public health nutrition personal statement

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MPH in Public Health Nutrition

About the program.

IN-PERSON, FULLY ONLINE  |  FULL-TIME, PART-TIME    SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

The MPH in Public Health Nutrition prepares students to promote the nutritional well-being of population groups by learning to assess the nutritional needs of various populations, planning and implementing nutrition and food programs and managing nutritional programs in community and institutional settings. The degree offers one curriculum for those who are Registered Dietitians (RDs) and another for those without this credential.

Applicants who have completed an undergraduate Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) from an ACEND-accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher could be considered for the Dietetic Internship within the MPH in Public Health Nutrition at CUNY School of Public Health. To be considered, please contact Prof. Ann Gaba at [email protected] .

The MPH in Public Health Nutrition is not a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) as required by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For information about available DPD programs, please click here .

For students who began matriculating in Spring 2019 or earlier, please review the previous curriculum for the MPH in Public Health Nutrition here .

Request info on the MPH in Public Health Nutrition

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• Text: (646) 664-1366
• Phone: (646) 664-8355
• Email: [email protected]
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Is this degree right for you?

The program is designed for students who are passionate about public health nutrition science and the nutritional well-being of population groups. The degree offers one curriculum for those who are Registered Dietitians (RDs) and another for those without this credential.

What will you learn?

Learn to scientifically assess dietary and nutritional needs and guidelines, examine how social and environmental factors impact access to nutrition on individual and population levels and design evidence-based nutrition policies and interventions with government agencies in mind.

Where to after graduation?

Graduates work in hospitals, clinics, community programs, local, state, or federal government health departments and in international nutrition programs. They coordinate and analyze nutrition research and policies, direct nutrition programs and manage school food programs among other positions.

Admissions Information

Admissions requirements.

• Completed  SOPHAS  application
• Undergraduate degree from an accredited university with GPA (overall and major) of at least 3.0 preferred.
• Personal statement/statement of purpose (recommended length is 500 words)
• Background in the field: paid or volunteer experience in public health or related field
• 2 Letters of recommendation
• TOEFL scores are required if language of instruction for prior degrees was not English
• Transcript evaluation from  WES  or  ECE for foreign transcripts.
• At least four undergraduate courses (12 credits) of college-level biology, chemistry, nutrition, and statistics or calculus; a background in nutrition, medical, or health sciences is recommended.

Application Deadline

• Fall 2024: We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis until  June 1, 2024 or until all seats are filled . (May 15, 2024 for international students seeking an F-1 student visa)

Curriculum (without Dietetic Internship)

*Students who have a CEPH-accredited undergraduate or graduate degree in public health can be waived from PUBH 601 by submitting a Course Waiver Request .

Recommended Course Sequence (without Dietetic Internship)

These sequences are recommended for full-time students. Part-time students are encouraged to meet with a staff advisor to map out an appropriate plan of study.

For students who began matriculating in Spring 2019 or earlier, please review the previous course sequence for the MPH in Public Health Nutrition here .

*PUBH 601 should be completed during a student’s first semester. Students who have a CEPH-accredited undergraduate or graduate degree in public health can be waived from this requirement by submitting a Course Waiver Request .

Competencies

For students who began matriculating in Spring 2019 or earlier, please review the previous competencies for the MPH in Public Health Nutrition here .

Core Competencies:

Evidence-based approaches to public health.

• Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice
• Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate
• Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice

Public Health & Health Care Systems

• Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
• Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and systemic levels

Planning & Management to Promote Health

• Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
• Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation or critique of public health policies or programs
• Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
• Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management (“Resource management” refers to stewardship (planning, monitoring, etc.) of resources throughout a project, not simply preparing a budget statement that projects what resources will be required.)
• Select methods to evaluate public health programs

Policy in Public Health

• Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence (This competency refers to technical aspects of how public policies are created and adopted, including legislative and/or regulatory roles and processes, ethics in public policy making and the role of evidence in creating policy.)
• Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
• Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations (This competency refers to the ability to influence policy and/or decision making, such as through stakeholder mobilization, educating policy makers, etc. Ability to argue in support of (or in opposition to) a position, as in a standard debate, is not sufficient. Students must produce a product that would be part of an advocacy campaign or effort (e.g., legislative testimony, fact sheets, advocacy strategy outline, etc.).)
• Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity
• Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue (Such principles may include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making.)
• Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges (“Negotiation and mediation,” in this competency, refers to the set of skills needed when a common solution is required among parties with conflicting interests and/or different desired outcomes. Such skills extend beyond the level of negotiation required in a successful intra-group process; effective communication within a work group or team is more closely related to competency)

Communication

• Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
• Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
• Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

Interprofessional and/or Intersectoral Practice

• Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health (This competency requires direct engagement (in-person or online) between the student and an individual or individuals in a profession or sector other than public health; students must combine the external sector/profession’s perspective and/or knowledge with their own public health training to complete a task, solve a problem, etc.. Role-playing, in which public health students assume the identity of an individual from another profession or sector to which they do not already belong, is not an acceptable substitute for actual engagement with an individual or individuals from a profession or sector outside of public health.)
• Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative (Systems thinking tools depict or map complex relationships, demonstrating, for example, how component parts of a system interact with and influence one another. Examples include causal loop diagrams, systems archetypes, network analyses, and concept maps. Logic models and evidence tables are not sufficient to address this competency.)

Systems Thinking

• Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative (Systems thinking tools depict or map complex relationships, demonstrating, for example, how component parts of a system interact with and influence one another. Examples include causal loop diagrams, systems archetypes, network analyses and concept maps. Logic models and evidence tables are not sufficient to address this competency.)

Environmental Sciences

• Apply concepts from relevant scientific disciplines, such as toxicology and physiology, to anticipate effects of environmental, occupational and nutritional exposures on both human health and overall planetary health

Concentration Competencies:

• Assess the dietary and nutrition status of people and populations.
• Interpret how the social and cultural determinants of health can impact food intake and nutrition in individuals and communities.
• Evaluate the scientific evidence for nutritional guidelines and recommendations.
• Design a nutrition intervention strategy of public health relevance as informed by scientific evidence, biological, and nutritional sciences bases.
• Evaluate the efficacy of governmental and legislative policies related to food and public health nutrition.

Alumni Outcomes

Alumni outcomes data was collected via surveys of CUNY SPH alumni one year after graduation from 2016 to 2022. See more program outcomes here .

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HOW TO WRITE A WINNING PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONAL STATEMENT

Public health is one of the most diverse fields in healthcare practice, and the public health industry is expanding and changing at a rapid rate. 1 To break into this competitive field, strong qualifications, such as a Master of Public Health (MPH) , are essential, and a winning public health personal statement is a critical component of a successful MPH application. However, writing a personal statement for public health graduate school is substantially different from crafting one as a recent graduate or first-time job-seeker.

This post explains the importance of the MPH personal statement, and highlights four elements to consider when crafting a strong, engaging, effective statement as part of your application.

WHY IS A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONAL STATEMENT IMPORTANT FOR AN MPH?

In public health professions more than in most careers, who you are matters. Because public health focuses on the human side of sickness and well-being, public health professionals interact continuously with individuals, communities, policy makers and educators. 2 Your personality is an important factor in determining the professional you will become. Admissions committees, therefore, need to understand you as a person in order to appreciate you as a candidate.

Among your application documents, your personal statement most effectively reveals who you are to an admissions committee. It demonstrates your passion and suitability for the program you are applying to and establishes you as more than the sum of your skills and qualifications.

SHOW, DON’T TELL.

A list of who you are, what you do, and where you see your career going will give the admissions committee a good sense of your suitability for the program to which you are applying. However, if you really want to engage your readers, show them rather than telling them. Human beings are narratively wired; we learn, remember and relate to material better when it is delivered in the form of a story. 3 A strong personal statement will be made even stronger if it is structured around a particular narrative.

