Nutrition Science

The mission of the MSNS program echoes that of King’s College, with a specific focus on “pursuing excellence in teaching, learning, and scholarship,” as well as “student formation in a nurturing community.” We strive to engage learners in a collaborative, interactive learning environment that encourages critical inquiry and ethical, evidence-based nutrition practice.

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Nutrition Science (MSNS) program, students will be able to:

• Critically evaluate and translate scientific evidence-based health and nutrition science research.
• Apply evidence-based science to design and implement nutrition education and health promotion programs.
• Utilize best practices in communication and teaching techniques to deliver nutrition education and health promotion programs.
• Apply and demonstrate best practices in digital communications to interface with clients, customers, peers, administrators, and health care providers.
• Communicate evidence-based health and nutrition research to a wide variety of audiences.

Students with undergraduate or advanced degrees in health, life, or basic sciences from accredited institutions are prime candidates for our program. This program is also well suited for students who have a background in biological sciences or are interested in acquiring a stronger nutrition expertise for another discipline. To apply to the program, you must meet the following criteria:

• Successful completion (B or better) of Anatomy & Physiology I and Anatomy & Physiology II (no labs required; all body systems need to have been covered)
• Successful completion (B or better) of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (no labs required)
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better

In addition, you must provide your current resume and a 1000-word personal statement detailing why you are interested in applying to this program, why you want to study of nutrition sciences, experiences that have helped prepare you for a career in this field, short and long-term goals, and your professional strengths and weaknesses.

All prerequisite course work, including official transcripts and all application requirements, must be complete and uploaded at the time of application submission.

Applicant Selection Process

Complete graduate applications are scored based on GPA (including cumulative GPA and overall science and prerequisite GPA). Additional points are awarded for advanced degrees, graduate course credits, relevant coursework (earning a B grade or better), professional work, volunteer work, and other experiences. The quality and quantity of any health care experience or shadowing hours are also scored.

Your personal statement, CV/resume, references, and other experiences (work experience, community service, and extracurricular activities) included on your application are also scored, in addition to general communication and following of instructions throughout the application process (such as formal and informal interactions with program faculty and graduate admissions staff).

The King’s College graduate admissions staff and nutrition programs faculty will notify selected candidates within four weeks of the application deadline. This selection process will continue until the class is filled, or until July 20, whichever comes first. A mandatory virtual orientation is held the first week of August before classes start.

Meeting minimum prerequisites does not guarantee admission. Once accepted, graduate applicants will be required to submit a non-refundable deposit to secure their seat. This deposit will then be applied to their tuition.

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for graduation, students must meet the following criteria:

• Completion of all MSNS coursework
• A minimum of a B grade in all coursework
• No more than two C grades in all coursework
• Completion of reflective ePortfolio kept throughout the program

Technical Requirements for Online Programs

If you have any questions on our online graduate programs or even just technical requirements listed on this page, please get in touch. We will be happy to walk you through any details.

Requirements

• Access to a computer and the internet
• Hardware and internet connection may be incompatible in cases of employer-provided computers and networks, public computers, and public internet hotspots
• Internet speed: 1.5 Mbs upload and download required, Basic broadband (4 Mbs) recommended, speedtest.net allows you to test the speed at your location
• Webcam or Smartphone camera
• Microphone
• Speakers
• Microsoft Office: Free and available to students with their @kings.edu account via Office 365, Includes Microsoft Outlook for your @kings.edu email
• Access to a scanner or scanning app

Computer Proficiency Requirements

Although your faculty are there to support you, in order to comfortably participate and succeed in an online course environment, online students must have basic computer literacy skills and, at a minimum, have proficiency with the following:

• Using a keyboard and mouse
• Sending and receiving email
• Using common software applications including, but not limited to those found in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) or similar office suites such as Google Apps
• Recording video presentations with your computer or smartphone camera and microphone and uploading to video hosting services such as YouTube
• Using a text editor (changing fonts, inserting links, using spell check, etc.)
• Saving and retrieving files in different formats (.docx, .pdf, .pptx, etc.)
• Installing and updating software
• Selecting, copying, and pasting text
• Accessing the internet using a web browser such as Chrome or Firefox
• Resetting basic browser settings (clearing cache/history, cookies, etc)
• Performing basic internet searches with appropriate search terms
• Locating and copying web addresses/URLs
• Browsing for files to attach and upload; extracting zip files

The graduate program is 36 credits in total, with tuition at $799 per credit for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

Anticipated MSNS Professional Program Fees:

• Graduate Year 1: 18 credits at $799 per credit = $14,382
• Graduate Year 2:  18 credits at $799 per credit = $14,382

King's College does not provide financial aid to graduate students. However, graduate students can apply for federal and state financial aid and for private loans. You are strongly encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid, if you have questions about tuition and fees. Phone: 570-208-5876 | Email: finaid@kings.edu

The following are additional fees and expenses for the MSNS not included with tuition:

• Laptop computer: $1,500
• Textbooks and required software/apps: $2,000