Public Health: Nutrition and Dietetics, M.P.H.

Emma Sampson, MPH Program Manager

(423) 425-4196 or email at Emma-Sampson@utc.edu

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) Master of Public Health (MPH) program, with a concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics, is an accredited program offered through the College of Health, Education and Professional Studies (CHEPS) in the department of Health and Human Performance (HHP).  The program is accredited as a Future Education Model by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).  Students who successfully complete this program and all supervised experiential learning hours will be eligible to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s credentialing examination for Dietitian Nutritionists enabling them to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).

Admission requirements

Students seeking admission to the MPH program, with a concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics, must complete a two-step application process.  First, prospective students must meet the general admission requirements of the Graduate School at UTC.  Second, prospective students must complete an application specific to the MPH Nutrition and Dietetics concentration.  A complete application consists of both graduate applications, a statement of purpose, official transcripts, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation.

In addition to the admission requirements associated with the UTC Graduate School as described in the Graduate Catalog, the Nutrition and Dietetics concentration includes the following additional admission requirements:

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year institution with a 3.0 GPA or better.
• A minimum of 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) is required in prerequisite courses.  All the following prerequisite courses need to be at the baccalaureate level or higher, must be taken within the past five years, and must be completed prior to enrollment:
  1. Human Nutrition (minimum of 3 student credit hours required)
  2. Life Cycle Nutrition (minimum of 3 student credit hours required)
  3. General Chemistry (minimum of 8 student credit hours required)
  4. Organic Chemistry (minimum of 4 student credit hours required)
  5. Biochemistry (minimum of 3 student credit hours required)
  6. Anatomy/Physiology course with lab (minimum 4 student credit hours required)
  7. Microbiology (minimum of 3 student credit hours required)
• GRE scores taken within the last five years. While there is no minimum GRE score, students are encouraged to achieve an “above average” GRE score on the verbal and quantitative sections defined as: a combined verbal and quantitative score of 300+, an overall ranking in the 50th percentile or better, and an analytical writing score of 4.0 or better.

Program completion requirements

The Nutrition and Dietetics concentration provides the required coursework and all supervised experiential learning (SEL) hours in one program.  To complete the program, students must complete 42 credit hours of study and a minimum of 1,000 SEL hours.