To incorporate storytelling effectively in your personal statement, think about your strengths as an individual and the episodes in your life that have demonstrated and developed them. Emphasize the strengths that best align with public health professions: interpersonal and communication skills, an analytical and problem-solving mindset, a strong sense of social justice , and cultural competency are all good choices. 4 Tell the story of your life and career with your chosen strengths in mind. Show how each new experience has helped you progress toward being the ideal public health candidate.

BE PASSIONATE.

The story you tell must illustrate more than just your relevant skills and experiences; it should highlight your passion for and commitment to public health. Admissions-committee members know that the field of public health is demanding, 5 and a good MPH candidate is one who has the drive and dedication to face its many challenges. In your personal statement narrative, explain why public health matters to you.

Public health is a universal concern , and the work of public health professionals touches many aspects of our everyday lives. As you decide on the experiences you’ll include, consider how they demonstrate your personal connection to the public health profession. How have public health leaders inspired you? Where have public health issues affected your life? How have your achievements contributed to improving public health? Where do you hope to see further improvement, and why? By linking the answers to questions such as these with personal narrative, you will demonstrate your passion for the field.

WHY YOU? WHY THIS PROGRAM?

Competition for admission to graduate school is always fierce, and this is especially true when it comes to MPH programs. 6 To craft an effective personal statement, therefore, you must show that you are the perfect candidate for the specific school and program to which you’re applying.

Provide details on how your goals, experiences and passions align with the specific MPH program to which you are applying. You may want to comment on the research opportunities embedded within the program, for example, or the research specializations of key faculty members . Show how the unique details of the program align with your unique characteristics as a candidate.

By including specific references to the MPH program, you show that you’ve done your research and invested your time and energy in choosing a program carefully. Your demonstrated desire to be a part of the unique community and culture of your chosen program will make you a significantly more attractive candidate.

TONE MATTERS.

Finally, it is essential that you pay close attention to the grammar, expression and tone of your personal statement. As it is in many careers, writing is a crucial component of effective public health professionalism. 7 A successful public health practitioner must speak and write effectively. Producing a well-crafted, accurate, clear, engaging personal statement will demonstrate your competency in this area.

As you compose your personal statement, strive for a tone that is professional and formal. It will help balance the intimacy of the narrative style discussed above, resulting in a personal statement that feels both human and competent.

Check your work carefully for any errors in formatting, grammar or vocabulary, and make sure that you’re using technical terminology appropriately; mistakes in these areas suggest a lack of care and attention to detail that will reflect negatively on you. Ask someone whose writing skills you trust to proofread your personal statement. Even proficient writers can become blind to their own typos, and someone else’s knowledgeable perspective is always helpful, even if only to confirm the strength of your work.

PUT YOUR STRENGTHS AND EXPERIENCE TO THEIR BEST USE.

An MPH is the first step on the path to success in a dynamic, fulfilling career. With your Kent State online Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management , Social and Behavioral Sciences or Epidemiology , or your Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology , you can make a difference in a field with wide-ranging impact.

• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from degreequery.com/top-20-demand-careers-public-health/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from apha.org/what-is-public-health
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from time.com/5043166/storytelling-evolution/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from phf.org/programs/corecompetencies/Pages/Core_Competencies_Domains.aspx .
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from mphprogramslist.com/50-great-reasons-to-pursue-a-public-health-career/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from mphprogramslist.com/mph-admissions-process/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?Article_ID=682376&Journal_ID=420959&Issue_ID=682375

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How to Write a Great Personal Statement for the Global MPH

May 15, 2019

Imperial College London’s School of Public Health is renowned for conducting world-class research on today’s most pressing public health issues. No matter how compelling your research findings are, it is essential to communicate them clearly in order to promote positive change.

The same principle applies to your personal statement for the Global Master of Public Health (MPH) program . This personal statement is a chance to make the case that you belong at Imperial. Making that case clearly and effectively can be as important as your academic and professional qualifications.

Many students get anxious about this portion of the application, or worry that their writing skills aren’t up to the task. Our advice? Don’t panic!

You don’t have to be an outstanding writer to craft a great personal statement. Your task is to provide Imperial’s reviewers with the information they’re looking for in 1500 words or less. Let’s break the key points down into three specific areas: your past, present, and future.

1. Past: your background in public health

Start by introducing yourself. You’ve already provided a CV with your application, so this is an opportunity to put your experience in context. Tell us how and why you became interested in public health, the skills you’ve developed, and what you’re most proud of in your studies and career. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through!  

Key points:

• Previous academic and professional experience
• Relevant exposures to public health related work and research
• Areas of interest in healthcare and why they interest you

Examples from the MPH Class of 2018-19:

“Throughout my years at University and recent postgraduate studies, I have worked in a pharmacy as a pharmacy/ dispensing assistant, in both community and hospital settings with the latter being involved with cancer clinical trials. These roles have greatly advanced my knowledge of patient care, different treatment options and health awareness strategies within the NHS and local CCGs.”

“I worked on a retrospective study to examine the trends and outcomes of aortic valve replacements performed on veterans from 2005 to 2015. Prior coursework in statistics equipped me to interpret data analyses. I co-authored two abstracts. I often considered how researchers contribute towards reducing health inequities in specific populations.”

2. Present: why you are applying to the Imperial College MPH

After you’ve introduced yourself, explain your motivation for your application. What is driving you to take your career in public health to the next level, and why is the Imperial Online MPH right for you? Make a compelling case why you are applying to this program, specifically, and why now is the right time.

• Your motivation for your professional and/or research career in public health
• Why you are applying for the Online MPH program, specifically

Examples from MPH Class of 2018-19:

“My healthcare background has given me the drive to move my career from disease treatment to increasing awareness of disease prevention. With an increasing life expectancy and an uncertain national healthcare budget, prevention of poor health from preventable diseases has never been more imperative.”

“I am particularly interested in studying at Imperial College London due to its Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, as the research areas of the unit match my own areas of interest for future research which include big healthcare data, healthcare access and health policy; within these areas I have an interest in mental health, cancer and primary and secondary care.”

3. Future: goals for your research at Imperial and your career beyond graduation

Finally, show that you have a specific vision for your time at Imperial and your post-MPH career. Include a short proposal (150 words or less) for a research project that you would be interested in carrying out as part of your dissertation over approximately a three month period. This gives the team more of an idea of your research interests and motivation to undertake the online Global MPH program. If you are accepted, you will not be required to carry out the proposal from your application. If you’d like to pursue the proposal from your application as part of your research portfolio, you can.

Key Points:

• Your future career goals
• Your proposed research area

“I believe the course will be able to provide an opportunity to obtain a more in-depth knowledge within these areas, but also developing a strong theoretical understanding of health policy, epidemiology and research methods, which I will give me the underpinning knowledge to undertake a PhD in Public health evaluation and policy in the future.”

“I aim to perform research to evaluate and improve the effectiveness and accessibility of health services for chronic conditions in low-income communities.”

__________________________

One last piece of advice: write an honest statement that gets across your true character and motivations, rather than writing something you think the panel will want to hear. Imperial’s goal in requesting these personal statements is to get to know prospective applicants on a personal level. Focus on providing a clear account of who you are, why you’re applying, and what you plan to do during and after the program.

The Global MPH offers the opportunity to get a world-class graduate degree in public health from one of the top 10 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2019). The program is affordable, flexible, and 100% online. As such, it attracts a diverse, highly-qualified group of students from across the globe. With a great personal statement, you can significantly increase your chances of joining the next cohort!  

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Master of Public Health in Nutrition

Acquire skills in nutrition practice, policy, and communication along with foundational knowledge in  nutritional science, epidemiology, and public health.

The Harvard Chan School offers a Master of Public Health (MPH)-65 degree that explores the role nutrition plays in the health and well-being of the world’s populations from a variety of vantage points; recognizing the vast array of influences on diet, nutrition, and health—including environmental, socioeconomic, political, and cultural factors.

