Masters Curriculum
Students must complete at least 28 course credits and at least 4 research credits for a total of 32 credits. This includes the following Core Courses for the Master of Science Program:
GMS NU 755: Molecular, Biochemical and Physiologic Bases of Nutrition I: Energy Balance and Micronutrients
4 credits
This is the first semester of a 2 semester sequence (that can be taken in either order) that focuses on the Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Bases of Nutrition. This semester will cover concepts of essential nutrients and methods for determining their requirements (DRIs), body composition, nutrition and growth, energy expenditure, regulation of energy intake, vitamins and macro-mineral metabolism (Ca, P) and micronutrients. Functions and roles of micronutrients in signaling from gene to whole organism will be discussed. Implications for nutrient requirements through the lifecycle and in health and disease will be addressed. A discussion session will teach students to critically evaluate cutting-edge and seminal papers addressing each topic, and introduce students to state of the art research approaches and methodologies – basic (cell and molecular), clinical and epidemiological. Weekly writing assignmentson the papers will provide experience and hone skills with scientific writing.
GMS NU 709: Research Design and Statistical Methods for Biomedical Sciences
3 credits
The overall objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of basic concepts of research design and data analysis in the biomedical sciences. The primary didactic areas to be covered include framing hypotheses and objectives, the use of experimental designs and, to a lesser degree, non-experimental designs, problems of differential and non- differential error (including bias and confounding), foundational principles of data description and analysis (independent vs. correlated data, parametric and non-parametric distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion), effect estimation, the use and limitations of statistical testing, including univariable and multivariable modeling, and microarray analysis. The course employs both didactic sessions and in-class exercises.
GMS NU 756: Molecular, Biochemical and Physiologic Bases of Nutrition II: Macronutrients
4 credits
Regulation of lipid, carbohydrate, and protein digestion, absorption, transport, tissue and cellular metabolism. Integration of macronutrient metabolism in response to alteration in nutritional status (e.g. starvation, obesity) on a whole body and tissue-specific basis. Mechanism regulating macronutrient metabolism in response to stresses such as exercise and aging and disease. A discussion session will teach students to critically evaluate research papers, provide knowledge of seminal papers in the field, and introduce students to research approaches and state of the art methods (e.g. assessment of metabolic flux using stable isotopes, euglycemic clamps, metabolomics).
GMS NU 620: Clinical Nutrition Research
3 credits
The course will focus on disease states related to nutrition and diet, with a major focus on clinical nutrition research. The course goals are as follows: (1) acquaint students with current concepts and methods in clinical nutrition research, (2) familiarize students with clinical research and how investigators approach nutrition-related questions in their specific fields to answer questions related to disease states, (3) evaluate the role of nutrition as it relates to development, prevention and therapy of major diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, osteoporosis, obesity, and cancer.
GMS NU 700: Nutrition and Metabolism Seminar
3 credits
Students develop and present a research seminar.
GMS NU 901/2: Nutrition and Metabolism Research (Thesis Work)
4 credits
This course number is used during the period of your thesis research.
Elective Courses:
11 credits from elective courses may be chosen from courses throughout GMS.
GMS NU 711: Physical Activity and Metabolism (elective)
2 credits
This course explores the evidence relating exercise and physical inactivity to heart disease, dementia, cancer, conditions of aging, and other chronic health conditions including obesity and diabetes. Students will learn to scrutinize mechanistic research conducted at the cellular and physiological levels and also examine methodologic issues in the assessment, analysis, and interpretation of activity data in large populations, while accounting for nutrition and other lifestyle exposures. The course emphasizes research used to create public health guidelines that will inform policies, programs, and clinical practice. Students will participate weekly in critical reviews of published research, write a mini-grant proposal, and complete a “field research” assignment highlighting new technology available in the mobile- health field. At the completion of this course, students will better understand principles of exercise physiology, chronic disease pathology, population health, and physical activity epidemiology. Students completing the course should be able to apply these principles to laboratory, clinical, or public health-based research.