Master of Science in Nutritional Science (M.S.N.S.)

The Master of Science in Nutritional Science prepares graduates with advanced knowledge, skills, and intellectual maturity to become innovative leaders in healthspan and longevity. This program gives students who have completed an undergraduate degree in nutrition an opportunity to earn a master’s degree with an emphasis on aging and wellness.

Designed For

• Students with a Didactic Program in Dietetics (D.P.D.) Verification Statement
• Current Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (R.D.N.s)

What We Do

The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology explores all aspects of human development and aging. Coursework and rich research opportunities in biology, psychology, sociology, policy, and aging services offer a unique, multidisciplinary curriculum.

What Students Gain

Let’s start with a broad theoretical understanding of lifespan development. Then add unparalleled experience that promotes success. Our internship programs expose students to a stunning array of industries: health, medicine, business, finance, direct services, program development, public policy, and counseling, to name just some. And then there’s our post-graduate career placement—invaluable!

What We Offer

In addition to our undergraduate degrees and programs, USC Leonard Davis has seven master’s degrees (completed on campus or online), six dual master’s programs, a graduate certificate, and Ph.D. programs in Gerontology and Biology of Aging

The USC Leonard Davis Advantage

Founded in 1975, the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology is the oldest and largest school of its type in the world. We offer the most comprehensive selection of gerontology degree programs found anywhere, a variety of outstanding research opportunities, and a challenging yet supportive academic environment.

As a small school rooted in a world-class research university located in the heart of one of the most important cities on earth, the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology—and its research and services arm, the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center—are home to today’s leaders in the field, as well as to tomorrow’s.

Our program studies the human lifespan by exploring the biological, psychological, sociological, political, medical, and business dimensions of adult life. The curriculum is aimed at equipping future professionals in the field of aging with the specific skills and knowledge necessary to respond effectively to the needs of an aging population.

With a distinguished faculty representing various disciplines, the School is able to offer students a wide range of scientific and professional gerontology courses.

A pioneer in distance learning education, all of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology master’s programs and graduate certificate programs are available in their entirety online.

We are also proud to have created, grown, and housed many vibrant, influential institutes and centers that carry out the mission of our school: to increase the quality of life for all older adults via research, service, and education.

It is our firm belief that knowledge and community are cornerstones of longevity. Through our various social media platforms, we hope to provide our students, faculty, alumni, and friends with greater access to major research breakthroughs and emerging trends in creativity and technology while building a thriving, global gerontology community.

Our students are exceptional women and men of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. What they share is deep compassion, inspiring enthusiasm, and a vision of a better future for all of the world’s aging population. Our students have different goals, strengths, and perspectives, but this diversity only serves to keep us on the cutting edge of the field.

Community engagement and interaction are crucially important to the USC Leonard Davis School’s mission, and we pride ourselves on making connections—and a difference—in the “real world” as well as in the classroom. We host a number of exciting programs, activities, and opportunities to share our work with the community and to learn from them as well.

It is only through recognizing that the aging process unites us all that we can make better sense of the marvelous and sometimes mysterious gift of our shared humanity.

Mission

The mission of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology is to promote healthy aging for diverse individuals, communities, and societies through leadership and innovation in research, education, and practice.

This mission is carried out by a faculty that is highly interdisciplinary, approaching aging from diverse areas such as neurobiology, molecular biology, biodemography, cognitive psychology, sociology, urban planning, and health services research. This expertise has earned the USC Leonard Davis School an international reputation for its strengths in basic biological, social-behavioral, and policy science. It also has a long history of applied research designed to systematically test program effectiveness. Cross-disciplinary applied and translational research is conducted in a number of areas related to aging, including family studies, housing, long-term services, and supports, fall prevention, elder abuse prevention, caregiving, and technology and aging.

In addition, the school serves as a focal point for faculty and students from throughout the university to collaborate on basic and applied research in aging fostering partnerships through collaborative centers and institutes, joint appointments, and dual degrees. With the USC Leonard Davis School as the hub of aging research, and with additional strong programs throughout the university, USC is leading the way in defining the field of gerontology. Transdisciplinary relationships within the school and with colleagues throughout the University will take USC Leonard Davis research to the next level and more firmly establish USC as the world leader.

Career Paths for a Gerontology Degree

An aging population creates a ripple effect of opportunity in every sector of the economy. Our alumni go on to pursue careers in these venues and many more:

• Law and academia;
• Science, medicine, healthcare, mental health, pharmaceuticals, and insurance;
• Local, state, and federal government;
• Business, management, consulting, emerging technology, and entrepreneurship;
• Nonprofits, social services, community-based and faith-based organizations;
• Marketing and advocacy;
• Housing, urban planning, and transportation.