Graduate Studies in Applied Human Nutrition | MSc | PhD
Investigate the role of nutrition in human health and wellbeing
Our thesis-based master of science (MSc) and PhD programs in Applied Human Nutrition integrate perspectives from behavioural, biological, and social sciences to help our students create new knowledge to improve the health of Canadians and people around the world.
Applied Human Nutrition is a field of study offered by the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition. We are a unique, interdisciplinary academic unit focused on integrating research and practice.
Our faculty members conduct applied research that encompasses the continuum of the life cycle in diverse settings, including public health, the community, and clinical settings.
What is Applied Human Nutrition?
Applied Human Nutrition (AHN) researchers seek to understand when, where, why, and how people get or don't get the nutrition they need to survive and thrive, and how those factors impact health at the individual, group, and population levels. Our faculty members specialize in a wide range of research areas, including:
- Community nutrition
- Body composition
- Prenatal nutrition
- Infant and child nutrition
- Nutritional epidemiology
- Chronic disease risk
- Clinical nutrition
- Food parenting practices
- Sports nutrition
- Food security
- Sustainable diets
If any of the above interest you, a research-based graduate degree in AHN could be for you! We welcome applicants with AHN backgrounds, as well as backgrounds in related fields like nutritional sciences, food science, biomedical science, health promotion, psychology, and kinesiology.
Program Format and Courses
Our graduate programs in Applied Human Nutrition are delivered in-person at the University of Guelph's main campus.
The core courses you'll complete in the master of science program are:
- Quantitative Research Methods
- Applied Statistics
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Research Seminar
You'll also complete:
- An elective course related to nutrition
- A research thesis
The program starts in September and typically takes 6 consecutive semesters to complete.
Meet the Faculty
I am a Registered Dietitian and have been the Director of the University of Guelph Body Composition Lab since 2007. As a co-investigator of the Guelph Family Health Study, my research interests relate to predictors and outcomes of childhood and adult obesity. I am especially interested in the associations between lifestyle behaviours (particularly diet), body composition, and cardiometabolic risk in families with young children.
My research has two main areas of focus. One is nutrition during pregnancy. Current projects focus on the health effects of dietary sugar intake during pregnancy, gestational weight gain, and long-term impact of nutrition during pregnancy. I also conduct practice-based research in dietetics, including identification of cancer patients with malnutrition, body composition in kidney disease patients, and enteral feeding strategies in the ICU.
I conduct impact-oriented research addressing socioeconomic and environmental influences on food choices and weight-related behaviours using both quantitative and qualitative methods. My current research interests include: 1) the impact of parenthood on fathers' diets and health, 2) fathers' roles in their children's diets and in childhood obesity prevention, and 3) patient-client relationships between fathers and RDs.
My research interests include: 1) exploring new biomarkers for metabolic syndrome, and their modulation by functional foods and/or physical activity, 2) investigating the prevalence and psychosocial determinants of dietary supplement use among athlete and non-athlete students, gym exercisers and other populations at risk; and 3) assessing intake, knowledge and attitude of global food trends such as plant-based and gluten-free diets.
My research identifies effective strategies to support nutritious and sustainable eating. I use the results of epidemiologic research on the determinants of sustainable eating to develop behaviour change interventions and knowledge mobilization tools. I am the Co-Director of the Guelph Family Health Study and the Principal Investigator of a study on interventions for reducing household food waste and promoting plant-based foods.
My research focuses on the development of children's healthy eating habits and growth from infants through to school age, especially children at high risk of eating difficulties, such as children born preterm and those with neurodevelopmental disorders. Current projects examine how early life nutrition and parent-child feeding interactions are associated with eating habits, dietary intake, and growth during childhood.
AHN Career Outcomes
Master of science and doctoral graduates are highly successful in attaining employment in diverse fields. Here are just a few of the careers that our graduate students have successfully attained:
MSc Graduates
- Public Health Nutritionist, Peel Region
- Executive Director of the Learning Disabilities Association of Wellington County
- Knowledge Mobilization and Communications Coordinator, University of Guelph
PhD Graduates
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Stockholm Resiliency Center
- Assistant Professor, University of Guelph
- Children's Early Years Research Analyst, County of Wellington
- Program Manager, Roche
Can I become a Registered Dietitian?
If you would like to pursue a career as a Registered Dietitian, check out our Master of Applied Nutrition dietetic training program.
In Canada, Registered Dietitians (RDs) are regulated health professionals. To become an RD, you need to complete an accredited dietetic practical training program or an internship at a teaching hospital and pass the Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam before you can register with a provincial regulatory body. Our MSc and PhD programs in Applied Human Nutrition do not provide practicum experience, so they will not make you eligible to become an RD.
Meet our Students & Alumni
After completing her bachelor's degree in AHN in 2024, Manahil decided to continue her education through a prestigious Arrell Food Institute scholarship and is now enrolled in the master of science program. Manahil is leading a project to co-design tools to support adolescents to eat more plant-based foods.
Katherine completed her PhD in 2025 and is now a postdoctoral scholar in our department. During her PhD, Katherine held an Arrell Food Institute scholarship, led two projects related to perceptions of sustainable eating, and developed and tested a novel online program to promote sustainable eating among families with children.
Aiyu's MSc research focused on maternal dietary sugar intake in relation to maternal weight and body composition changes during and after pregnancy. Now Aiyu is working towards her PhD and developing and evaluating a resource booklet to help health practitioners communicate gestational weight gain with pregnant patients.
Tamara is a SSHRC-funded PhD candidate in AHN. Throughout her studies, Tamara has been involved in food uniting neighbours (f.u.n.), a partnership project to pilot and evaluate co-designed interventions to improve food access and reduce food insecurity in Guelph's Onward Willow neighbourhood.
Alyssa is a graduate of our MSc program and a current PhD candidate in AHN. She holds a SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship and is leading a project to co-design an app that supports adolescents with celiac disease. Alyssa also works as a research registered dietitian at the Hospital for Sick Children and as a consultant at Celiac Canada.
Applying to Grad Studies in Applied Human Nutrition
Get in Touch
Questions about graduate studies in Applied Human Nutrition?
Contact the Graduate Program Team at csahs.admissions@uoguelph.ca.