FAQ - Master's of Science - Nutrition and Dietetics

• How many students are in the program? How many are accepted?
  Currently, there are approximately 240 students in the program.  In the Fall, about 50 students are accepted; in the Spring, about 35 are accepted.
• Can I take a pre-requisite course as a non-matriculated graduate student and then transfer my credits in if I decide to enter the program?

  If you would like to take a course as a non-matriculated student, please follow these steps:

  1.  Meet with a Department faculty or representative to seek advisement on what coruse to take. 

  2.  Fill out a Course Persmission form, which you can get in the department and have it signed by the appropriate parties.   
  
  3.  Take the Course Permission Form to Graduate Admissions, Pless 3rd floor, to apply as Special Students.  Click here to view the procedure for this.  You will need your undergraduate transcript and a $50 application fee.
  
  4. Once you've completed the application process, bring your Course Permission form to the Office of Student Affairs, Pless 2nd floor, where you will be activated, cleared to register and have your form signed by Steinhardt Registration Services
  
  5. Then take the Course Permission Form to NYU Registrar's Office at 25 W. 4th Street where you will be registered.

  6.  NOTE: Please be advised that students enrolled within the department get first choice and non-matriculated students may be enrolled in a course 3 weeks after the first day of registration, pending space and permission from the instructor or department representative.

• What are the requirements for each program?

  Graduate requirements: Along with your application, be sure to submit all the necessary materials. For all graduate programs, you must submit the following:

  • Statement of purpose (approximately 500 words)
  • Resume
  • Official transcripts from all academic institutions you attended after high school. Students with transcripts from schools outside the U.S. must submit a WES course by course evaluation with their application.
    
  • TOEFL scores (international applicants only). Note: The ETS Institution Code is 2556. A departmental code is not required.
  • Two letters of recommendations are required for the master's programs. 
    
  • For the Foods & Nutrition concentration, you must have a healthcare credential in addition to a bachelor's degree.
    
• How do I apply to one of your programs?
  To apply to any of our programs, go to http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/application and select the appropriate application (undergraduate, graduate or special/non-matriculating student) and follow the instructions.
• Does the department offer any scholarships?
  School-based scholarship consideration is available to full-time and part-time applicants who submit a FAFSA by February 1 for the fall semester or November 1 for the spring semester.  Learn more about the process and the financial aid available at NYU Steinhardt at http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/financial_aid.
• Do I need to take the GRE's?
  All Doctoral applicants and students applying for the Master's of Public Health programs must submit GRE scores, even if you are transferring from another university or other Departments at NYU. Please refer to the question about specific program requirements for information on minimum scores. Keep in mind that in reviewing applications, all materials are considered, including undergraduate GPA, CV, work experience, and personal statement.
• Do you have a culinary arts program?
  Although we offer some culinary training classes which support the degree-oriented academic programs, we do not offer a degree in culinary arts.
• Does your department offer Graduate or Teaching Assistantships?
  Yes. Applications are available through the Dean's office. For detailed information on specific programs, please visit http://www.nyu.edu/academics/ga.html. Please be advised that most GA and TA positions are offered to doctoral students.
• How do I make an appointment to meet with an advisor to learn more about the program?
  If you are interested in the Nutrition or Food Studies programs, please give us a call at 212-998-5580 and we'll be happy to schedule an appointment for you. Please note that appointments can only be made for the current month in which you call. If you are interested in speaking to someone about the Public Health program, please contact Lisa Kroin at lisa.kroin@nyu.edu.
• How do I obtain information materials about the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health?
  All materials are available on the department website. You can view program handouts for each of our programs by clicking on "Academic Programs" in the left-hand column of the department homepage, and then choosing the specific degree track you are interested in. You are also welcome to stop by our office for program handouts.
• How do I obtain pre-approval for transfer credits as a graduate student?
  Since transfer credits are determined on a case-by-case basis, please call the department to schedule an appointment with a program advisor. Usually, you will need to bring in a copy of the syllabi from the courses you wish to transfer for review by an advisor.
• How long will it take me to complete a graduate degree?
  Since each student's course load differs, it is hard to establish a set time length to complete a graduate program. Full-time students take 2 years to complete the MPH program and full-time Nutrition and Food Studies students usually complete a master's degree in approximately two to three years. Part-time students usually take four to six years to complete the degree. You are given a total of 6 years in which to complete the degree. To figure out how many semesters it will take you to complete your degree, take the number of credits needed for your degree and divide them by the number of credits you plan to take each semester.
• How many credits can I take per semester?

  Undergraduate: A full-time course load ranges from 12 to 18 credits.

  Graduate: Full-time graduate students take 12 credits per semester, while part-time students usually take 3 or 6 credits per term.

  Your credit load for the coming semester will ultimately be decided by you and your advisor during your registration appointment.

• How many credits do I need each semester to maintain matriculation status?
  The University defines full-time coursework as a minimum of 12 points per term and part-time course work as at least 6 points per term. For more information, contact Registration Services (82 Washington Square East, 3rd Floor) at 212-998-5055.
• I see there are some pre-requisite undergraduate-level courses I need to complete for the graduate programs. Do I need to take these before I apply?
  No. These courses can be taken at New York University once you have been accepted into the Master's program.
• I'm filling out my application. What are the correct "major codes" and "option codes" for your programs?

  UNDERGRADUATE:

  Nutrition: HONF-RDS
  Food Studies: HONF-FDS
  Food Management: HONF-MGT

  GRADUATE:

  Clinical Nutrition (34 or 40 credits): HOND-CNU
  Foods & Nutrition: HOND-FNU
  Food Culture: FOOD-CUL
  Food Systems:  FOOD-SYS
  Community Public Health: HCPH-CPH
  International Public Health: HCPH-IPH
  Public Health Nutrition: HCPH:PHN

  DOCTORAL:

  Nutrition: HOND-PhD
  Food Studies:HOFD-PhD
  Public Health: HEPH-PhD

• My undergraduate degree is completely unrelated to the graduate degree I want to pursue in your department. Can I still apply?
  Yes. We consider application from students with a wide range of backgrounds and undergraduate degrees.
• Once I have applied, when will my decision be mailed?
  Admission decision letters for the Fall semester are sent out in late March, while Spring decision letters are sent out in late November. Decisions are not communicated via email, phone, or fax.
• What is the cost of your program?

  For information on tuition costs, please visit http://www.nyu.edu/bursar/tuition.fees/. Since these numbers change each semester, be sure to check this site often to be aware of the latest figures.

  Tuition costs are the same whether you are a United States citizen or an international student.

• When is the application deadline?
  All Fall applications are due February 1st. Spring applications are due November 1st, and applications for PhD programs are due December 15th.