Core coursework (totaling 65 credits) emphasizes methodological strategies to develop, analyze, and evaluate interventions, programs, and policies typically used in public health nutrition and will be reinforced in unique practicum projects.

As a student in this program, you will:

• Choose from a variety of electives tailored to your personal career goals. Focused areas of interest may include: nutrition policy, health disparities, nutrition epidemiology, global health, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental sustainability. You may also develop your own focused area of interest.
• Practicum topics cover a variety of interests, such as culinary nutrition, national school and feeding programs, community nutrition, and global health. Topics may also involve opportunities within Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals.
• Apply critical reading skills to enhance your ability to effectively communicate and translate nutrition information to the public, in the workplace, and in the media.

Watch below: Two Harvard Chan representatives answer questions about the MPH program.

Program Overview

The course schedule for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is accessible through my.harvard Course Search . To view courses, select the “Harvard Chan School” button under browse courses, or use the search bar and filters.

Core program required courses (13.75 credits)

• ID 201 Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Fall 1 st year (7.5)
• ID 100 Foundations for Public Health, Summer – Fall 1 1 st year (1.0)
• MPH 101-105 Core Course Sequence, varies (5.25)

MPH Practicum course and Integrative Learning Experience (7.5 credits)

• NUT 965s Practicum course, Part I, Spring 1 st year (1.25)
• Practicum, Summer after 1 st year
• NUT 965f Practicum course, part II, Fall of 2 nd year (1.25)
• NUT232 Designing and Eval. Behavioral Interventions Targeting Diet & Physical Activity – Integrative Learning Experience (ILE), Fall of 2 nd year (5.0)

Nutrition required courses (17.5 credits)

• NUT 200 Introduction to Nutrition Science, Fall 1 st year (2.5)
• NUT 201 Introduction to Public Health and Nutrition, Fall 1 st year (2.5)
• NUT 202 The Biological Basis of Human Nutrition, Spring 1 st year (5.0)
• NUT 203 Nutrition Seminar Part I, Fall 1 st year (2.5)
• NUT 206 Nutrition Seminar Part II, Spring 1 st year (2.5)
• NUT 213 Nutrition Translation and Behavior Changes, Spring 1 st year (2.5)

Area of Interest, 3 courses of shared interest (7.5 – 15 credits)

• Examples of topics and courses are available (or students can create their own). A total of 3 courses are required to meet the Area of Interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

The MPH-65 program in Nutrition is suitable for those both early in their careers or established in their careers, who wish to develop or further their expertise in nutrition. Prospective students will need to meet the following criteria:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Most successful applicants will have achieved a grade point average of 3.0 and above (out of a 4.0 requirement)
• At least two years of post-baccalaureate work
• Previous coursework in the biological sciences is preferred but not required

For more information on GRE and other application requirements, visit the Harvard Chan School Office of Admissions .

The MPH-65 program in Nutrition prepares those early in their careers for positions across a broad spectrum, ranging from state and local agencies to federal and international public health agencies; non-governmental organizations; non-profit and charitable organizations or donor-aid agencies; the health care industry; the food industry; as well as entrepreneurship or research coordination.

Sample Employers for MPH Nutrition Graduates May Include:

• State and Local Agencies (ie. WIC)
• Federal Public Health Agencies (USDA, FDA, CDC, NIH, etc)
• International Public Health Agencies (WHO, USAID)
• Non-Government Agencies
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Charitable Organizations
• Health Care Industry
• Academia/Research (study coordinator role)
• Food Industry
• Entrepreneurship

Sample Job Titles for MPH Nutrition Graduates May Include:

• SNAP-Ed Educator
• WIC Nutritionist or Director
• Community Health Nutritionist
• Extension Specialist
• Farm to School Coordinator
• Food Policy Director
• Nutrition Epidemiologist
• Nutrition Educator
• Nutrition Communications Specialist
• Nutrition Specialist
• Nutrition Officer
• Program Manager
• Technical Advisor
• Project Manager
• Health Promotion Disease Prevention Coordinator
• Study Coordinator
• Food Labeling Specialist
• Worksite Wellness Director
• Health Improvement Project Manager
• Program Coordinator
• Food and Nutrition Consultant
• Food and Nutrition Journalist/Author
• Study Manager
• Policy Director
• Nutrition Policy Advocate
• Food and Nutrition Analyst
• Nutrition Scientist
• Manager of Nutrition Services
• Food and Nutrition Advisor
• Public Health Nutritionist
• Director of Health and Nutrition
• Childhood Obesity Prevention Fellow

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tufts University, University of Minnesota, George Washington University

The program is typically full-time, and runs for 1.5 years (3 semesters), starting in September, and concluding in December of the following year. Students will complete their practicum during the summer.

Yes, upon entry to the program, each student will be paired with a Harvard-affiliated advisor who will provide academic guidance and assist them with course selection. Students may also be able to work with other faculty based on their interests.

Information on financial aid is available here .

Currently, no. If you are interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian, please refer to this website which lists accredited programs in dietetics.

Yes, students may have the opportunity to take courses offered by select Harvard Schools and other universities in the area.

Have another question not answered here?

• For questions related to the nutrition field of study, please contact [email protected] .
• For general MPH questions, please contact [email protected] or visit the MPH program page .

Public Health Nutrition MPH

We are excited to announce the launch of our new ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship (DI) to prepare Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs)!

Visit the BPH Dietetic Internship page for more information.

The UC Berkeley Public Health Nutrition Program trains future leaders in food and nutrition research, policy, and practice to identify current and emerging public health nutrition challenges and solutions with an emphasis on social determinants of health and systems level change.

The program is structured to provide students with the skills needed to contribute to scientific understanding of public health nutrition challenges, create healthy food systems, identify and advocate for effective food policies, and plan, implement, and evaluate programs to improve population nutrition and health. We seek to train people who want to lead at the local, state, national, and global levels in tackling nutrition challenges and improving population diet and health. This program offers training in core public health skills and specifically focuses on nutrition policy, epidemiology, and food systems, as well as overall critical thinking, analysis, and leadership skills.

We offer a two-year MPH, 11-month MPH, and a 4+1 MPH. The two-year, full-time MPH graduate students are expected to complete at least 48 units of coursework over four academic semesters and one summer. Students must complete both school-wide required courses as well as PHN required courses. All two-year MPH students complete a public health practice experience for a minimum of 12 weeks over the summer between their first and second years in the program. Internship sites are chosen from a wide range of public health organizations and research institutions and are selected based on the student’s objectives for professional development and the needs of the organization. Many sites are local, but students may also intern in other parts of the country or the world.

The 11-month MPH program with a concentration in Public Health Nutrition is offered to professional Registered Dietitians (RDs) who have at least 2 years of work experience as an RD. It is also open to qualified health professionals such as physicians and nurses. The 11-month program focuses specifically on developing skills in nutrition epidemiology and research. It is an intensive, full-time course of study running from July to May. The program requires completion of 7 units of coursework in Summer Session, and at least 16–18 units of coursework in the fall and spring semesters. Total unit requirement is 42 units.

A 4+1 MPH program in Public Health Nutrition is offered to UC Berkeley Public Health Undergraduate Majors & Alumni only . Please see the 4+1 PHN program page for more information.

Our in-residence programs are full-time programs only. For a part-time program option, please see the 27 month online MPH program’s Public Health Nutrition Concentration.

Our curriculum offers unique experiences for public health nutrition students:

• The Graduate Certificate in Food Systems prepares students to think critically about the multi-level, multi-system factors that affect food production, distribution, and consumption locally, nationally, and globally.
• The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nutrition Training Program provides future MCH Nutrition leaders with the skills to identify, monitor, evaluate and implement public health nutrition programs. Although funding through the training program is reserved for students who have, or are eligible for, the Registered Dietitian certification, other experiences and opportunities throughout the year sponsored by the MCH Nutrition Training Program are open to all students.
• The MPH in PHN does not prepare students to become Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN or RD credential). If you are interested in becoming an RD, please see the 21-month Master of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics (MNSD) program offered in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, which provides the required coursework and supervised practice hours for RD credentialing examination eligibility.

