NUTRITION SCIENCE PHD

Applications for the NS PhD Program will be reviewed on a rolling basis between January 15 and March 15 for admission to the program in the fall semester. Materials required for application include:

• Application form
• Graduate application essay
• Curriculum vitae or resume
• A minimum of three letters of recommendation (it is recommended that at least two be from academic references)
• Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts
• Official GRE scores and TOEFL/IELTS, if applicable

Prior to submitting an application, applicants are strongly recommended to communicate with program faculty (listed below), with whom they have shared research interests and are willing to serve as the applicant's PhD faculty mentor. Applicants should identify up to two NS PhD program faculty members who they would like to work with and who have agreed to work with the applicant during their doctoral training in the applicant's graduate application essay.

• A master’s degree in a related field from an accredited college or university with a GPA ≥ 3.3.
• GRE scores within the past 5 years.
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of at least 600 (paper based), TOEFL iBT of at least 100, or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) overall band score of 7.0 for non-native English speakers. 
• Applicants must submit all materials directly to the University of Delaware Graduate School using the online admission process before admission can be considered. 
• Admission decisions will be made by the Graduate Nutrition Programs Committee. Students will be admitted to the NS PhD program based on enrollment availability, the availability of faculty mentorship, and their ability to meet the minimum admissions requirements.

• Phytochemicals and their role in prevention and reduction of age- and nutrition-related diseases (Sheau Ching Chai, PhD, RD)
• Body composition, energy metabolism and nutrition assessment in chronic and acute illness; clinical nutrition assessment; diagnosis and management of disease-associated malnutrition (Carrie Earthman, PhD, RD)
• Dietary fiber, nutritional assessment and nutrition-related diseases (Richard Fang, PhD, RD)
• Nutritional and chronic disease epidemiology; maternal and child nutrition; endocrine disruptors and other environmental chemicals (Melissa Melough, PhD, RD).
• Eating disorders in emerging adults; psychological outcomes of interventions to control body weight; eating and health-related behaviors (Carly Pacanowski, PhD, RD)
• Behavioral weight management interventions in pediatric and adult populations; basic feeding studies manipulating diet (Shannon Robson, PhD, MPH, RD)
• Public health nutrition, vitamin D and bone mineral metabolism (Alisha Rovner, PhD)
• Infant and child feeding practices, cultural competency, global health/nutrition, immigrant health/nutrition (Kelebogile Setiloane, PhD)
• Early childhood nutrition, diet composition and energy balance in healthy individuals and in those with chronic disease (Jillian Trabulsi, PhD, RD)

A limited number of assistantships are available on a year-to-year competitive basis to full-time students (registered in at least 6 graduate credits each semester) based on admission ranking, needs of the program, experience, and expertise of the applicant. Students on assistantships are obligated to engage in assignments for a minimum of 20 hours per week on-site during the fall semester, winter session, and spring semesters.

The NS PhD is a 48-credit program designed to be completed in four years and consists of:

• 33 credits of course work
  • 15 credits of nutrition courses
  • 15 credits of statistics/data analysis/research methods courses
  • 3 credits of general elective coursework
• 6 credits of independent research
• 9 credits of dissertation research

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4