-County Health Department
- Oklahoma State Department of Health
Two Year Degree Plan MPH
Public Health Nutrition Concentration
Students in the MPH in Public Health Nutrition program are required to complete 42 credits, 3 of which are electives
Year One
| Fall | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| NDFS 6140--Introduction to Public Health* | 3 | Required to take during your first fall semester |
| NDFS 6540--Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 3 | Required |
| NDFS 6810--Social Determinants of Health | 3 | Required |
| Total credits | 9 |
* Students with a bachelor’s degree from a CEPH-accredited public health program can take an alternative course to NDFS 6140 Introduction to Public Health since they would have fulfilled these foundational public health knowledge competencies in their undergraduate program.
| Spring | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| ADVS 5000--One Health: People, Animals, and the Environment | 3 | Required |
| NDFS 6010--Hunger Issues and Solutions | 3 | Required |
| NDFS 6230--Communicating Current Topics in Public Health | 3 | Required |
| Elective | 3 | See elective list |
| Total credits | 12 |
Year Two
| Fall | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| NDFS 6600--Current Topics in Obesity | 3 | Required |
| NDFS 6240--Program Planning and Evaluation in Public Health | 3 | Required Strongly recommended to take during year 2 of the program |
| NDFS 6200--Nutritional Epidemiology | 3 | Required |
| NDFS 6850--Applied Practice Experience in Public Health Nutrition | 3 | Required Must be taken in the final year of program (strongly recommended to take in second-to-last semester) |
| Total credits | 12 |
| Spring | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| NDFS 6210--Advanced Public Health Nutrition | 3 | Required |
| NDFS 6280 --Public Health Administration and Leadership | 3 | Required |
| NDFS 6550--Public Health Policy and Advocacy | 3 | Required |
| *You will also complete your Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) this semester. | ||
| Total credits | 9 |
| SUMMARY | Credits | Details |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL MINIMUM NUMBER OF CREDITS | 42 |
SELECT LIST OF ELECTIVES
This list is not comprehensive. Work with your advisor to find additional elective options that may align with your interests. Delivery method and availability of these courses may vary. If you have questions, look in Banner, reach out to the instructor of record, or ask your MPH advisor.
| Elective courses | Credits | Delivery | Semester(s) Taught |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDFS 6470--Global Public Health | 3 | Online | Spring |
| NDFS 6800--Counseling and Motivational Interviewing for Health Professionals | 3 | Online | Fall |
| NDFS 6320--Advanced Sports Nutrition | 3 | Online | Fall |
| NDFS 6580--Application of Research Principles in Dietetics | 3 | Online | Summer (7-week course) |
| ADVS 6000--Ecology and Health: Case Studies of Relationships Between the Environment, Organisms, and Health | 3 | Online | Summer |
| ASTE 6920--Communication Tools for Extension | 3 | Online | Every other year, spring |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The CAAS MPH program is offered 100% online, which means you can take courses from anywhere in the world. You are not required to be on campus or attend classes virtually at any time. With that said, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with faculty and students via Zoom.
Applicants need to have taken and passed undergraduate courses in statistics and nutrition before they will be accepted into the program.
Students who have completed graduate courses (that have not been used towards a completed degree) at other accredited universities may request that courses are reviewed for transfer credit. The School of Graduate Studies allows a maximum of 12 credits to be transferred. Credits can be transferred as long as the MPH degree will be completed within 8 years of starting the transferred coursework, although exceptions can be made on an individual basis.
Letters of recommendation should be from former professors, employers, or other professional references. Personal references are not recommended. Letters of recommendation should emphasize your potential as a graduate student.
If you have general application questions, please contact the graduate school directly at graduateschool@usu.edu. For program-specific questions, please contact the MPH graduate program coordinator, Savannah Daines (savannah.daines@usu.edu or 435-757-2060).
The MPH program requires a total of 42 credit hours. Tuition and fees are based on credit hours and differ for in-state and out-of-state students. For students located in Utah, tuition for online courses is the same as face-to-face courses. For students outside Utah, there is a special tuition rate for online courses that does not take residency into account. Use the USU Tuition and Fees Estimator for more information to calculate what tuition would cost for you!
The university, college, and the NDFS department have scholarships and assistantships that often become available for graduate students. MPH faculty notify students when these opportunities become available within the department and college. We also recommend looking for scholarships on the USU website. Additional scholarship opportunities are often available through professional organizations. As a result, we highly recommend students be involved in public health organizations.
Please contact the MPH graduate program coordinator, Savannah Daines (savannah.daines@usu.edu or 435-757-2060), for more information about the program. You can also reach out to the MPH program director, Dr. Mateja Savoie Roskos (mateja.savoie@usu.edu or 435-797-5777).
Yes! Please visit the WICHE WRGP website for more information about potential tuition savings for non-Utah residents.