New Dietetic Internship Accepting Applications for Fall 2024

Berkeley Public Health is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) to offer a Dietetic Internship (DI) to prepare Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs). For more information, visit the BPH DI webpage or email [email protected] .

UC Berkeley has two different dietetics programs. The DI program at Berkeley Public Health has a heavy emphasis in public health nutrition (outpatient dietetics, public policy, research, and food systems) and interns will be concurrently completing an MPH in Public Health Nutrition at the School of Public Health. The Master of Nutritional Sciences & Dietetics Graduate Program offered in the Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology Department provides candidates professional dietetics training with a focus on clinical nutrition and the underlying biological basis of human health and disease, through advanced dietetic coursework, supervised internship practice, and an immersive research experience. We have plans for ongoing collaboration that will allow both programs to thrive on the UCB campus and in the Bay Area.

Program Page: Berkeley Public Health Dietetic Internship

Partner Organizations

Our partnerships offer our students unique opportunities to enhance their academic coursework by seeking out hands-on learning experiences through jobs and internships, workshops, talks, and events, as well as fellowships and funding.

The Berkeley Food Institute (BFI) seeks to empower new leaders with capacities to cultivate diverse, just, resilient, and healthy food systems. Our students have held jobs, received fellowships to work with sustainable food systems organizations, attended events and forums, and have helped inform the BFI’s work by participating in the BFI Graduate Council.

The Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) brings together a wide range of experts who develop and conduct research on nutrition, food insecurity, physical activity, wellness, and the prevention of obesity, diabetes and other related health problems. NPI holds monthly brown bag seminars and frequently hires our students as research assistants or interns.

Qualifications

Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree, preferably one that includes coursework in food and nutrition sciences, human biology, biochemistry, and/or physiology. These courses are strongly recommended before beginning graduate work in public health nutrition at UC Berkeley.

Coursework in other social sciences, including psychology, behavioral science, or economics strengthen an application. Successful applicants also should have excellent written and oral communication. Candidates should have at least 1 to 2 years of paid or volunteer public health or nutrition-related work experience to strengthen and support their academic experience.

Applicants who have not taken the basic recommended courses are encouraged to take the courses they are missing before applying to the Public Health Nutrition Program, either through UC Extension (see Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health Professions Program courses) or from another college or university with equivalent offerings.

Characteristics of Strong Applicants:

• Excellent grades from nationally or internationally recognized undergraduate institutions.
• Coursework in food and nutrition sciences and the sciences underlying human nutrition (e.g., biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physiology).
• Communication skills—demonstrated in the Statement of Purpose—that reflect an understanding of what public health is and why you want to specialize in Public Health Nutrition.
• Critical thinking ability with an analytical approach to solving current issues in nutrition and public health.
• Cultural competence and demonstrated knowledge of and interest in other cultures and languages.
• Relevant work experience in public health nutrition or related fields.
• Letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant’s qualities in the areas mentioned above.
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to making a contribution to the public’s health as reflected in your Statement of Purpose.
• GRE scores are optional for the fall 2023 admissions cycle. We recommend submitting a GRE if you have no other evidence of quantitative, verbal, or analytical abilities in your application.
• Be a professional Registered Dietitian (RD) with at least 2 years of experience as an RD in order to apply for the 11-month MPH.

The MPH in Public Health Nutrition prepares students for work in state or local government or nonprofit health agencies, or other community, policy development or research organizations that deal with health and nutrition policy and program design, implementation, and evaluation. PHN graduates have held positions at a variety of organizations, including: California Food Policy Advocates, USDA, Policy Link, Prevention Institute, Nutrition Policy Institute, UCSF, Berkeley Media Studies Group, American Heart Association, University of California Cooperative Extension, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, and Public Health Advocates.

Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree that ideally includes coursework in food and nutrition sciences, human biology, biochemistry, and/or physiology. Coursework in other social sciences, including psychology, behavioral science, or economics can strengthen your application. If you have not completed any of this coursework during your undergraduate degree, we strongly encourage you to take the courses you are missing before applying to the Public Health Nutrition program for a stronger application.

Affiliated Faculty

Phn program news and media, taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks drive decline in consumption, sugary drink tax improves health, lowers health care costs, christina badaracco: advocating for a citizen’s farm bill, online mph program to launch new concentration in public health nutrition, berkeley public health student profile: pilar marin, a first-of-its-kind campus-wide nutrition policy for uc berkeley, professor barbara abrams, drph, receives sper mentoring award, time more important than increased funding when it comes to snap benefits, berkeley public health alumna creates healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy, study shows sweetened beverage tax doesn’t change costs of water, milk, and other drinks, phn student samantha derrick’s op-ed published in the daily cal, phn and mcah visit sacramento, january 2020 mch washington dc trip, uc berkeley phn ranked no. 1 in mph nutrition programs, phn students present integrative learning experiences.

Sample Statement of Purpose in Public Health (MPH)

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In statement of purpose.

The following statement of purpose is written by an applicant who got accepted to several top master’s programs in public health. Variations of this SOP got accepted at Rutgers, and Chicago. Read it to understand what a top SOP in MPH should look like.

Example Statement of Purpose in Public Health (MPH)

I have been intrigued by cultural/ethnic, gender, racial, religious, sexual, and socioeconomic groups since I started high school. As my interest in learning about disability and diversity further developed, this prompted me to pursue an undergrad program in Anthropology at Brown. However, once I started this program, I realized that I also wanted to learn practical skills to be able to work with these diverse groups of people beyond just understanding them. Therefore, I started a Certificate and Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counseling at the University of Georgia while doing my undergrad.

During my coursework and training at the University of Georgia, I have been fortunate to have been tutored, supervised, and mentored by esteemed public health practitioners like Professor Brandee M. Appling and Ginny Jones Boss. My experience of being taught by these individuals has shown me the sophistication, a deeper self-awareness, commitment to ethics, and a firm grounding in empirically based techniques inculcated by public health programs. This has inspired me to pursue a similar program to develop my skillsets and broaden my vision.

My objective is to pursue a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Population Mental Health. I am particularly interested in working with LGBT issues, gender-based violence, and survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA). I have worked with disadvantaged populations such as transgender individuals, CSA survivors, and sex workers since my undergrad degree. I was a part of a participant-observation group with transgender individuals for a university project and since then have been associated with ‘The Blue Bird Project,’ which is working towards sensitization towards transgender individuals and creating a gender-inclusive society. During my undergrad, I also completed a year-long project with adult survivors of CSA. In addition, I recently delivered a workshop on raising awareness about this topic at the Academy of Letters.

This program will allow me to learn the best ethical practices used in professional work and espoused by the American Counseling Association (ACA). All MPH programs in mental health cover essential topics in Social and Behavioral Health, Adult Psychopathology, and LGBTQ Health, besides courses in therapeutic techniques and developmental theory. A unique aspect of my intended program is the opportunity to be part of practicum classes. In these, one’s assessment and evaluation skills are supervised and mentored by distinguished public health practitioners who expose one’s blind spots and test and develop the trainee’s analysis skills. Being exposed to this rich and broad curriculum will further build my critical skillset, like my tutors and mentors at Brown and the University of Georgia.

My domestic academic and professional exposure has prepared me adequately to work well with my clients; however, I aspire to learn from the best scholars and experienced health specialists on specialized topics such as working with the transgender population, victims of human trafficking sold into prostitution, victims of child sexual abuse and domestic violence, and prison populations. While I completed my projects during undergrad, I felt restricted by social and cultural constraints, sometimes even by my instructors. Learning through the classroom and my first-hand exposure to topics of my interest in America will further encourage me to return to my home country and have the skillset and the confidence to work better with these populations. I am fascinated by the group work my U.S.- qualified supervisors do in my home country. Some run groups for trauma survivors; others run groups for gay men, yet others work with prisoners. I hope to be able to learn these advanced group skills and work similarly. In addition, I am interested in running support groups for the populations I’ve mentioned.

