Master of Public Health: Public Health Nutrition Specialization - MPH

Program Contact:

Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, PhD, MPH, RD, FAND
Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Services; College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Associate Professor, MPH Program Director; Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences
mateja.savoie@usu.edu; 435-797-5777

Program Description

This 100% online Master of Public Health (MPH) in Public Health Nutrition degree includes interdisciplinary training in nutrition-related sciences and prepares students with skills and competencies essential for leadership and administrative positions in public health nutrition. Potential positions include public health nutritionist, nutritional epidemiologist, program coordinator, public health educator, executive director, and nutrition services supervisor. These positions can be found in a variety of governmental, academic, nonprofit, and for-profit settings, including state and local public health departments, colleges and universities, health care organizations, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), food banks, food pantries, nutrition education programs such as SNAP-Ed and EFNEP, community action agencies, and anti-hunger/poverty organizations, among many others. 

Students learn about designing, implementing, and evaluating nutrition-related programs and policies to improve the health and well-being of local, national, and global populations. The land grant setting of Utah State University provides unique opportunities for the study of the relationship between human nutritional status and health with strong academic and research programs in nutritional epidemiology, federal, and community nutrition programs, USU Extension nutrition outreach programs, food science, food safety, agricultural practices, animal health, climate change, environmental sciences and much more. This program is 100% online, so students can complete the program from anywhere around the world. This program can be pursued part-time or full-time.

The MPH Public Health Nutrition program is considered a professional program (Plan C) program. Students must complete an Applied Practice Experience (APE) and write a capstone paper, also known as the Integrative Learning Experience (ILE). Students should contact their advisor early in their program to start planning their APE and ILE, to ensure that all degree requirements will be met, and that all appropriate paperwork has been sent to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).

Admission requirements can be found on the USU School of Graduate Studies website (gradschool.usu.edu/admissions/policies). Students are also required to have completed and passed undergraduate courses in statistics and human nutrition. Students are expected to be admitted to the program as matriculated students before taking coursework leading to the degree.

Additional information about the MPH Public Health Nutrition program may be obtained by contacting the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences or by visiting the program website at caas.usu.edu/mph/public-health-nutrition.