Research Emphasis Thesis Research Project
General Information
Students selecting the Research emphasis are required to complete a thesis research project. Students in this emphasis area also are required to submit an abstract and present a poster or platform presentation at a state, regional or national professional meeting and prepare a draft manuscript based on their thesis work for publication in a peer-reviewed publication.
A thesis research project is one that includes a testable hypothesis based on a research question as identified by gaps in knowledge in the peer-reviewed literature. The student will conduct the research using an approved research plan and methods, analyze and interpret the data, and prepare a thesis that is acceptable to the student’s Supervisory Committee and that conforms to the guidelines established by the Graduate School. A guide for writing the thesis is available.
Thesis research projects may fall into any of the following categories (based on availability):
- Bench research: human, animal or cell culture studies
- Clinical nutrition/outcome studies
- Nutrition education
The Food Science and Human Nutrition faculty have active and diverse research programs that include the broad areas of human and clinical nutrition, immunology, molecular biology and cell metabolism, dietetic practice, nutrition education, food processing, food safety, microbiology, and food toxicology. For a list of faculty interests, select the faculty link on the navigation bar.
Each student selects a thesis project after scheduling meetings with faculty members to discuss available options. The faculty member who agrees to work with the student on a given project is the student’s Major Professor and Supervisory Committee Chair. At least two additional faculty members, one from the department and an external committee member comprise the student’s Supervisory Committee.
Each student works under the supervision and guidance of their Supervisory Committee Chair and members of their Supervisory Committee. Members of the FSHN faculty believe that completion of a thesis research project is an important component of the graduate program because it promotes the development of analytical and critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In addition, research is important to the dietetics profession because it provides the basis for new recommendations and practice standards.
Many students in the MS-DI Program have completed noteworthy thesis research projects and have presented the results of their research at annual meetings of the American Dietetic Association, Florida Dietetic Association, American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Society for Nutrition Education, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, and Institute of Food Technologists. Selected studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Journal of Nutrition, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Metabolism, and Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
Research assistantships may be available from individual faculty for certain projects for which they have funding.
