The impact of nutrition on health and disease has produced major clinical and public policy challenges that are shaping research and career opportunities for highly trained nutritional scientists in academia, industry and government. Disease prevention efforts, increased health consciousness and an aging population are further fueling the demand for nutritional scientists. The interdisciplinary Division of Nutritional Sciences enables students in its Ph.D. program to explore the interrelationship between environmental factors and nutrients and their effect on biochemistry, physiology and disease development. More than 50 faculty members provide teaching and individualized research guidance across over 20 departments and divisions in the University’s Colleges of Medicine, Health Sciences and Agriculture, as well as the Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Education. A primary area of research and training targets nutrition and chronic diseases, with a focus on obesity and associated disorders of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Other specialty areas include nutrition and oxidative stress, nutrition and aging, clinical nutrition, animal nutrition and food science.
Admission Requirements
There are two ways to be admitted into the PhD program: direct admission or through the IBS Program. If accepted into the Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBS) Program, you will have the opportunity to rotate through 4 research labs during your first year of study; these could be with Nutritional Sciences faculty or with other faculty in the College of Medicine.
Direct Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following requirements for admission to the University of Kentucky Graduate School and the Nutritional Sciences Ph.D. program:
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A baccalaureate degree from a fully accredited institution of higher learning.
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An M.S. degree with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.2 or above on a 4.0 scale, or a B.S. degree with a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
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For international applicants, a minimum score of 550 out 667 maximum possible is required on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a minimum 213 score on the computer-based TOEFL (maximum 300), or 79 on the internet-based TOEFL. The minimum International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) score is 6.5. All applicants must demonstrate proficiency in verbal and written English.
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Course Prerequisites: an undergraduate physiology course (PGY 206 at UK), 1 year of general chemistry (CHE 105 and 107 at UK), and 1 semester of organic chemistry (CHE 236 at UK).
Degree Requirements
Program Website:
https://pharmns.med.uky.edu/pharmns-phd-program
Core Courses for Ph.D. Total credits required for degree = 36
Academic Course Prerequisites to Program:
Biology (2 semesters)
General Chemistry (2 semesters)
Organic Chemistry (1 semester)
Undergraduate Biochemistry and Physiology
CORE CURRICULUM FOR PHD PROGRAM IN NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES
**All Ph.D. students must register for 0 credit (except for the one semester registered for 1 credit) and attend all GCNS seminars during their residency at the University of Kentucky. Minimum of 1 credit is required before qualifying examination. In addition, all GCNS doctoral candidates will present a seminar once/year post-qualifying exam. Electives: The student must successfully complete a minimum of 7 credit hours in electives. Elective courses are recommended by the Advisor and approved by the Advisory Committee.
ELECTIVE COURSES
Students must successfully complete a minimum of 7-12 credit hours in electives to meet the minimum requirement of 36 total credits. Elective courses are recommended by the Advisor and approved by the Advisory Committee. A full list of Elective Courses is available in the Handbook. Note, IBS 610 & IBS 608 taken in year one by students admitted through the IBS program fulfill elective requirements.
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