MS-Nutrition/MPH
Requirements
Students may complete both the MS and MPH degrees in 2-2½ years full-time study. Students typically begin their studies at the Friedman School and transition to the MPH program after three semesters. Working closely with an advisor from the start, students create a fully integrated course plan, taking courses in both programs each semester. When registered at the Friedman School, students cross-register for MPH classes; when registered at the School of Medicine, they cross-register for Friedman classes.
Courses
Students must complete all MPH core course requirements: one course each in the five core knowledge areas as well as a program evaluation course, a course in health care budgeting and management, and the Applied Practice Experience (APE). The APE requires students to synthesize knowledge acquired in their courses and apply it to a public health project of their own design involving at least 160 hours of practicum work. Students may elect to have a global health focus. Students combine study in any one of the Friedman School’s programs with either a generalist or concentration-specific MPH. Courses required by the two degrees overlap by about 40%. Popular Nutrition and MPH concentration combinations include:
- Food Policy and Applied Nutrition with Health Behavior and Health Communication
- Nutritional Epidemiology with Epidemiology/Biostatistics
- Nutrition Interventions, Behavior Change, Communication with Health Services Management and Policy
- Agriculture, Food, and Environment with Nutrition
Program Length
Students may complete both the MS and MPH degrees in 2½ years of intensive full-time study (four full courses each semester).
How to Apply
There are two application options if you are interested in our dual degree program with the Friedman School of Nutrition.
Applying Concurrently to Friedman School and the MPH Program
When you are selecting your program choices in the Friedman application, you will need to indicate that you are applying to the dual degree program for the MPH and complete the MS/MPH application. Application requirements remain the same for dual-degree applicants, however you will be asked to submit a personal statement referencing your interest in the dual-degree MS in Nutrition/MPH program specifically.
After you have submitted a complete application to the Friedman Admissions Office and the MS/MPH application to the Graduate Programs Admissions Office, your application and supporting materials will be shared with the Public Health Admissions Committee for review.
Applying for the MPH as a Current Friedman School Student
If you have already begun your degree program at the Friedman School and want to apply for the dual degree program as a current student, you will need to submit a application to the Public Health Admissions Office.
Upon submission of the application, the Public Health Admissions Office will work with the Friedman School Admissions Office to obtain the application materials you submitted for your nutrition master's degree program. The information you provide in the application, plus your transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and personal information on the Friedman application, will be combined and reviewed by the Public Health Admissions Committee for admission to the combined MS in Nutrition/MPH program.
Tuition Costs for the MS-Nutrition/MPH Degree
The following tuition rates are for 2024–2025 academic year* and apply to students enrolled in the MPH portion of the program starting in Fall 2024.
Students enrolled in the dual MS/MPH will be billed by the Friedman School of Nutrition for the first three semesters of coursework undertaken towards their degrees at Friedman School tuition rates. Students pursuing the MPH on a full-time basis will then be billed by the Public Health programs for their final two semesters, at the tuition rate listed below. Part-time students are billed for four semesters at the tuition rate listed below (in addition to the cost of the Friedman School program).
Please note that any scholarship funding awarded by the Friedman School cannot be applied to tuition charges from the Public Health programs during your final two semesters in the program.
- Full-Time Tuition: $29,406 per semester (full-time)
- Part-Time Tuition: $14,703 per semester (part-time)
- Fees: $658 per semester
The current academic year's cost of attendance budget (including not only tuition, but room and board, health insurance, books, etc.) is available from the Office of Financial Aid.
*These rates are subject to approval. Tuition rates and fees are effective as of July 2024. Note that program cost is set each academic year (June to May) and typically increases a small amount from year-to-year. The Trustees of Tufts University reserve the right to change tuition rates or fees at their discretion.
Career Opportunities with the MS-Nutrition/MPH Degree
Graduates find that their detailed knowledge of nutrition science along with a foundational understanding of population health issues gives them a significant advantage in job seeking. Our students have gone on to positions as public policy analysts, program evaluation consultants, research associates, community program managers, and preventive health and health promotions project managers. They are represented in the for-profit, non-profit, governmental, health care, and academic career sectors.