MPH programs in the U.S. give students a comprehensive understanding of how public health professionals can play a crucial role in reducing the impact of emotional distress, mental illness, substance abuse, alcohol use, and suicide on society. They significantly sensitized toward the emotional development of individuals adversely affected by systematic social factors related to class, gender, race, age, disability, and sexuality. I hope that my training in the U.S. reinforces my skills which will help me better take up a role as a public health practitioner, therapist, and supervisor, as well as an advocate for causes that are very close to my heart. I provide individual therapy to clients whose issues of terrorism, domestic violence, sexuality, addictions, CSA, and other mental health problems have been impacted. I also serve as an observer/facilitator for one of the certificate classes, which is geared towards my independently tutoring a class of trainee therapists in the future.

This concentration will provide me with a foundational knowledge of psychopathology and equip me with the skills to understand current treatments, interventions, practices, and policies to improve global mental health and promote health equity. In addition, it will improve my grasp of group work, enabling me to conduct more advanced group processes. Finally, I will be able to learn the best practices of working with causes of empowerment, healing, and connection in populations mentioned above without the fear of judgment or hurting cultural sensibilities.

I also want to understand further the values of tolerance, multiculturalism, and individualism. My expectation from my degree is to help me realize my potential so that I can more effectively help my society realize theirs. I want to learn from and assimilate the experiences and views of the best minds in the world and share my own varied experiences from my own culture and work with them. I’m thrilled and looking forward to learning from highly distinguished professors who have worked to improve the human condition in their respective areas of interest. The research work, awards, publications, and experience of the professors shall all inspire me to stretch myself to be like them.

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Writing the Personal Statement

The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories: 

The general, comprehensive personal statement:  This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms. 

• The response to very specific questions: Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions. 

What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story? 

What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants? 

When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained? 

How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field? 

If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth? 

What are your career goals? 

Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)? 

Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life? 

What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics? 

What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess? 

Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants? 

What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you? 

If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar. 

Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked. 

• Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.
• Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of a specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.
• If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.
• The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.
• The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you'll have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgement.
• There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).
• If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.
• Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills are command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.
• A medical school applicant who writes that they are good at science and want to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

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Tips for a Successful Application

In the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, we want you to be successful when applying to our graduate programs. Think of your application as a way to help us get to know you. Who are you? What do you want to do with this degree? What would you contribute to our school culture? How can we help you be successful? Your application will be reviewed by two faculty members on the Nutritional Sciences Admissions Committee.  Our approach is both holistic and thorough and we truly enjoy learning about you as a future graduate student.

Creating an Application that Will Help You Stand Out

These tips will help you submit the strongest application possible for our programs. 

Writing Your Personal Statement

Writing a great personal statement takes time. We highly encourage you to seek feedback on your drafts from mentors and peers. A strong personal statement:

• Articulates a clear focus related to pursuing a nutrition degree and intention in applying to the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Michigan Public Health.
• Demonstrates critical reasoning and sophistication in making linkages between career goals and the expected learning and benefits of graduate education in nutritional sciences.
• Connects past academic, professional, and personal experiences and training to skills and knowledge that will be acquired through a graduate degree in nutritional sciences.
• Expresses specific interest in the curricula of the department and/or the research of specific faculty (particularly for MS and PhD students).
• Has few to no grammatical errors, demonstrates English fluency, and indicates that the applicant has a high capacity to clearly communicate ideas in writing.

Showcasing Your Professional and Volunteer Experiences

The amount and quality of your professional and volunteer experiences will be evaluated as we review your application. Strong candidates generally have worked in a position using nutrition and/or public health skills, whether it be after their undergraduate degree or during summers. Experiences vary but may include AmeriCorps or PeaceCorps service, policy work,  food banks, health departments, school or community gardens, clinical nutrition shadowing, fitness and other non-profit organizations.  A clear dedication to nutrition and public health through volunteer experiences during college or after are highly valued. Brief periods of professional/volunteer experience will be given less consideration as compared to longer experiences.  

Highlighting Your Academic Record

Your previous grades, whether during undergraduate education, a previous master’s degree, or while you took our prerequisite courses outside of a degree program, are an important component of your application. An undergraduate GPA higher than 3.4 is generally considered acceptable for admission. However, GPAs of 3.0-3.4 may also be admissible as long as your grades in math and science courses (biology, chemistry, calculus, etc.) are above 3.0. 

We understand that some students have had challenges during their academic career, such as caring for a sick parent or major financial stressors. If you’ve experienced challenges, let us know in your reflective essay. We want to be able to consider your academic record in the context of those life experiences and we appreciate hearing how students have persevered through tough times. 

Finally, although our required prerequisite courses are all in the natural sciences, we embrace students with diverse backgrounds. In the past we’ve had anthropologists, dancers, English majors, and philosophers enroll. Just make sure your application demonstrates that you can succeed in rigorous natural science courses and use your personal statements to share with us why nutritional sciences is your calling. 

We encourage international applicants to carefully review the additional information provided on our International Applicants page .

Securing Strong Recommendation Letters

You are required to have three recommendation letters submitted with your application. We highly encourage you to ask previous professors and/or supervisors to write these letters. Letters from friends or relatives are discouraged as they are often not able to speak to your academic and professional accomplishments. 

When asking people to write your recommendation letters, it’s helpful to give them your resume and personal statement to review so they know what your passions are and why you are applying to our program. We also recommend that you give people at least a month to write and submit your letters, and think about a back-up letter writer in case someone becomes unavailable. 

Addressing Missing Prerequisite Courses

We prefer that your prerequisites are completed before reviewing your application, however many students are still in the process of completing them in their undergraduate degree or separately through online, community or local colleges and universities. If you are missing one to two prerequisite courses, please state in your application when you plan to take these courses. You can be conditionally admitted to the program and will be notified in your acceptance letter that your courses must be complete prior to beginning your first academic term with a B grade or better.      

If you are missing three prerequisite courses, please state in your application when you plan to take these courses. The Admissions Committee is unable to make a final decision on your application until at least one out of the three prerequisites is complete. You will be contacted by the program coordinator to confirm that a concrete plan is in place to complete the required courses. Once you have a maximum of two missing prerequisite courses, the Admissions Committee can use midterm or final grades for courses in progress to move your application through the process to and may either admit you or conditionally admit you.

If you are missing four or more prerequisite courses, please contact the program coordinator , to discuss if it is feasible for you to complete these courses before the admissions deadline.  

Tips for Prospective PhD Students

Below are some frequently asked questions for those interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in Nutritional Sciences.

What is the first step to applying to the PhD program? 

The most important thing about applying to and enrolling in a PhD program is the fit between you and your mentor/advisor. This will be a lifelong relationship, it’s great to make sure that you have scientific interests in common and complementary expectations regarding communication, engagement, etcetera. As a first step, we strongly suggest that you review our faculty profiles and read more about their research . Then, send an email to faculty who share your research interests, inquire if they are accepting PhD students in the year you plan to apply, and indicate your interest in specific faculty on your application. Doctoral applicants who are admissible and have a potential mentor match are invited to a Research Day in late January. Because a good mentor-mentee relationship is so critical to your success, we do not admit students who do not have a clear faculty mentoring plan.

What are the prerequisites for the PhD program? 

One semester of each: Calculus or Statistics, *General Chemistry, *Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Human Physiology (must be Human Physiology OR Anatomy and Physiology NOT mammalian or animal. The physiology curriculum must include the digestive and endocrine systems.) *no lab required

Where should I complete the prerequisites that I am missing? 

Prerequisites can be completed at a university, community college, or an online institution and it must be a regionally accredited institution .  Contact a Nutritional Sciences program coordinator if you have any questions regarding your selected course(s).  

How should I submit the transcript once I have completed a prerequisite?  Where do I send the transcript? 

