A masters degree in Human Nutrition offers advanced Nutrition courses in a broad range of research areas. The program is suitable for graduates of undergraduate degrees in nutritional sciences, exercise physiology, kinesiology, food science, biochemistry, medicine, or another closely related field. Students are required to complete 12 credits in advanced level coursework in nutrition and research methodology plus 33 credits related to their thesis research. Graduates of our M.Sc. thesis degree have pursued successful careers in research, international health agencies, government agencies, and industry.
The broad range of academic disciplines in the area of nutrition research makes for a dynamic setting to advance in nutritional knowledge. Many choices for pursuing the area of your interest are available ranging from population health studies in a number of international settings such as Northern Canada, East and West Africa, South and Central America as well as clinical and community health issues with nutritional implications, food security, nutriceuticals and genetic studies of the interactions of genes and nutrient intakes. Consult the profiles of the Professors involved with the School for details on their research interests. Contacting potential supervisors in conjunction with applying would strengthen your application.
MSc Thesis Human Nutrition - see program details
Human Nutrition (Thesis) (M.Sc.) (45 credits)
Offered by: Human Nutrition (Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Master of Science
Program credit weight: 45
Program Description
The M.Sc. in Human Nutrition focuses on advanced nutrition, statistics, and research methods. The program includes research activities related to the specific thesis topic chosen from a broad range of nutrition areas, under the primary supervision of one of the School's Faculty.
Thesis Courses (33 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUTR 680 | Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 1. | 7 |
Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Independent research under the direction of a supervisor toward completion of the M.Sc. thesis. | ||
| NUTR 681 | Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 2. | 8 |
Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Independent research under the direction of a supervisor toward completion of the M.Sc. thesis. Presentation of a thesis proposal. | ||
| NUTR 682 | Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 3. | 9 |
Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Independent research under the direction of a supervisor toward completion of the M.Sc. thesis. | ||
| NUTR 683 | Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 4. | 9 |
Human Nutrition M.Sc. Thesis 4. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Final submission and approval of the M.Sc. thesis. | ||
Required Courses (3 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUTR 695 | Human Nutrition Research Orientation. | 1 |
Human Nutrition Research Orientation. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Orientation to graduate studies in nutrition including research ethics and safety training, library and literature search skills. | ||
| NUTR 696 | Human Nutrition Seminar. | 1 |
Human Nutrition Seminar. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Students will present a recent original research article in which the methods and data presentation will be critically analyzed. The article must be approved by the instructor. | ||
| NUTR 697 | MSc Final Presentation. | 1 |
MSc Final Presentation. Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Presentation of final masters thesis research in Colloquium. | ||
Complementary Courses (9 credits)
3 credits in graduate-level statistics
3 credits in graduate-level research methods
3 credits in graduate-level courses (chosen in consultation with supervisory committee)
Program Requirements
The general requirements for graduate studies at McGill University are described in the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.
Thesis Supervisory Committee
The School requires students registered in the MSc (Thesis) program to have a supervisory committee comprised of the student's supervisor (or two co-supervisors) plus one additional member who will normally be a full-time member of the School's faculty. Students are advised to work together with their supervisors to establish a thesis supervisory committee within 3 months of starting the program.
Important: Supervisory committee members must respect the University's Policies on Conflict of Interest. See also Recognizing Conflicts.
Thesis Submission Procedure
Important: Note that there are critical deadlines associated with the submission of a thesis.
Students are advised to familiarize themselves of the University's Guidelines for the Preparation and Submission of theses several months prior to submission.
Thesis submission is made through myThesis platform MSc and PhD where all required information is provided to students and their supervisor(s).
In brief, students initiate the process by completing an "Intent to submit thesis" approximately 2 months prior to submission. Supervisors must confirm that the suggested external reviewers have agreed before the student enters their names on myThesis. Examiners will then receive an automated invitation and accept/decline. Once the advisory committee agrees that the thesis is ready for submission, the student submits. The thesis will then be reviewed by the GPD for proper content and format. Allow 2 weeks prior to deadline in case the thesis has to be returned to students for corrections and resubmitted.
Fast-track Transfer from MSc Thesis to PhD
href="https://www.mcgill.ca/gps/students/registration/progress/fast-track">https://www.mcgill.ca/gps/students/registration/progress/fast-track
The decision to fast-track to PhD should be a shared decision between student and supervisor, and approved by the Committee on Graduate Studies.
Eligibility criteria
Student must:
- be a student in good standing, with a CGPA of 3.5 or higher, for BSc and MSc
- have completed all required courses for the MSc program
- have submitted the written MSc proposal and presented the proposal in Colloquium
- have completed a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 semesters in the MSc program
- have the support of the supervisory committee
- be considered a candidate for competitive external funding: has or will submit a scholarship application to Tri-Council, FRQ, or International agencies (peer-reviewed).
Procedures:
The student should submit the following documents to the GPD:
- A transcript of BSc and MSc studies to date (the unofficial copy from McGill is acceptable; include official copies of transcripts from non-McGill universities that were submitted for application to the MSc program)
- MSc written proposal
- A letter of support from a supervisor which includes information on course work, research plan, including scope of the project and funding information, and evaluation of critical thinking, initiative and potential for success in PhD program
- An email or letter of support from all committee members, confirming progress and potential for research
- A copy of the external funding application that includes a 2-page PhD plan and all requested documents (an additional copy of the transcript is not needed here). If this is not the final one, a good draft of the application is expected.
Note that the committee may require an additional letter from someone outside the supervisory committee who is familiar with the candidate. A special “fast track” application will be opened on Slate for students who wish to apply after their second or third term in the MSc program. There is no application fee. The student will be informed of the decision once the committee has met. Accepted students will be classified as a new PhD student in PhD 2 for the purposes of entrance scholarships.
Deadlines to submit: July 15 or November 15 for entrance in the following semester. A September entrance is most desirable.
