The Ph.D. in Nutrition requires a minimum of 61 credit hours. The focus of the doctoral program is the development of critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and organizational skills and the application of these skills to a nutrition-related research problem. The research goal of the department is to optimize human health. This is done through a wide variety of research approaches. Program strengths include nutritional assessment and intervention, nutritional biochemistry, molecular roles of nutrients, nutrition and disease, community nutrition, nutrition education, and life-span nutrition. Graduates of the doctoral program are prepared for careers in research, teaching at the college or university level, consulting, and management.

At least 75% of all course work, exclusive of dissertation credits, must be at the 600 or 700 level. Students entering the Ph.D. program with a M.S. degree may be granted a waiver for some requirements if they have successfully completed equivalent course work. This decision will be made after evaluation by the student’s major advisor and the doctoral Advisory/Dissertation Committee.

For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/.

In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants must submit a letter of intent that includes research and professional objectives and that identifies faculty with research interests most central to student research and career interests.

While the Ph.D. program primarily admits students with a master’s degree, the graduate committee will consider baccalaureate students with exceptional academic and undergraduate research experiences.

Degree Program Requirements

Required: 61-67 credit hours

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Required Core Courses (14 credits)
NTR 709A	Seminar in Nutrition 1	4
NTR 709B	Seminar in Nutrition	2
NTR 725	Gene Expression and Protein Metabolism	2
NTR 726	Energy, Carbohydrate, Lipid Metabolism	2
NTR 727	Antioxidants and Bioactive Food Components	2
NTR 728	Vitamins and Minerals	2
Research Techniques (21 credits minimum)
NTR 773	Nutrition Research Methodology	3
Select a minimum of one statistics course (3-4 credits) 2		3-4
Select two or three additional courses (8 credits minimum) for developing technical competency to enhance research skills and competitiveness 2		8
Select at least 6 credits from one or more of the following:		6
NTR 701	Directed Study in Nutrition
NTR 723	Current Trends in Nutrition
NTR 753	Problems in Food and Nutrition
NTR 770	Research Skill Development
Electives (8 credits minimum)
Select 6 credits from other NTR courses at the 500-700 level 2		6
Select 2 credits minimum from NTR or a supporting program at the 500-700 level 2		2
Research and Dissertation (18-24 credits)
NTR 790	Doctoral Research	6
NTR 799	Dissertation Problem 3	12-18
Total Credit Hours		61-67

¹

4 credits total in NTR 709A are required.

²

With approval of the Advisory/Dissertation Committee.

³

A minimum of 12 dissertation credits (NTR 799) are required.

Comprehensive Examination

The student will consult with his/her Advisory/Dissertation Committee about the specific format of the written and oral sections of this examination.

For Students Who Completed their M.S. at UNC Greensboro

Students who have completed their M.S. degree in the Department of Nutrition at UNC Greensboro will have already completed the majority of the Required Core Courses, Nutrition Research Methodology, and at least one statistics course. Therefore, their program of study will include primarily Research Techniques credits and Research and Dissertation credits. Credit received for courses taken as part of the M.S. degree cannot be counted towards the Ph.D. degree. The majority of credit hours must be at the 600-700 level. The minimum course work is shown below.

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Required Core Courses (4 credits)
NTR 709A	Seminar in Nutrition 1	2
NTR 709B	Seminar in Nutrition	2
Research Techniques (14 credits)
Select a minimum of 14 credits from the following:		14
NTR 701	Directed Study in Nutrition
NTR 723	Current Trends in Nutrition
NTR 753	Problems in Food and Nutrition
NTR 770	Research Skill Development
Statistics courses
Electives (8 credits)
Select 6 credits from other NTR courses at the 500-700 level 2		6
Select 2 credits minimum from NTR or a supporting program at the 500-700 level 2		2
Research and Dissertation (18-24 credits)
NTR 790	Doctoral Research	6
NTR 799	Dissertation Problem 3	12-18
Total Credit Hours		44-50

¹

2 credits total of NTR 709A are required.

²

With the approval of the Advisory/Dissertation Committee.

³

A minimum of 12 dissertation credits (NTR 799) are required.