MSc Applied: Project Option

Overview

The MSc (Applied) Human Nutrition program is a course-based, non-thesis masters program. It allows students to further develop knowledge and expertise in nutrition and related inter-disciplinary fields.  Admission assumes a background that includes biochemistry, mammalian physiology, human nutrition and nutrition through life.  Some of these prerequisites may be taken concurrently with the graduate program.  Students are required to complete 29 credits in course work in advanced Nutrition or related disciplines plus 16 credits related to a research project. Note the project option does not lead to credentialing as a dietitian.  Graduates usually enter careers including managerial or tertiary clinical positions (for those who are already dietitians), and careers in nutrition programs, government, and industry, rather than continue onto a Doctoral program. The project experience is an integral part of the M.Sc. (Applied) Human Nutrition program, providing an opportunity for participation in nutrition-related research. The project may be in the areas of clinical, community and international or experimental nutrition.

Projects selected should allow the student to demonstrate their achievement of the program’s goals and therefore should demonstrate integration of ideas, critical analysis, and synthesis of information. Projects can range from those where the student identifies original findings to systematic reviews that provide a critical summary of current evidence and applications. The student should ideally contribute to the advancement or confirmation of present knowledge or address an emerging topic with somewhat limited literature and demonstrate the need for more research.

Projects are under the supervision of an academic staff member and can be accomplished alone or in collaboration with other students/researchers with each student having an individual focus.

See also Requirements and Policies on Graduate Studies

Project Topics

During the first semester, a project topic is confirmed and a project supervisor is identified under consultation of the M.Sc. (Applied) program advisor. Beginning with a review of literature and problem/project definition (3 credits), the Project (12 credits) is executed and documented. Finally, a project report is submitted for examination, and the student presents their project in the School’s weekly Colloquium series. For a full-time student, it is recommended that the project be completed within one term, for example, a summer term.

AREAS FOR THE PROJECT MAY INCLUDE:

• developing or perfecting a laboratory technique
• assuming responsibilities for data management; analysis may be an integral part of the project
• participating in an on-going clinical trial or animal study
• participating in the planning, implementation and evaluation of a nutrition program
• working with data already collected – analysis and interpretation
• writing a systematic literature review suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal
• writing a grant proposal

Examples of previously completed projects:

• The Development and Evaluation of Resources to Enhance Current Dietetics Practice in Eating Disorders at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. The objective was to develop and evaluate an evidence-based practice guideline, including revised nutritional assessment forms for eating disorders at a pediatric hospital.
• Food Preferences and Socio-Cultural Rights Among the Maasai: A Field Study in Enkareyian Cluster, Kajiado District. Recurring drought and famine in the Kajiado District has contributed to food insecurity among the Maasai who heavily rely on their livestock for food and income.
• Development and Evaluation of an Education Unit: Nutritional Implications of HIV/AIDS. The objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate an educational unit for practicing dietitians and/or for educators to fill the current void.
• The Relationship Between Snacking and Overweight in Children. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between frequency and nutrient composition of snacks and overweight children in a group at elevated risk of obesity.
• The Effect of Melatonin on Food Intake and Macronutrient Selection in Rats. This study looked at whether melatonin has an effect on food intake and macronutrient selection as well as the doses needed to bring about an effect and the confounders that need to be controlled.

Courses

The M.Sc. (Applied) Human Nutrition degree requires the completion of a minimum of 45 credits, normally comprised of 3-4 semesters of course work including project or practicum option courses. Course requirements comprise 29 credits (nine 3-credit courses plus 2 credits of graduate seminar) plus 16 credits related to the project or practicum. All students are required to regularly attend the Human Nutrition Colloquium of the School of Human Nutrition.

Core Required Courses: (6 credits)
NUTR695 (1) Human Nutrition Seminar I
NUTR696 (1) Human Nutrition Seminar II
NUTR651 (3) M.Sc. (Applied) Nutrition I (literature review of the project)
NUTR660 (1) M.Sc. (Applied) Nutrition II (final project presentation)

Project Option Required Courses: (12 credits)
NUTR652 (3) M.Sc. (Applied) Project I
NUTR653 (3) M.Sc. (Applied) Project II
NUTR654 (3) M.Sc. (Applied) Project III
NUTR655 (3) M.Sc. (Applied) Project IV

Complementary Courses: (27 credits)

Minimum of 3 credits from:
NUTR 606 (3) Human Nutrition Research Methods OR
EDEM 690 (3) Research Methods  OR
EDPE 605 (3) Research Methods  OR
NUTR 602 (3) Nutritional Status Assessment

Minimum of 3 credits in statistics at the 500-level or above:
PSYC 650 (3) Advanced Statistics 1  OR
AEMA 610 (3) Statistical Methods 2 OR
EPIB 507 (3) Biostatistics for Health Professionals (now the only statistics course of Dept of Epidemiology open to our students. EPIB607 and EPIB676 restricted to students from Epidemiology).

