MS in Nutrition and Food

The Sacramento State Master of Nutrition and Food program prepares students for leadership and advocacy in nutrition programs and policy. Students apply nutrition and food research to improve individual and community health by developing strategies to promote food access, health equity and dietary change.

The 30-unit program includes specialized coursework in nutrition science, advanced community nutrition, behavioral nutrition, and food and nutrition policy plus a wide array of interdisciplinary electives to be tailored to interests and career goals.

The Master of Nutrition and Food program is designed to:

  • provide career advancement opportunities in federal, state and local food access and nutrition education agencies,
  • complement the Sacramento State’s Dietetic Internship for those on the path to become Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.*

*Note: The Sacramento State Dietetic Internship, requires a separate application. More information about the Internship can be found at: www.csus.edu/facs/dietetic-internship.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must possess a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA for the last 60 units attempted.

Prerequisites 

Prerequisites or their equivalents at other colleges or universities as determined by the Graduate Coordinator

NUFD 113Nutrition And Metabolism3
NUFD 115Nutrition: Pre-conception Through Childhood3
or NUFD 119 Nutrition: Adolescence Through Older Adulthood
NUFD 117Community Nutrition3
or NUFD 107 Nutrition Education, Communication, and Counseling
NUFD 116Food Service Management3 - 4
or NUFD 110 Food Production and Sustainability
STAT 1Introduction to Statistics3
or NUFD 100 Research: Methods and Application in Nutrition and Food
Total Units15-16

Minimum Units and Grade Requirement for the Degree

Units required for the MS:  30
Minimum Cumulative GPA:  3.0  

Admission Requirements

All prospective graduate students, including Sacramento State graduates, must file the following with the Office of Graduate Studies:

  • an application for admission;
  • one set of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended (other than Sacramento State); 
  • personal statement; and
  • two reference forms.

For more admissions information and application deadlines please visit the Office of Graduate Studies website.

Advancement to Candidacy

Each student must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy, indicating a proposed program of graduate study. This procedure should begin as soon as the classified graduate student has:

  • removed any deficiencies in admission requirements;
  • completed at least 12 units of 200-level courses in the graduate program with a minimum 3.0 GPA;
  • selected a Thesis or Project committee;
  • obtained the committee's approval of a proposal for the thesis or project; and
  • completed a Graduate Writing Intensive (GWI) course in their discipline within the first two semesters of coursework at California State University, Sacramento.

The student will complete the Advancement to Candidacy form after planning a degree program in consultation with a Nutrition and Food advisor and members of the student's thesis/project committee. The completed form is then returned to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval.

Program Requirements

Required Core Courses (18 Units)
NUFD 200Research Methods3
NUFD 213Advanced Nutrition with Community Program Applications 3
NUFD 222Advanced Community Nutrition and Nutrition Education3
NUFD 224Advanced Community Nutrition and Policy3
NUFD 225Food Production and Sustainability Policy3
NUFD 500Culminating Experience3
Electives (12 Units)
Select 12 units from the following: 112
ANTH 174
Anthropology of Food
ANTH 274
Environmental Anthropology
ECON 110
Cost Benefit Analysis
ECON 130
Public Finance
ECON 132
State and Local Government Finance
ECON 150
Labor Economics
ECON 152
Economics of Education
ECON 153
Health Economics
ENVS 130
Environmental Toxicology
ENVS 135
California Water and Society
ENVS 144
Sustainability Science & Policy
ENVS 147
Urban Agriculture and Aquaponics
ENVS 149
Agroecology
GERO 101
Older Adult Services and Strategies
GERO 102
Social Policy for an Aging Society
GERO 221
Strategies for Optimal Aging
GERO 222
Interprofessional Approaches to Health Care in Older Adults
ETHN 203
Contemporary Issues in Ethnic Studies
ETHN 204
Foundations of Ethnic Studies: Theory and Praxis
ETHN 116
Asian American Politics and Public Policy
ETHN 117
Black Political Thought
ETHN 133
Crosscultural Aging in America
ETHN 142
Native American Tribal Governments
ETHN 152
American Indians, Sovereignty and US Laws
ETHN 161
Chicano/Latino Politics and Public Policy
POLS 284
Urban Politics
POLS 280
California Politics
POLS 270
Political Behavior and Political Processes: California and Beyond
POLS 180
California State and Local Government
POLS 171
Environmental Politics and Policy
POLS 170
Public Policy Development
POLS 169A
Science, Technology, and Politics
POLS 167
American Political Development
POLS 159D
Politics, Immigration, and Citizenship
POLS 155
United States Congress
PPA 200
Introduction to Public Policy and Administration
PPA 210
Political Environment of Policy Making
PPA 240A
Public Management and Administration I
PPA 240B
Public Management and Administration II
PPA 270
Introduction to Collaborative Policy Making
PPA 272
Collaborative Governance Advanced Practice
PSYC 142
Community Psychology
PSYC 171
Applied Behavior Analysis
PSYC 240
Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience
PSYC 251
Developmental Processes
SOC 144
Sociology of Health and Illness
SOC 220
Seminar: Social Change
SOC 230
Seminar: Social Organization
WGS 133
Gender & Health
NUFD 221A
Advanced Clinical Nutrition A 2
NUFD 221B
Advanced Clinical Nutrition B 2
NUFD 223
Advanced Foodservice Management and Administration 2
NUFD 295
Field Study
Total Units30
1

Select electives with advisor approval. No more than 6 units of courses numbered 100-199 may be counted toward the degree.

2

Option for MS/DI Students Only