M.S. Nutrition Program
Frequently Asked Questions for Master's Candidates
1. When can applicants apply for the program?
Applications are accepted for the Autumn Quarter only and will be due January 1st for domestic students, and the last working day in November for international students.
2. When will I be notified about an admission decision?
The admissions committee meets in January and February after all applications are received. Notification will generally occur by the end of March, with some decisions occurring later as funding opportunities arise.
3. How long does the program last? How large is the program?
The Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Human Nutrition has established a maximum time limit of 5 years to complete the MS degree after admission to the program.
4. How many classes do students typically take in a quarter?
The Graduate Studies Committee chair will review each incoming student's transcript to evaluate the courses that student will need to take for the Autumn Quarter. Average amount of credit hours taken per quarter can range from 9 to 12 credit hours.
5. How do I pick an advisor?
Students will select an advisor after having the opportunity to meet the Graduate Faculty and learn more about their research interests and ability to take on the responsibility of an additional student in their program. This should occur sometime during the first two quarters of admission. Sometimes, the beginning student is being supported by funds provided by a member of the faculty for the purpose of working on a specific project that often serves as the thesis project or the research project. As outlined in Section III.3, you will next form your Advisory Committee by identifying two additional members of the facility to assist your advisor with your training, counseling and evaluation.
6. Can you explain a grad student's typical schedule (doing research + being a TA or research associate, etc)?
Pursuing a graduate degree at The Ohio State University, registered in the Graduate School for nine (9) credit hours during each quarter a 50% GA appointment (20 hours per week) is held. A GTA (graduate teaching associate) will be assigned to an undergraduate class with one other TA and you will be responsible for holding office hours for that class as well. The autumn quarter schedule will decide where you have room to TA for an undergraduate class. The GTA will be required to proctor exams and grade papers as well for the instructor. In addition as a graduate student, you will be responsible for your own graduate work. In order to NOT be on academic probation you must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for the quarter. If you DO go on academic probation you will lose you graduate associateship appointment. A GRA (Graduate Research Associate) is assigned to a faculty member's lab team. Your total amount of activity in the lab will not exceed 20 hours per week. A GRA engages in conducting experimental studies; data analysis; computer searches; help to train other students; attend research group meetings; help prepare manuscripts/presentations; order supplies; and undertake any other standard responsibilities associated with the research process that may arise. In addition, as a graduate student you will be responsible for your own academic course load, i.e. assignments and presentations.
7. How does funding work? Am I guaranteed funding once I have been accepted?
The Human Nutrition Graduate Studies Committee reviews applications for Graduate Associateships and makes recommendations to the Department Chair. The Department Chair, consistent with available funds, appoints Graduate Associates (Teaching, Research, and Administrative). Appointments for a tuition waiver and stipend are usually for three consecutive quarters of the first year of the master's degree, beginning with autumn quarter with a tuition and fee authorization only for the fourth (summer) quarter. Funding for summer stipends are arranged individually and are NOT guaranteed. You are required to find an advisor during your first two quarters. This advisor is one who can offer to fund your research project and your fees as a graduate student. However, after the first year of funding the department is not obligated to fund a student for the second year.
When funds are not sufficient to meet all qualified requests for graduate associate positions, graduate associates with degree programs in progress will receive priority consideration over new applicants. The Human Nutrition Graduate Studies Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the Department Chair. Decisions are made during the latter part of Winter Quarter and appointments are announced as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks after the Board of Trustees has approved the University Budget.
8. How do I pick a thesis project with one of the faculty members?
The primary role of the faculty advisor is to guide the student through the degree process. An advisor will counsel a student on the preparation of his or her Plan of Study (i.e., courses to be taken), research directions, and career goals. During the writing of the proposal and the thesis or project summary, the advisor is also responsible for reading each draft and for teaching the student effective written communication skills. Students should meet with their advisors as often as necessary, however no less than monthly. While many faculty members have an "open-door" policy with regards to graduate students, advisors are not obligated to see students without an appointment. Thus, students should respect the other obligations of the faculty and schedule meetings whenever possible. Optimally, the relationship between an advisor and student should be collegial and not antagonistic. The thesis proposal is a description of the research you intend to conduct for your M.S. degree. It should contain a clear conceptual basis for the research, as well as a concise description of the methods to be used to complete the research. Because M.S. thesis projects are often assigned to students by their advisors, cooperation between the advisor and the student is essential to the completion of a quality thesis proposal. Students should prepare and submit the proposal to their Advisory Committee by the end of the third quarter in the program. The proposal should be no longer than 20 double-spaced, type written pages of text, figures, or tables; references are not counted towards the page limits. The font size should be 12 point.
9. Can you put me in contact with some current students to get their perspective?
If you would like to blog with our graduate students, check out the GSNS blog.
If you would like to email us, contact nutrition_ms@ehe.osu.edu.
© 2009 The Ohio State University - College of Education and Human Ecology. All Rights Reserved.
If you have trouble accessing this page and need to request an alternate format, contact the webmaster.