The Department of Nutritional Sciences offers an online Master of Science in Personalized Nutrition (MSPN). The MSPN program is a professional degree that uniquely combines courses in nutrigenomics, clinical nutrition, and nutritional biochemistry to provide a foundation of knowledge and skills for Personalized Nutrition professionals.
At least 30 credits are required and must be fulfilled by MSPN core and elective courses.
Course requirements for students starting the MSPN program in Fall 2025 or later are as follows:
Required Core Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
| NUSC 5200 | Macronutrient Metabolism | 3 |
| NUSC 5300 | Vitamins and Minerals | 3 |
| NUSC 5410 | Clinical Nutrition | 3 |
| NUSC 5600 | Pathophysiology of Metabolic Diseases | 3 |
| NUSC 5700 | Precision Nutrition | 3 |
In addition to the five required core courses, a minimum of 15 credits from the following electives courses must be completed to earn a total of 30 credits for the MSPN degree:
Elective Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
| NUSC 5280 | U.S. Nutrition and Food Regulations | 3 |
| NUSC 5325 | Principles of Nutritional Assessment | 3 |
| NUSC 5399 | Independent Study in Nutritional Sciences | 1-3 |
| NUSC 5510 | Plant-Based Diets and Nutrition | 3 |
| NUSC 5520 | Plant-Based Food Products | 3 |
| NUSC 6311 | Regulation of Food Intake and Energy Balance | 3 |
| NUSC 6313 | Nutrition and Gene Expression | 3 |
| NUSC 6410 | Advanced Clinical Nutrition | 3 |
Total Credits: 30 (15 Required Core + at least 15 Elective Course Credits)
Students who started the MSPN program prior to Fall 2025 have the option to complete the new course requirements outlined above, or the previous course requirements:
Required Core Courses for students starting the MSPN program prior to Fall 2025: NUSC 5200, 5280, 5300, 5325, 5410, 5600, 5700, 6311, 6313, and 6410.
NUSC 5280, 5325, 5410, 5600, 6311, and 6410 are offered on a rotating basis. Please see the descriptions below the chart.
| Fall '25 | Spring '26 | Summer '26 | Fall '26 | Spring '27 | Summer '27 |
| NUSC 5200 | NUSC 5300 | NUSC 5280 | NUSC 5200 | NUSC 5300 | NUSC 5325 |
| NUSC 5700 | NUSC 5410 | NUSC 5700 | NUSC 5600 | ||
| NUSC 6313 | NUSC 6311 | NUSC 6313 | |||
| NUSC 6410 |
NUSC 5200 – Macronutrient Metabolism (3 credits)
The digestion, absorption/transport and metabolism of carbohydrates, protein/amino acids and lipids; their functions, metabolic pathways and interrelationships; mechanisms regulating their metabolism; methodologies for studying metabolism and assessing nutrient requirements in man and animals.
Offered every fall.
NUSC 5280 – US Food Laws and Regulations (3 credits)
Development of new nutrition products; regulations applicable to foods, medical foods, dietary supplements and ingredients; accurate and appropriate representation of scientific evidence for substantiating label claims and advertisements.
Offered every other summer, even years.
NUSC 5300 – Vitamins & Minerals (3 credits)
Comprehensive study of vitamins and macro-/trace minerals on the levels of biochemical and physiological functions, metabolic pathways, interactions, and deficiencies/toxicities.
Offered every spring.
NUSC 5325 – Principles of Nutritional Assessment (3 credits)
Nutritional assessment as a systematic process of obtaining and interpreting data to characterize nutritional status in association with health and nutrition-specific problems for individuals and selected populations. Interpretation of dietary, anthropometric, and laboratory data as applied to case studies.
Offered every other summer, odd years.
NUSC 5399 – Independent Study in Nutritional Science. (1-3 Credits)
Research problems or critical review of literature in any area of nutrition.
May be repeated for a total of 9 credits
NUSC 5410 – Clinical Nutrition (3 credits)
Application of principles of human nutrition, physiology, and biochemistry to progressive pathology of selected diseases and associated effects on nutritional status, nutritional needs, nutrient intake and utilization in the context of the nutrition care process.
Offered every other spring, even years.
NUSC 5510 – Plant-Based Diets and Nutrition. (3 Credits)
The nutritional and health aspects of various plant-based food groups with emphasis on the nutrient composition and their roles in health promotion and disease prevention. It also provides the principles of designing and implementing healthy plant-based diets and its implications.
Enrollment Requirements: Instructor consent.
NUSC 5520 – Plant-Based Food Products. (3 Credits)
Healthy and sustainable plant-based food alternatives to animal food products, including alternatives of meat, fish, egg, milk and other dairy products. Current research and innovations in plant-based foods and their nutritional implications, socioeconomic and environmental impacts.
Enrollment Requirements: Instructor consent.
NUSC 5600 – Pathophysiology of Metabolic Diseases (3 credits)
Biochemical, physiological and molecular aspects of energy metabolism and inflammatory pathways involved in pathogenesis of metabolic diseases; diet and dietary component contribution to pathogenesis.
Offered every other spring, odd years.
NUSC 5700 – Precision Nutrition (3 credits)
Studies the foundation of precision nutrition which encompasses research focusing on the interaction between nutrients and human/microbial genes and identifies genetic backgrounds contributing to individual differences in macro and micronutrient metabolism. Examines the effects of dysregulated nutrient-gene interactions in pathophysiological conditions.
Offered every fall.
NUSC 6311 – Regulation of Food Intake and Energy Balance (3 credits)
Central and peripheral regulation of energy balance and how this affects body weight and risk for chronic disease. Relative contribution of genetic and metabolic factors, diet, and exercise on the pathophysiology of obesity.
Offered every other spring, even years.
NUSC 6313 – Nutrition & Gene Expression (3 credits)
Studies the regulations of eukaryotic gene expression by various macro-/micronutrients and their metabolites in the scope of epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational mechanisms.
Offered every fall.
NUSC 6410 – Advanced Clinical Nutrition (3 credits)
Continued investigation of the interrelationships of physiology and biochemistry of disease and dietary intervention with a focus on more complex conditions, alternative approaches to therapeutic nutrition, and extension to special populations. Clinical nutrition research in the context of therapeutic practice and case studies will be emphasized.
Offered every other fall, even years.