Nutrition and Human Performance Dual Degree
Merrimack College offers a direct entry accelerated pathway that allows students to satisfy requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences and a Master of Science in Nutrition and Human Performance in five years.
Get Your B.S. and M.S. in Only 5 Years
Once enrolled, your faculty advisor will assist and support you in your transition between undergraduate and graduate coursework and the progression towards completion of your Master of Nutrition and Human Performance.
How Does the Program Work?
Human Development and Human Services Major Curriculum
Human Development and Human Services Major Requirements
General Education Requirements
In addition to the major requirements below, you will also need to complete Merrimack’s general education requirements.
To see more details about the major, please visit catalog.merrimack.edu.
Master of Social Work Curriculum
M.S. Social Work Requirements
General Education Requirements
To see more details about the master’s degree, please visit catalog.merrimack.edu.
- Complete three and a half years of prerequisite courses (general education requirements, prerequisite and foundational program knowledge) before the spring semester of your fourth year and graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences.
- Advance directly into the Master of Science in Nutrition and Human Performance where you’ll get a head start on graduate coursework and hands-on experience.
- Study in a collaborative cohort model with other students taking similar classes and working together to finish your degree.
- Graduate and move quickly into the workplace with the competitive advantage of a master’s degree.
What You’ll Learn
In the Master of Science in Nutrition and Human Performance, you will prepare to be a competent, entry-level registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) capable of implementing safe, effective, evidence-based care. During the program, you will learn to synthesize, critically evaluate and apply advanced knowledge and skills as a collaborative dietetics practitioner to effectively address contemporary nutrition-related issues.
The Master of Science in Nutrition and Human Performance is one of the first Graduate Programs in Nutrition and Dietetics (previously referred to as Future Education Model [FEM]), in New England. Graduate Programs are competency-based education programs that integrate classroom learning with hands-on supervised experiential learning activities and foster work readiness.
Hands-on Learning
You will engage in 1,000 hours of supervised experiential learning, integrated across the curriculum in a professional work setting, with additional alternative experiential learning experiences such as simulation activities embedded into specific courses. You’ll have the opportunity to work with Merrimack College’s Division I athletes as well as with other DI athletes within the New England region.
Career Options
When you graduate from the master’s program in nutrition and human performance, you will be well-positioned for a successful career in the growing job market for dietitians and nutritionists. It is projected that jobs in Dietetics and Nutrition will grow by 11 percent between the years of 2018 and 2028, which is much faster than the average job growth for all occupations.
Employers seek out our alumni for their breadth of skills, strong hands-on experience and theoretical grounding. Our recent graduates have attained Registered Dietitian positions at local healthcare organizations such as Lawrence General Hospital, as well non-profit organizations such as Head Start, and health clubs such as the Executive Health & Sports Center.
How to Apply
When you are ready to apply to Merrimack, you can simply choose “Nutritional Sciences” on the Common Application or Merrimack Application, following the application deadline options mapped out on the Freshman Application Process webpage. If then admitted and would like to be considered for this 3+2 master’s program, please email admission@merrimack.edu.
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Accreditation
Merrimack College has achieved Candidacy for Accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation.
Candidacy for a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates that it has made progress toward meeting the criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process. A program that has attained Candidacy has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the compliance standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards but has not yet demonstrated full compliance. Merrimack’s next commissioner visit will be in the spring of 2023 and the program will be reviewed again at the October 2023 COA meeting.
Students who enter programs that attain Candidacy in or before the academic year in which they begin their program of study will be retroactively recognized as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program once the program attains Initial Accreditation. Candidacy is typically a three-year process and attaining Candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain Initial Accreditation. Candidacy applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.