Send your transcript by email to the Nutritional Sciences program coordinator . You may also mail your transcript to: Attn: Carole Durgy, Graduate Program Coordinator, School of Public Health, Department of Nutritional Sciences, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.

What is the minimum GPA for admission? 

An undergraduate GPA of at least  3.4 is generally considered acceptable for admission. However, GPAs of 3.0-3.4 are also admissible as long as your grades in math and sciences courses (biology, chemistry, calculus, etc.) are above 3.0.

Do I need to have a degree in Nutrition? 

No! Successful applicants demonstrate a strong interest in science and health, most have an undergraduate or master’s degree in some field of basic or applied science, and, at a minimum, all need to have taken courses in biology, physiology, general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, and calculus. 

Can I complete the registered dietitian (RD) requirements with the PhD? 

Yes, it is possible to complete the RD requirements while pursuing your PhD. The decision will be made jointly with your faculty mentor to determine the timing and funding to complete your Dietetic Internship.

Is the GRE required? 

Michigan Public Health does not require and does not review GRE or other standardized test scores for admission to any master's or doctoral programs. Applications will be reviewed holistically based on required application components. Please contact our admissions staff at [email protected] if you have questions.

Do I need to have a master’s degree? 

Although a prior master’s degree is preferred for our PhD students, it is not required. Applicants who have strong prior professional or research experience with only bachelor’s degrees will be considered.

Do I need to have research experience? 

No, but research experience either though paid or volunteer positions, or prior coursework, does strengthen your application. All applicants, regardless of prior experience, should discuss why a research degree is the best next step for your career.

Am I fully funded and what does that mean? 

We make sure that there is a plan to financially support your time in our program when we admit you.  . This means that some very qualified applicants may not be accepted if there is not funding available. We highly encourage applicants to connect with faculty members whose research interests match theirs in order to get a sense of whether funding might be available. Our funding packages are often a combination of various types of funding sources: Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions, Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA) positions, training grants, and fellowships. 

Tips for Prospective Master’s Degree Students

Below are some tips and frequently asked questions for those interested in pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) or a Master of Science (MS) in Nutritional Sciences.

Should I get an MS or MPH? 

The bottom line is that the MS is a research degree while the MPH is a practice degree. The MS requires less coursework because students will spend the majority of their time conducting original research with a faculty member. Here are short articles about some of our faculty, students and their interests. The MS applicant may have already participated in undergraduate research or have worked in a research position.  This is helpful however not mandatory. A true desire and passion to engage in a research project at the thesis level makes for a strong candidate. The MPH includes more coursework and applied practice experiences to provide students comprehensive training in public health and nutrition. Both MS and MPH students can complete the coursework required to be eligible to become a Registered Dietitian (RD).

What are the prerequisites for the MPH program?

One semester of each: *General Chemistry, *Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Human Physiology (must be Human Physiology OR Anatomy and Physiology NOT mammalian or animal. The physiology curriculum must include the digestive and endocrine systems.)  *no lab required 

Dietetic prerequsistes inlcude: Microbiology, English, and any Psychology, Anthropology, or Sociology course

What are the prerequisites for the MS program? 

Prerequisites can be completed at a university, community college, or an online institution and it must be a regionally accredited institution . Contact the Nutritional Sciences program coordinator if you have any questions regarding your selected course(s).  

How should I submit the official transcript once I have completed a prerequisite?  Where do I send the transcript? 

Send your official transcript by email to Keegan Gramza, [email protected], Nutritional Sciences Student Services Coordinator. You may also mail your transcript to: Attn: Keegan Gramza, Graduate Program Coordinator, School of Public Health, Department of Nutritional Sciences, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. We suggest reaching out to your home institution's registrar's office to learn more about the options available. 

How large is the department?

Although each cohort varies, we typically have between 25 and 35 students enrolled in each MPH cohort, 6-12 students in each MS cohort and a total of 15-20 students pursuing their PhD.

An undergraduate GPA higher than 3.4 is generally considered acceptable for admission. However, GPAs of 3.0-3.4 are also admissible as long as your grades in math and sciences courses (biology, chemistry, calculus, etc.) are above 3.0.

Michigan Public Health practices a holistic review process when making graduate students admission decisions. Faculty reviewers give careful consideration to all materials submitted by a student. We look at grades and key coursework, essays, experience, and letters of recommendation. 

Do most students work while in graduate school? 

A majority of students work a minimum of 10 hours a week during the academic year. It is recommended that during a student’s first semester, they do not work more than 10 hours a week since there is an adjustment period to starting a graduate program. Some students are able to balance 20 hours a week while attending school. 

How do I get involved in research if I am pursuing an MPH degree? 

Many MPH students find research opportunities (paid or volunteer positions) by contacting Nutritional Sciences faculty . Research opportunities across the School of Public Health are readily available throughout the school year and are posted in The Vector newsletter. The Student Employment Office and University Careers website post open positions frequently.

Do most students complete a certificate? 

A small number of Nutritional Sciences students complete a certificate while completing their studies. Learn more about certificate programs offered through the School of Public Health and Rackham Graduate School . 

The Graduate Certificate Program in Sustainability is a popular certificate with Nutritional Sciences students who are interested in sustainable food systems. Every cohort also has a few students who complete the Physical Activity & Nutrition (PAN) certificate .

If you are interested in pursuing a certificate, we encourage you to connect with your faculty advisor. 

Why choose the University of Michigan for Nutritional Sciences?

Our faculty, staff and students are engaged, passionate and friendly. We make you and your graduate degree journey a priority. Our faculty have diverse backgrounds and research areas and have many niche and fascinating interests including food insecurity, sustainable food systems, maternal and child nutrition, eating disorders, nutrient metabolism, sleep regulation and nutrition epidemiology. Our Dietetics concentration provides a path for students who wish to become Registered Dietitian (RD) nutritionists. As a member of our Nutritional Sciences community you will be engaged, challenged and fascinated by the opportunities to pursue your passion.

Career Outcomes

Due to the diverse interests of our students, they select a variety of career paths.  View more information about some of their job titles and alumni journeys .

Are there different application systems for MPH, MS and PhD degree programs?

Students applying to the MPH degree will complete their application through the SOPHAS portal. Students applying to the MS or PhD degree will complete their application through the Rackham CollegeNet portal. View more information .

View additional Frequently Asked Questions related to our residential degree programs. 

If you have additional questions please contact Keegan Gramza, [email protected], Student Services Coordinator or Carole Durgy, [email protected], Graduate Program Coordinator. 

Ready to Apply?

Learn more about our application requirements and deadlines and start your application today. If you’re not ready to apply yet, but would like to receive more information about Michigan Public Health and the program(s) you’re interested in, join our prospective student interest list.

For more information about the admissions process, email our Recruitment and Admissions team at [email protected] or schedule an appointment to talk with a member of our Graduate Admissions team.

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Nutritional and health sciences personal statement

• Reading time: 2 minutes
• Price: Free download
• Published: 19th July 2019
• Word count: 572 words
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According to the United States, there are approximately 678,000 deaths each year because of unhealthy eating diet. Health related problems are one of the major concerns in this 21st century. Health is an issue which will affect not only the individual but also the community. One of the main factors of maintaining an optimum positive health is the food consumption. Lack of nutritional foods will lead to nutrient deficiency diseases. Therefore, individuals will seek for nutritional advice to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Master program in School of Nutrition and Health Sciences focuses on a variety of areas of nutrition and its relationship to human health and growth in both healthy and non-healthy individuals.

