Manchester University To Add Master’s Degree In Nutrition
NORTH MANCHESTER — Manchester University is moving ahead with plans to launch a Master of Science in Nutrition and Nutrigenomics.
Nutrigenomics studies the relationship between a person’s DNA, nutrition and health.
“MU is building on its track record as the first university in the nation to offer a master’s degree in pharmacogenomics,” said Manchester University President Dave McFadden. “We’re combining what we already know in one area — the study of DNA and medication — to offer a unique opportunity in nutrition.”
The timeline to offer the program will depend on hiring faculty and receiving accreditation approval from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Higher Learning Commission.
“To our knowledge, the MSNGx program would be the first of its kind in the country,” said Teresa Beam, pharmaceutical sciences department chair and professor of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacogenomics at the MU Fort Wayne campus.
The university’s Board of Trustees approved the program last weekend. It is divided into two phases: three years of undergraduate study at the North Manchester campus and two years of professional study at the Fort Wayne Campus. This “3+2” approach would allow Manchester to offer a standalone master’s degree to those who already have a bachelor’s degree in a related science.
The undergraduate phase will be under the direction of Jeff Beer, who has a similar role with MU’s master of science in athletic training program. He is an associate professor of exercise science and athletic training. He was an early champion of developing nutrition undergraduate and master’s degree programs at Manchester, and he laid the groundwork for the program.
Beam will lead the graduate-level phase at MU’s Fort Wayne hub for graduate and professional health science learning, and her expertise on the genomics side is key to pulling both elements into one program.
Students completing the MSNGx program will be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration national credentialing examination for certification as a registered dietitian nutritionist.
“The MSNGx academic foundation is built upon accreditation-mandated nutrition competencies and then enhanced through inclusion of advanced nutrigenomics training,” said Beam. “NGx integrates genomic science with nutrition — using an individual’s DNA — to improve their health or athletic performance.”