Other suggested statistics courses are:
EDPE676 (3) Intermediate Statistics II (prerequisite: EDPE675)
EDPE682 (3) Uni/Multivariate Analysis
EDPE684 (3) Applied Multivariate Stats (prerequisite: EDPE682)
PSYC651 (Winter) (3) Advanced Statistics II

* EDPE575 Educational Measurement is an excellent course. It does not count as a statistics course in our program. However, it may be included as an elective in the M.Sc.(Applied) program.

12 credits in nutrition selected from the following courses:
NUTR501 (3) Nutrition in Developing Countries
NUTR502 (3) Special Topics/Teaching Nutrition Science
NUTR503 (3) Bioenergetics and the Lifespan
NUTR511 (3) Nutrition and Behavior *
NUTR512 (3) Herbs, Foods and Phytochemicals
NUTR545 (5) Clinical Nutrition 2 (pre-requisite NUTR344)
NUTR551 (3) Analysis of Nutrition Data
NUTR602 (3) Nutritional Status Assessment
NUTR604 (3) Integrated Metabolic Research *
NUTR608 & 609 (3) Special Topics I and II
NUTR610 (3) Maternal and Child Nutrition *
ANSC551 (3) Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism
ANSC552 (3) Protein Metabolism and Nutrition *
ANSC560 (3) Biology of Lactation
ANSC635 (3) Vitamins and Minerals in Nutrition

* Not available every year

9 additional credits from the list above or other courses offered from related areas.

Other suggested courses in related areas:
ANSC611 (3) Advanced Reproductive Physiology (offered on alternate years)
EDPE535 (3) Instructional Design
EDPE575 (3) Educational Measurement
EDPE635 (3) Theories of Learning and Instruction
EDPE670 (3) Educational Evaluation
EDPA614 (3) Teaching the Adult
EPIB 501 (3) Population Health and Epidemiology
EPIB 529 (3) Global Environmental Health and Burden of Disease
EPIB 601 (4) Fundamentals of Epidemiology (SECTION 002)
EPIB 602 (3) Foundations of Population Health
EPIB 603 (4) Intermediate Epidemiology
EPIB 608 (3)  Advanced Epidemiology
EPIB 612 (3) Principles of Public Health Practice
EPIB648 (3)  Methods in Social Epidemiology
EXMD502 (3) Advanced Endocrinology - Part I
EXMD503 (3) Advanced Endocrinology - Part II
EXMD504 (3) Biology of Cancer
EXMD506 (3) Advanced Applied Cardiovascular Physiology
EXMD507 (3) Advanced Applied Respiratory Physiology
EXMD509 (3) Gastrointestinal Physiology and Pathology
FDSC516 (3) Flavour Chemistry
FDSC525 (3) Food Quality Assurance
FDSC536 (3) Food Traceability
FDSC537 (3) Neutraceutical Chemistry
FDSC538 (3) Food Science in Perspective
FDSC545 (3) Advances in Food Microbiology
FDSC634 (3) Food Toxins and Toxicants
FDSC651 (3) Principles of Food Analysis 2
PARA515 (3) Water, Health, and Sanitation
PHAR503 (3) Drug Discovery and Development 1
PHAR504 (3) Drug Discovery and Development 2
PHGY502 (3) Exercise Physiology
PHGY508 (3) Advanced Renal Physiology
PHGY516 (3) Physiology of Blood
PHGY550 (3) Molecular Physiology of Bone
PSYC507 (3) Emotions, Stress, and Illness
SOCI515 (3) Medicine and Society
SOCI525 (3) Health Care Systems in Comparative Perspective
SOCI588 (3) Biosociology/Biodemography

All courses must be approved by the student’s supervisor. * Although some courses require prerequisites, many will be met by former undergraduate courses or courses taken in the same subject area in the M.Sc. (Applied).

*Some courses are offered in alternate years; therefore students are encouraged to plan their course selection early in their program.