At this time, the program does not accept students into the doctoral program without a master’s degree. A student without a master’s degree who would like to pursue a doctoral degree must apply to the master’s graduate program. Once accepted into the master’s program, it is possible to apply and transfer to the doctoral program after the first year of graduate study. Specified criteria must be met for the transfer to be approved by the Graduate Admissions Committee. Please contact the department for more information.

Nutrition Prerequisite Courses:

Entering students are expected to have undergraduate training (lecture and laboratory courses) in general and organic chemistry and biology, a two-semester course in biochemistry and an upper-level human nutrition course.

Exercise Physiology Prerequisite Courses:

Entering PhD students should have a completed master’s degree and have training in general anatomy, physiology, a two-semester course in chemistry, organic chemistry and an upper-level exercise physiology course.

The NEP Doctoral Degree requires 75 hours total beyond the bachelor’s degree, including but not limited to the required core courses and courses required for the emphasis areas; courses from the Masters degree (≤ 30 hours if from another institution) may be counted towards the doctoral degree at the discretion of the student’s committee. At least 15 of the 75 hours of course work must be at the 8000/9000 level (exclusive of research, problems and independent study experiences).

Dissertation Requirements

The dissertation must be written on a subject approved by the candidates doctoral program committee, must embody the results of original and significant investigation and must be the candidates own work. All dissertation defenses shall be open to the general faculty. For the dissertation to be successfully defended, the student’s doctoral committee must vote to pass the student on the defense with no more than one dissenting or abstaining vote.