The College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences offers a coordinated dual program leading to the conferral of both the Master of Public Health  and the Master of Science with a major in Nutrition  (public health nutrition concentration). The dual program allows students to complete both degrees in less time than would be required to earn both degrees independently.

The program is designed to meet the needs of students who are interested in the benefits of majors in both nutrition and public health. Therefore, it accommodates the interests of students who

• Plan a career in public health nutrition and want to acquire the knowledge and skills of the nutritionist and public health professional.
• Plan a career in nutrition and want to acquire the knowledge, skills and perspective of the public health professional.
• Plan a career in public health and want to acquire the knowledge, skills and perspective of the nutritionist.

Concentrations (Required) and Options

• Public Health — Health Policy and Management or Community Health Education Concentrations
  • Course Only with Comprehensive Exam
• Nutrition — Public Health Nutrition Concentration
  • Thesis
  • Project

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• Applicants for the MPH-MS program must make separate applications to and be accepted by the Department of Public Health for the MPH and the Department of Nutrition for the MS.
  • See the Admissions Standards/Procedures for the Nutrition, Master of Science,  for more detailed information.
• Students who have been accepted by both departments may apply for approval to pursue the dual program any time prior to, or after, matriculation in either or both departments.
  • Such approval will be granted, provided that dual program studies are started prior to entry into the fourth semester of the MPH and MS programs.

Academic Standards

• 3.00 grade point average in graduate courses.

Public Health—Health Policy and Management or Community Health Education Concentrations with Course Only with Comprehensive Exam Option and Nutrition—Public Health Nutrition Concentration with a Thesis Option

Credit Hours Required

57 graduate credit hours (60 credit hours, thesis option), which includes core MPH courses and required MS courses. A dual degree candidate must satisfy the requirements for both the Master of Public Health and Master of Science (Nutrition Major with a Public Health Nutrition Concentration) degrees, as well as the requirements for the dual program.

Required Courses

• Required Core MPH Courses for the Dual Degree (20 credit hours)
  • PUBH 509  (1 credit hour)
  • PUBH 510  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 520  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 530  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 537  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 540  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 552  (3 credit hours)
  • NUTR 509  (1 credit hour)

Additional Course Requirements

• NUTR 500  (6 credit hours)
• For MS thesis students, a maximum of 14 graduate credit hours from the following MS courses will be counted toward the MPH program:
  • Up to 9 credit hours of NUTR 524  (4 credit hours) and NUTR 515  (3-12 credit hours)
  • NUTR 509  (1 credit hour)
  • NUTR 543  (3 credit hours)
  • NUTR 626  (3 credit hours)
• For MS thesis students, 9 graduate credit hours from the following MPH courses will be counted toward the MS:
  • PUBH 520  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 530  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 540  (3 credit hours)
• Students should review the Graduate Nutrition Handbook and the Public Health Graduate Student Handbook, as well as work with their departmental advisors to ensure completion of additional course work specific to their selected Public Health concentration. 

Non-Course Requirements

• A single block field experience (or public health internship) with a service learning project and poster presentation are required of all students.
• Dual-degree students who withdraw from the program before completion of the requirements for both degrees will not receive credit towards the MS or MPH for courses taken in the other program, except as such courses qualify for credit without regard to the dual program.

Public Health—Health Policy and Management or Community Health Education Concentrations with Course Only with Comprehensive Exam Option and Nutrition—Public Health Nutrition Concentration with a Project Option

Credit Hours Required

57 graduate credit hours (depending on Public Health concentration of interest), which includes core MPH courses and required MS courses. A dual degree candidate must satisfy the requirements for both the Master of Public Health and the Master of Science (public health nutrition concentration) degrees.

Required Courses

• Required Core MPH Courses for the Dual Degree (20 credit hours)
  • PUBH 509  (1 credit hour)            
  • PUBH 510  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 520  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 530  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 537  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 540  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 552  (3 credit hours)
  • NUTR 509  (1 credit hour)

Additional Course Requirements

• A dual degree candidate must satisfy the requirements for his/her MPH concentration (13 additional credit hours).
• For MS/Project students, 12 graduate credit hours from the following MS courses to be counted toward the MPH program:
  • A maximum of 10 credit hours from
    • NUTR 524  (4 credit hours)
    • NUTR 515  (3-12 credit hours)
    • NUTR 519  (3 credit hours)
  • NUTR 509  (1 credit hour)
  • NUTR 626  (3 credit hours)
• For MS/Project students, 9 graduate credit hours from the following MPH courses will be counted toward the MS:
  • PUBH 520  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 530  (3 credit hours)
  • PUBH 540  (3 credit hours)
• Students should review the Graduate Nutrition Handbook and the Public Health Graduate Student Handbook, as well as work with their departmental advisors to ensure completion of additional course work specific to their selected Public Health concentration. 

Non-Course Requirements

• A single block field experience (or public health internship) and poster presentation are required of all students. MS/project students also complete an analytical field paper focused on their block field experience. This analytical field paper incorporates public health nutrition and the student’s public health concentration.
• Dual-degree students who withdraw from the program before completion of the requirements for both degrees will not receive credit towards the MS or MPH for courses taken in the other program, except as such courses qualify for credit without regard to the dual program.