My name is Kxxxxxx Wxx, I am a Bachelor degree holder in Science, majoring in Food Science and Technology. Throughout my studies in Monash University Malaysia, I had learned the skills, concepts and principles of food science and technology. These includes regional food culture, industrial application of food science and technology, types of food materials and manufacturing process. I also studied the qualitative and quantitative analytical skills of foods, laboratory research technique, quality control in food science and technology and food processing. I am an active and enthusiastic student and I am looking forward to join the Master programme in Nutrition and Health Sciences at Taipei Medical University. A Master’s degree in Nutrition and Health Sciences will provide me with diverse career opportunities and allow me to practice nutrition in various areas. This includes public or private health care industry, health administration in governmental and non-governmental organization or institution, research and academia. Furthermore, the master degree in Nutrition and Health Sciences will strengthen my research skills abilities and will pave my way to gain my PhD degree in a similar field later. I have a strong interest in conducting research that are relevant to human health, nutrition and the association between human health and metabolism and diabetics.

My interest in Nutrition and Health Sciences started through my readings in this field. I found myself interested in nutrition and the impact of food on health. This major will be of utmost priority as I have already planned my career path. I am quite assured that Taipei Medical University is where my academic dreams will come true. Due to the increase in awareness of food nutrition and consumption and its direct effect towards human body, professional whom are specialized in nutrition and health sciences are highly needed in hope for a healthier society. Therefore, it is my ambition to educate and contribute my humble expertise to the society with the knowledge gained from the Taipei Medical University.

I am interested in Taipei Medical University because it is portrayed as a diverse university which is a home for international students. Taipei Medical University is also known for its great research resources and experienced faculty members. I am confident that I am equipped with the necessary requirements and qualifications to pursue my masters in Nutrition and Health sciences with flying colours. As an international student, it is of no doubt that the level of adaptation with the local culture is vital, but with sheer determination and perseverance, I am adamant that persistence is the key to success. With all my respect, I am hoping that the Admissions Committee finds my credentials suitable in this respect and guide me on the right path. I am looking forward to your humble reply. Thank you.

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MS-Nutrition/MPH

Requirements.

Students may complete both the MS and MPH degrees in 2-2½ years full-time study. Students typically begin their studies at the Friedman School and transition to the MPH program after three semesters. Working closely with an advisor from the start, students create a fully integrated course plan, taking courses in both programs each semester. When registered at the Friedman School, students cross-register for MPH classes; when registered at the School of Medicine, they cross-register for Friedman classes.

Students must complete all MPH core course requirements: one course each in the five core knowledge areas as well as a program evaluation course, a course in health care budgeting and management, and the Applied Learning Experience (ALE). The ALE requires students to synthesize knowledge acquired in their courses and apply it to a public health project of their own design involving at least 160 hours of practicum work. Students may elect to have a global health focus. Students combine study in any one of the  Friedman School’s programs  with either a generalist or concentration-specific MPH. Courses required by the two degrees overlap by about 40%. Popular Nutrition and MPH concentration combinations include:

• Food Policy and Applied Nutrition with Health Behavior and Health Communication
• Nutritional Epidemiology with Epidemiology/Biostatistics
• Nutrition Interventions, Behavior Change, Communication with Health Services Management and Policy
• Agriculture, Food, and Environment with Nutrition

Program Length

Students may complete both the MS and MPH degrees in 2½ years of intensive full-time study (four full courses each semester).

How to Apply

There are two application options if you are interested in our dual degree program with the Friedman School of Nutrition.

Applying Concurrently to Friedman School and the MPH Program

When you are selecting your program choices in the Friedman application, you will need to indicate that you are applying to the dual degree program for the MPH and complete the MS/MPH application . Application requirements remain the same for dual-degree applicants, however you will be asked to submit a personal statement referencing your interest in the dual-degree MS in Nutrition/MPH program specifically.

After you have submitted a complete application to the Friedman Admissions Office and the MS/MPH application to the Graduate Programs Admissions Office, your application and supporting materials will be shared with the Public Health Admissions Committee for review.

View MS/MPH Application

Applying for the MPH as a Current Friedman School Student

If you have already begun your degree program at the Friedman School and want to apply for the dual degree program as a current student, you will need to submit a application to the Public Health Admissions Office.

Upon submission of the application, the Public Health Admissions Office will work with the Friedman School Admissions Office to obtain the application materials you submitted for your nutrition master's degree program. The information you provide in the application, plus your transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and personal information on the Friedman application, will be combined and reviewed by the Public Health Admissions Committee for admission to the combined MS in Nutrition/MPH program.

Tuition Costs for the MS-Nutrition/MPH Degree

The following tuition rates are for 2024–2025 academic year* and apply to students enrolled in the MPH portion of the program starting in Fall 2024.

Students enrolled in the dual MS/MPH will be billed by the Friedman School of Nutrition for the first three semesters of coursework undertaken towards their degrees at  Friedman School tuition rates . Students pursuing the MPH on a full-time basis will then be billed by the Public Health programs for their final two semesters, at the tuition rate listed below. Part-time students are billed for four semesters at the tuition rate listed below (in addition to the cost of the Friedman School program).

Please note that any scholarship funding awarded by the Friedman School  cannot  be applied to tuition charges from the Public Health programs during your final two semesters in the program.

• Full-Time Tuition:  $29,406 per semester (full-time)
• Part-Time Tuition:  $14,703 per semester (part-time)
• Fees:  $658 per semester

The current academic year's cost of attendance budget (including not only tuition, but room and board, health insurance, books, etc.) is available from the  Office of Financial Aid .

* These rates are subject to approval. Tuition rates and fees are effective as of July 2024. Note that program cost is set each academic year (June to May) and typically increases a small amount from year-to-year. The Trustees of Tufts University reserve the right to change tuition rates or fees at their discretion.

Career Opportunities with the MS-Nutrition/MPH Degree

Graduates find that their detailed knowledge of nutrition science along with a foundational understanding of population health issues gives them a significant advantage in job seeking. Our students have gone on to positions as public policy analysts, program evaluation consultants, research associates, community program managers, and preventive health and health promotions project managers. They are represented in the for-profit, non-profit, governmental, health care, and academic career sectors.

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PHD Public Health Nutrition Personal Purpose Statement

A young woman from Saudi Arabia who now lives in Ohio, I am deeply passionate about nutrition and preventative medicine. A very serious student and hard worker, I live primarily to perform professional service to others by helping people to better understand the importance and implementation of healthy dietetic regimens. Currently finishing up my MS degree in Public Health Nutrition at ____ University, I very much look forward to continuing my study in Health Education at the doctoral level. Throughout my own education, I have become increasingly devoted to the field of education itself, and I now wish to turn my exclusive attention to education, harnessing my understanding of the natural and social sciences to the end of health promotion through health education.

I have become quite comfortable here in Ohio and deeply admire your educational system. This is one of the principle reasons why my first choice for graduate study is the Doctor of Education Program ____ University. Keenly looking forward to utilizing what I will learn in your education program to further my long term professional goal of becoming a professional educator or educational administrator in the area of health promotion, I am convinced that your

program is the optimal location to best prepare me for distinguished service in my area. As a Arab woman, I am keenly aware of the vast need for improvement of diet in Arab societies and I feel that it is here, in the promotion of health and nutrition awareness in Arab educational institutions that I will be able to make the greatest contribution that I possibly can to society.

The greatest challenge of my life will be to deliver the right message in the proper way. Especially in the Arab world, diet is fraught with great complexity, especially religious but also economic, presenting formidable challenges to the specialist in public health education. I see the education of mothers to be an especially critical aspect of this challenge and the issue of infant nutrition is something that I very much look forward to having the privilege of studying in depth at some point in my career. Among the many things that I hope to learn in your program are the best ways to go about delivering messages to the public concerning the need for educational reform and progress, and how that progressive reform can most effectively be implemented and sustained. Looking forward to long and highly profitable collaborations with professional researchers in the area of nutrition, I see your program as a way to build upon my education to date in the most effective way for my continued professional enhancement and contribution to society.

Turning my attention full time to the subject of education in your program will build upon my academic background not only in Public Health and Nutrition on the graduate level, but also my undergraduate degree in Community Health and the enormous amount of relevant and important information that I have been learning through an internship here at with the Department of Nutrition at ____.

