IX. Graduate Programs
Human Health and Nutritional Sciences
MSc Program
The MSc program is offered in: 1) biomechanics; 2) nutrition, exercise and metabolism; and 3) nutritional and nutraceutical sciences. The focus is on physical activity and diet as powerful lifestyle determinants of human health. The interaction between genetics and environmental factors determines human health and lifestyle is a major component of our environment.
Our graduate programs offer advanced experiential learning experiences in the broad areas of nutritional and nutraceutical sciences, general and exercise physiology and biomechanics within the focus of lifestyle, genetics and human health. Within these broad fields, the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences addresses the issues at the level of the individual, not community or populations. The research efforts are focused on understanding the basic underlying biological aspects of health, which are further applied to understanding aging, neurological/sensory disorders and osteoarthritis, and chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type II diabetes
The Department offers programs of study leading to an MSc by thesis and an MSc by coursework and project. Within the MSc thesis program students must complete a minimum of 1.5 graduate credits and defend an acceptable thesis which comprises an account of the student's research. Within the MSc coursework program students must complete a minimum of 4.0 graduate credits which include credits for research experience.
Admission Requirements
To be considered, applicants must meet the requirements of a four-year honours science degree with a minimum 75% average during the final two years or 4 semesters of undergraduate study. Applicants should have completed a course in statistics. Each applicant must obtain the support of a faculty member willing to serve as their advisor.
Admission may be granted in September, January or May. Completed applications should be uploaded at least one full semester (four months) before the expected date of admission. Applications from international students should be uploaded at least eight months prior to the expected date of admission.
All components of the application, including transcript(s), graduate certificate(s), grading scale(s), language test results, assessment forms, a statement of interest and the name of the faculty advisor must be uploaded no later than two months after an application is submitted through the OUAC portal. Applications that are incomplete after this time period will be closed.
Admission Process
Graduate student applications to programs in the College of Biological Science are handled by the Office of the Associate Dean, Research (ADR). Before submitting an application, applicants are strongly encouraged to view the "Before you Apply" and "Admission Process" webpages on the ADR Future Student's site.
Complete application submission instructions may also be found on the Office of Graduate Studies webpage or in the Graduate Calendar.
Program Requirements
Students enrol in one of two study options: 1) thesis, or 2) course work and major research project.
Thesis
Students must complete and defend an acceptable thesis which comprises a scientifically defensible account of the student's research on a particular, well-defined research problem or hypothesis. Such research should begin with the practical expectation that it could be completed and the thesis defended in not more than 5 semesters. Paramount to the notion of acceptability of the thesis is its quality with respect to problem identification, the approach used to address the problem, and the evaluation of the results.
In addition they must successfully complete courses totalling not fewer than 1.5 graduate credits. The graduate credits of course work will consist of:
| a) at least one of: | ||||||||||||||
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| b) at least 1.0 credits of electives as determined with the Advisory Committee | ||||||||||||||
Course Work and Major Research Project (MRP)
Students must complete at least 4.0 graduate credits as follows:
| HHNS*6010 | [0.50] | Seminar in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences |
| HHNS*6320 | [0.50] | Advances in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences Research |
| at least one of: | ||
| HHNS*6910 | [0.50] | Basic Research Techniques and Processes |
| HHNS*6920 | [0.50] | Applied Research Techniques and Processes |
| HHNS*6930 | [0.50] | Research Project |
| at least one of: | ||
| HHNS*6040 | [0.50] | Research Fronts in Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences |
| HHNS*6500 | [0.50] | Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology |
| HHNS*6700 | [0.50] | Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism |
| HHNS*6800 | [0.50] | Research Frontiers in Integrative Biomechanics and Neurophysiology |
| at least 1.0 to 2.0 graduate credits of electives. | ||