Maryland University of Integrative Health’s acclaimed Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health has grown to become the nation’s largest whole foods graduate program in just three years. We are excited to announce that starting in September 2014, our students will be able to customize their education and broaden their skill base through one of three new areas of concentration within the program: human clinical nutrition, community nutrition education, or herbal medicine.
Growing Need for Nutritionists and Nutrition Educators
All national health indicators are pointing to a bright future for our graduates. The Affordable Care Act places an increased emphasis on preventive health, including nutrition education, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics predicts that, within five years, the nation will need at least 18,000 new nutrition professionals. It’s clear that our graduates are filling a growing gap in the world of health and wellness and their services will be in high demand well into the future.
Graduates Pursuing Meaningful Careers
MUIH’s first class of graduates from our Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health program are already defining the field of nutrition as they build their careers. With a strong foundation in the science behind nutrition, research skills, and an expansive education in the cultural, environmental, and spiritual aspects of food, they are well prepared for a number of career paths.
We are carefully watching and learning from the many ways our graduates are using their education. Currently, they are creating businesses to see private clients and groups of clients, writing books and blogs, creating educational videos, and working in health centers and schools. Our graduates are prepared to run nutrition education programs in a variety of settings, serve as whole foods chefs, consult with food companies and grocery chains, and be a resource for the media. The common theme is to use nutrition and nutrition education to improve the vitality and wellness of individuals and groups. In short, our graduates change lives.
New Areas of Concentration
“With our core program running smoothly both online and on campus, a strong team of committed leaders and faculty, and many graduates who are successful right out of school, it’s clearly the perfect time for MUIH to expand and deepen the nutrition program,” said Maya Maroto, Ed.D., M.P.H., RD, Academic Director for MUIH’s nutrition programs.
Building on the foundational skills in the core courses of the Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health, the following new areas of concentration will enable students to develop specialized skills in an area most closely aligned with their career goals.
Human Clinical Nutrition
The human clinical nutrition concentration is ideal for students who primarily plan to see clients in a private nutrition practice or join a medical or integrative health setting. The curriculum follows the original course of study of MUIH’s master’s program, and provides experiential training in a clinical setting. When a client or potential employer sees this specialty on a resume, it will be obvious that this graduate has a foundation in client counseling, behavior change, and working side by side with other health professionals.
Community Nutrition Education
Most of our students will educate others in nutrition at some point in their careers, and since many plan to be entirely focused on a career in education, we have created the area of concentration in community nutrition education. This concentration is ideal for students who want to develop innovative nutrition education programs for underserved communities or other groups who could benefit from grocery store tours, farm to school programs, or nutrition seminars. This program will provide experiential training in a community setting, and give graduates the skills to do a health assessment for a specific population, create nutrition education interventions or programs, and evaluate their effectiveness.
Herbal Medicine
Many of our current students are taking additional coursework in herbal medicine, or even completing one of our herbal certificate programs after completing their nutrition degree. Students interested in pursuing this natural and complementary combination of nutrition and herbs can now accomplish this goal in a shortened amount of time and credits through herbal medicine area of concentration. After completing the program, which includes experiential training in a clinical setting or through research, graduates will be “bilingual” and able to counsel their clients from a strong foundation in both whole foods nutrition and herbs. From a consumer or employer standpoint, this knowledge will be increasingly valuable since many clients are using a combination of supplements, dietary interventions, and herbal products.
“Our students have clear career goals and want to graduate with very specific and expanded skills,” said Maroto. “Without sacrificing any of the signature features of our core M.S. in Nutrition and Integrative Health program, we’ve been able to create areas of concentration that completely satisfy these demands.”
All applicants for September 2014 and beyond will be able to choose an area of concentration, either at application or during the early phase of their program. Some current students may be eligible to complete them as well and should work with their advisor to plan their program accordingly.
To learn more about our nutrition program and all MUIH graduate programs, contact our Office of Graduate Admissions at or 410-888-9048 ext. 6647.