Goals The goals of the Human Nutrition program are to develop new, practical approaches for the assessment of nutritional status, to improve understanding of the biochemical and metabolic processes associated with nutritional diseases, and to propose effective strategies for the prevention of those diseases. Research Focus Through required and elective coursework, and with the guidance of their academic advisors, students are able to concentrate in international nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, nutritional epidemiology, or clinical nutrition.
Opportunities for thesis research include the study of maternal and child nutrition, obesity, relationships between diet and chronic diseases, micronutrient and mineral deficiencies (with emphasis on vitamin A, iron, calcium, zinc, selenium, and iodine) and nutrition interventions in developing countries, protein-energy metabolism in health and disease, and use of stable isotopes for metabolic research.
Degrees and Requirements Students in the Human Nutrition track may pursue the PhD, DrPH, ScD, or MHS degree. The program is administratively located at the Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Inquiries:
Dr. Parul Christian, Human Nutrition Academic Program Coordinator
pchristi@jhsph.edu; (410)-955-1188
Master of Health Science Program
The MHS program in human nutrition is designed to train professionals to focus on public health problems in food and nutrition in human populations and to be able to incorporate food and nutrition elements into public health research, programs, and policies. Graduates are expected to assume positions in nutrition and food program management, laboratory analysis, operations, evaluation, or surveillance and monitoring while working in government, international or non-governmental agencies, universities, or private industry.
MHS Course Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 96 credits, usually completed over six terms. Of these, 64 credits are directed coursework, with approximately 39 credits from four core content areas -- metabolism, research methods, nutrition and health, and professional skills -- and 25 credits from electives and special studies. The remaining 32 credits are a practicum experience in the second year. Students must also pass a written comprehensive exam.
The exact choices of elective coursework, special studies, and practicum experience will vary depending on specific choices made by each student in conjunction with their advisor, as well as on the student's unique career goals.
Doctoral Program
The doctoral program in human nutrition (PhD or ScD) is designed to train professionals to identify, understand, and solve, through scientific methods, problems of public health importance in human nutrition. Graduates are expected to assume leadership roles in academia, government, industry, or other private-sector enterprises. They will be expected to advance knowledge in human nutrition through research, and advocate the application of such knowledge through public health policies and programs.
The doctoral program has five goals, which relate to the specific competencies expected of graduates. Graduates should - understand the biochemical, molecular, epidemiological, and behavioral fundamentals of human nutritional science
- comprehend the complex interrelationships between food-and-nutrition and health-and-disease in diverse populations
- master quantitative and qualitative analytic skills required to understand, critically evaluate, and conduct nutrition research
- be able to integrate ethical principles and standards into the conduct of human research
- develop the professional skills necessary to communicate effectively.
PhD/ScD Course Requirements
Students are expected to take a minimum of six terms and 84 credits of coursework to satisfy the educational requirements, pass both written and oral comprehensive exams, and successfully complete a thesis research project. Students must also complete the School residency requirement for doctoral programs: four consecutive terms of full-time study.
Of the 84 coursework credits, about 50 course credits are in four core-content areas common to the academic work of all doctoral students in this track -- metabolism, research methods, nutrition and health, and professional skills -- and 34 credits are electives and special studies. The exact choices of elective coursework, special studies, and thesis research will vary depending on specific choices made by each student in conjunction with their advisor, as well as on the student's unique career goals and research interests. |
