The School of Human Ecology offers a Master of Science in Community Health and Nutrition. Coursework in this program is online. The Community Health and Nutrition program has been granted candidacy for 79 accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), as a Future Education Model Future Graduate program, making it appropriate for those students who wish to become registered dietitian/nutritionists.

This program is also designed to offer additional professional training for various community health professionals, including those who are already credentialed registered dietitian/nutritionists, educators, nurses, and others interested in nutrition related health information.

This program includes an experiential learning component. If students meet the admission criteria specific to the Future Graduate program listed below, are admitted to the program, complete the coursework, and earn a Verification Statement, students are then eligible to sit for the registration exam for dietitians/nutritionists that is offered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must submit the following for admission consideration:

1. Online application for graduate admission and the nonrefundable application fee;

2. Official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate credit from all institutions attended;

3. Undergraduate degrees accepted include: nutrition, dietetics, public health, kinesiology, health sciences, nursing, psychology, human development and family studies, family and consumer sciences, and biobehavioral health. Other undergraduate degrees not specifically listed here will be reviewed based on transcript content;

4. Prerequisite undergraduate coursework must include an introductory nutrition course (equivalent to Tennessee Tech's HEC 2020 Nutrition for Health Sciences); one advanced nutrition course (higher level than introductory nutrition) must have a "B" or better in these two nutrition courses; and 8 credits of chemistry or biology at the 3000/4000 level with a grade of "C" or better;

5. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;

6. References (2)- when you submit your application provide contact information for two references. An email will then be sent to these references to complete an online recommendation form. At least one reference should be from a former professor/instructor. Your application is not completed until these recommendation forms are submitted by your references;

7. You will need to indicate on your graduate application if you are applying to only the MS Degree in Community Health and Nutrition or both the Degree and the optional Experiential Learning Track, the Experiential Learning Track has additional admission requirements;

8. Resume – upload your resume (no more than 2 pages);

9. Student Health Form;

10. Personal Statement- upload a separate document which includes the following: state why you have the abilities, experiences, skills and knowledge to succeed in our degree program. Your statement should demonstrate why you are interested in this graduate degree program and how it will help you meet career goals. Please limit your statement to 1,200 words or fewer and use 12-point font, single-spaced format.

Specifically address the following questions in your personal statement:

a. What are your professional goals; elaborate on future career plans and the motivation for pursuing a MS in Community Health and Nutrition

b. In what ways will the MS in Community Health and Nutrition build upon your current skill set

c. Why are you a good fit for this degree program

d. Elaborate on your unique story which motivates you to seek this graduate degree

Note: Applicants are selected on a competitive basis and, therefore, admission is not granted to all applicants who meet only the minimum requirements.

Application deadline for degree only seeking students varies based on the semester you wish to enroll. Application deadlines may be found on the College of Graduate Studies "How to Apply" section of the website.

For those interested in the supervised experiential learning necessary to become a registered dietitian/nutritionist, they must apply by the December 15 deadline for a Fall start date. If cohort does not fill, applications for a Fall start date will be accepted until April 15.

Additional Admissions Requirements, Experiential Learning Track

In addition to the requirements for admission to the MS in Community Health and Nutrition Degree as stated above, applicants who want to also be admitted to the Experiential Learning Track must provide:

1. Evidence of Work/Volunteer Experience – documentation of 300 hours of work or volunteer experience completed within four years of application is preferred. Of the 300 hours, at least 200 hours must be in a nutrition- or dietetics-related field. You will be required to complete the Experiential Track Supplemental Form to document your experiences. This form will be uploaded with your Graduate application and is available on the College of Graduate Studies Online Forms webpage.

2. Prerequisite coursework- for applicants who do not have a Verification Statement from an ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) the following prerequisite coursework must have been completed within five years from an accredited institution:

a. Introductory Nutrition course equivalent to Tennessee Tech's HEC 2020 Nutrition for Health Sciences

b. Advanced Nutrition course (higher level than Introductory Nutrition)

c. Organic Chemistry

d. Microbiology or Biochemistry

e. Experimental Foods, Food Preparation, Quantity Food Production, or

f. Foodservice Management Additionally, students must have a grade of B or better in each of the nutrition courses and a grade of C or better in the science courses.

3. DPD Verification Statement- for students with a bachelor's degree from an ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), you will be required to upload your DPD Verification statement or an Intent to Complete form or letter from DPD Director stating courses to be completed with your Graduate application.

4. Personal Statement: in addition to the questions listed above for the Personal Statement, applicants for the Experiential Learning Track should include why they are pursuing the Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RDN) credential.

5. Candidates for admission to the Experiential Learning Track will be required to participate in a virtual (face to face) interview via a video conferencing platform