I am especially interested in doing graduate work in the area of raising public health awareness through public education programs. I hope to attain the Ph.D. Degree in your program because this will prepare me for the achievement of my long term goals to not only work with health facilities or institutions, but also to have the privilege of teaching advanced students in this area. I also look forward to using my native language, Arabic, on a professional level in the future and have already done so with one of my rotations as I helped to write educational nutrition materials for the Arabic population here in the Cleveland area.

I have been devote do the study of English for many years and I am functioning quite well in my Master's Program which is ranked number one in the nation in Nutrition. I also took an intensive course in ESL for three months in San Francisco before beginning my studies at the university. Also, I had already become accustomed to working in English back in my native Saudi Arabia since the hospital that I worked at as a dietician used English as the formal or institutional language. Furthermore, in addition to public health and nutrition, I have also taken classes on the graduate level in the areas of sociology as well as public policy, which I have found to be highly relevant for my professional progress.

I have also done volunteer work in Saudi Arabia, as a dietitian promoting public health consciousness as well as supervising new dietitians and interns as part of my job with the National Guard Office of Health Affairs. The greatest contribution that I might be able to make to society would be to spend the rest of my life laboring diligently to enhance the quality and diffusion of our knowledge about the health challenges that we face, raising awareness about nutrition and its importance for addressing public health issues, helping people to understand the need for permanent lifestyle changes in order to preserve good health through a long and productive life.

Thank you for considering my application.

#phd #publichealth #nutrition #statementofpurpose

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To Protect Human Health, We Must Protect the Earth’s Health

“The Earth crisis now represents a humanitarian crisis,” says Sam Myers. But there are solutions that serve both people and the planet.

Public Health On Call

Human activities have transformed and degraded Earth’s natural systems. But it’s not just the planet that endures the harms of things like pollution and climate change. Changes like rising ocean temperatures and CO2 levels have cascading effects that threaten the future of humans.

In this Q&A, adapted from the  April 22 episode of Public Health On Call ,  Joshua Sharfstein , MD, talks with  Sam Myers , MD, faculty director of the new  Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health and founding director of the  Planetary Health Alliance , about this interdisciplinary approach to understanding how the state of the planet impacts human health and well-being.

What is planetary health?

Planetary health is a cross-disciplinary field that has emerged in the last eight or nine years. It focuses on how our transformation of nature—our degradation and alteration of all of our planet's natural systems—is coming back to affect our health.

Climate change, biodiversity loss, global-scale pollution of air, water, and soil, changes in land use and land cover—all driven by human activity—are resulting in increased burdens of disease and impacting all dimensions of human health. We want to understand what those dynamics are and how we can address them.

What are some examples of changes impacting human health?

We know that ocean warming is changing the size of both fish and fisheries. It’s also changing where the fisheries are located, moving them away from the tropics and toward the poles. We did a study to determine how many people depend on wild-harvested fish for critical nutrients and live close to a threshold of insufficient intake of those nutrients—what we define as the vulnerable population to these changes. We found that over a billion people fall into this category.

We’ve also found that crops like rice, wheat, and maize—foods that provide most of the calories in the global diet—tend to lose essential nutrients when grown at elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide like the ones we expect to see by about the middle of this century.

In our  free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) experiments , we grew 41 cultivars of those kinds of crops in seven locations across three continents over 10 years. We found that growing these staple food crops at high CO2 levels significantly reduces the amount of iron, zinc, and protein they contain. We then modeled what these findings would mean for populations in 150 countries and found that the CO2 effect alone would cause around 150-200 million people to be pushed into nutritional insufficiency of these nutrients.

Other research has shown that growing different cultivars of rice at elevated CO2 resulted in B vitamins being reduced by almost 30%. We used that data to model what that might mean for the risk of things like neural tube defects, and we found really large impacts.

What other environmental factors does planetary health consider?

Changing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere is just one very specific biophysical change, but we're changing all the biophysical conditions that our entire food production system has been developed to be optimized for: temperature, precipitation, amount of arable land, pollinators, and pest and pathogen relationships. All of those things are now changing in response to human activity in ways that usually represent headwinds for global food production, in terms of both quality and quantity.

How does planetary health address the extreme scale of the changes humans are causing the environment and the consequences of those?

The field of planetary health has emerged out of a recognition that the pace and scale at which we're transforming all our natural systems has become a global health crisis.

The global health impacts of the Earth crisis are kind of a silent pandemic, and there are parallels to the COVID pandemic we've just come out of. The COVID pandemic required massive mobilization of new technologies, investments in economic stimulus and foreign assistance, respect for science, and urgent global behavior change. This silent pandemic is probably much more impactful to human health. It could be addressed in a very similar way, but we’re doing very little.

You can't respond to a crisis until you recognize that there is a crisis. As you are trying to raise concern over planetary health, how is that warning signal being received?

The field is growing very quickly. We started the  Planetary Health Alliance about eight years ago, and we now have more than 400 organizations involved in more than 70 countries. There's been a very rapid proliferation of new courses, degree programs, and journals in planetary health. We’re also seeing government agencies adopting planetary health as a frame, including the European Union, certain national governments, and the UN system.

There has been a rapid understanding and recognition of the global health urgency related to the Earth crisis, but it's a drop in the bucket of what is really needed to fully mobilize and address the crisis.

Are there solutions that can address multiple problems at once?

Yes. From a policy standpoint, the goal is to find opportunities to both optimize human health and well-being and reduce our ecological footprint. In order to protect and regenerate the Earth’s natural life support systems, we have to change the way we’re living. The good news is there are a lot of ways we can do this, and many of these changes also have major co-benefits.

For example, switching to clean, renewable energy is important to addressing climate change. Doing so also reduces the amount of air pollution, which drives something like 9 million deaths every year. Greening our cities and designing them to be walkable and bikeable not only reduces greenhouse gasses and increases biodiversity; these changes also provide major mental and physical health benefits.

What is the Planetary Health Alliance and what does it do?

Contrary to what it sounds like, the Planetary Health Alliance doesn’t fight for the planet’s health—they’re fighting for human health and the health of other species.

It’s a recognition that the well-being of all life on earth depends on stable natural life support systems. Things like degradation of biodiversity, pollution, and land use change all interact with each other in very complex ways that affect these foundational conditions for all life on Earth:

• The quality of air that we breathe.
• The quality of water that we consume.
• The quality and quantity of food we can produce.
• Exposure to infectious disease and extreme weather events.

And these impacts are driving an urgent set of health problems.

The Alliance functions as sort of the backbone organization for this growing global field. That includes curating new knowledge, writing the  first textbook for the field , developing core competencies for education, creating a  platform to support educators and planetary health around the world, organizing an  annual meeting , and putting out  a newsletter .

One half of the Alliance’s focus is to create and support a global community of practice. The other half is what we call “mainstreaming planetary health,” which means taking that community of practice, the new knowledge, and conceptual frameworks out of the field and connecting them to action.

We’re working to ensure that policymakers, the private sector, and the general public are aware that the Earth crisis now represents a humanitarian crisis and that there are a variety of solutions that benefit both people and the planet.

Tell us about the Planetary Health Institute you've started at Johns Hopkins.

The Institute is the first example of a major university using planetary health as a lens to bring faculty and students together across all of its schools and centers. The Institute is bringing together people in the arts and humanities, engineers, natural scientists, and people in government, law, and policy around this central project of planetary health. We’ll focus on research, education, policy, practice, and clinical  programs . And already, there are all kinds of interesting interdisciplinary initiatives at Hopkins that are focused on planetary health: One on planetary health cities, one on Indigenous health, and another one on food systems, just to name a few.  

This interview was edited for length and clarity by Aliza Rosen.

• Healthy Planet, Healthy People
• New Johns Hopkins Institute Aims to Safeguard Human Health on a Rapidly Changing Planet (JHU Hub)
• Planetary Health: Thinking About the Earth Crisis as a Humanitarian Crisis (podcast)

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