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Sports and Human Performance Nutrition (MS)

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Push Your Career to New Levels with a Sports and Human Performance Nutrition Degree

Push your mind, body, and career to new levels with a Master's degree in Sports and Human Performance Nutrition. Our 39-credit STEM-Designated program can be completed in just two years. With our small class sizes and leading-edge facilities and labs, Â鶹ÊÓƵ provides students with a personalized, hands-on education.

Applicants to the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition program usually have a bachelor's degree in nutrition, dietetics, or an exercise related field. They must have at least one year of anatomy and physiology and one chemistry course from an accredited institution. Other individuals are encouraged to apply with the understanding that they must take various undergraduate courses as prerequisites.

  • Integrate theories, practices, skills of sports nutrition and exercise science

  • Small class sizes, leading-edge facilities and labs

  • 39-credit graduate degree program

  • Evening, summer, and some Saturday classes

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Program at a glance

Degree
Master of Science in Sports and Human Performance Nutrition (MS)

Total Credit Hours
39

College
College of Health Sciences

Department
Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science

Program Highlights

Ranked Among the Best

Â鶹ÊÓƵ is ranked #14 Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings for 2026, making Â鶹ÊÓƵ a great, centrally located option for students in Northeastern Pennsylvania who want to stay closer to home.

Alumna Research

Our Alumna Research is published in the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics!

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A Â鶹ÊÓƵ rugby player running with a ball.

My favorite thing about Â鶹ÊÓƵ is how great the Nutrition and Dietetics faculty is. They go above and beyond to help their students every day.

Mitchell Romanowski '21

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Top Career Paths

  • Sports Nutritionist

  • Health Fitness Specialist

  • Wellness Coach

  • Sports Recovery Specialist

Top Employers

  • Universities

  • Professional Sports Organizations

  • Rehabilitation Centers

  • Private Practices

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Â鶹ÊÓƵ the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition Program

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Facilities & Technology

Exercise Science Lab

The Exercise Science Lab includes a biochemistry lab, climate-controlled room, and equipment that measures:

  • Aerobic Capacity

  • Anaerobic Power

  • Strength

  • Bone Density

  • Airway Function

  • Body Composition

In addition to traditional food testing tools, our Food Science Lab contains equipment to prepare students for food preparation in real-world commercial settings:

Blast Chiller and Rethermalization Unit
Metabolic Kitchen
Sensory Evaluation Lab
Ingredient Room
Food Science Lab Photo Gallery

Our Healthy Demo Classroom is used for instruction and demonstrations, for both students and the community at large.

Our Sensory Evaluation Lab allows students to test the products they make in the Food Science Lab. The two laboratories are connected for easy evaluation.

O'Neill Center for Healthy Families

The O'Neill Center for Healthy Families, located on University Avenue, provides classroom and research space, joining academic programs to innovative research. Students from the Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Exercise Science, Respiratory Therapy, and Physician Assistant programs have classes in this building. It is also home to The Human Performance Lab, a state-of-the-art facility designed to serve the needs of student, professional, amateur, and recreational athletes and the community.

The Keith J. O'Neill Center for Healthy Families, dedicated on October 18, 2002, was named in honor of its benefactor, esteemed alumnus and former trustee Keith J. O'Neill '76, the first male to graduate from Â鶹ÊÓƵ's dietetics program and an accomplished leader in the dietetics profession. He credits Â鶹ÊÓƵ for "(giving) me the skills and confidence to take on the challenges that come from running a large food service department and eventually from the challenges created by starting my own company."

In 2024, Â鶹ÊÓƵ further expanded its deep commitment to health sciences during the dedication of the Pascucci Family Health Sciences Pavilion, a transformative addition to the Keith J. O'Neill Center for Healthy Families and a cornerstone of the EMPOWER Campaign.

The $11.5 million Pascucci Family Health Sciences Pavilion is a realization of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's commitment to providing state-of-the-art facilities for education in the health sciences. Generously supported by the Pascucci Family and other dedicated donors, this new space elevates the learning experience of future healthcare professionals and contributes to the University's mission of fostering excellence in education.

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Food Science Lab

In addition to traditional food testing tools, our Food Science Lab contains equipment to prepare students for food preparation in real-world commercial settings:

  • Blast chiller and rethermalization unit
  • Metabolic kitchen
  • Sensory evaluation lab
  • Ingredient room

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Exercise Science Lab

Â鶹ÊÓƵ's 2,040-square foot Exercise Science Lab is one of the area's leading sites for student and faculty research. Located in the Center for Athletics and Wellness, the lab is fully equipped to conduct a wide array of physiological measurements to assess health, fitness and athletic performance, and to complete various physiological and biological research.

The lab provides testing for those who wish to improve athletic performance or monitor their progress toward their fitness and/or weight loss goals. It is not a fitness facility. For recreational and competitive athletes, we offer body composition analysis, VO2max (aerobic) testing, lactate profiling, and Wingate anaerobic power testing. The purpose of fitness testing includes education of participants about their present fitness status relative to healthy standards and age/gender-matched norms, as well as collection of data that is not only helpful in development of exercise programs, but also provides baseline data that allow evaluation of progress toward goals.

Housed within the Exercise Science Lab is an independent biochemistry lab fully equipped for the preparation and analysis of chemical compounds and biological specimens. An environmental chamber, also within the lab, is available for studies needing precisely controlled temperature, humidity, or gas concentrations. The laboratory is equipped with a full complement of utilities, including climate control, electricity (110 VAC, 220 VAC), water, natural gas, vacuum, and compressed air, and a 30" x 36" certified fume hood.

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Scholarships

Morris K. Udall Scholarship

The Udall Foundation seeks future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice, and economics. The Foundation also seeks future Native American and Alaska Native leaders in public and community health care, tribal government, and public policy affecting Native American communities, including land and resource management, economic development, and education.

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Tuition

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Payment Deadline Calendar

Faculty

Lindsay Howard

Department Chair | Assistant Professor of Practice

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David T Frable

Assistant Professor

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Kathryn Louise Tullio

Assistant Professor of Practice

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Jessica R Bodzio

Associate Professor of Practice

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Maureen Tara Burke

Assistant Professor of Practice

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Kristine A Danilovitz

Lecturer

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Maria K Deleo

Lecturer

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Kaitlyn M Eck

Lecturer

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Eduardo Rene Escobar

Lecturer | Lab Assistant (PT)

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Ciarra Falzone

Administrative Assistant | Administrative Assistant

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Gabrielle Celeste Giordano

Lecturer

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Kevin Jay Goff

Lecturer

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Erikah M Groninger

Lecturer

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Julie M Leonard

Lecturer

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Dr. Alan M Levine

Professor Emeritus | Lecturer | Lecturer

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Dr. Erin Ann O'Hora

Lecturer | Lecturer

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Karina L Rosser

Lecturer

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Catherine E Sarkozy

Lecturer

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Nicole Schofield

Lecturer

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Stefanie M Smith

Lecturer

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Saige Marie Sterner

Lecturer

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Scott Robert Summers

Lecturer

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Emily J Wargo

Instructor of Practice

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Maria Wolfel

Lecturer

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Courses & Curriculum (39 Total Credits)

Course Numbers

Course Names

Credit Hours

Core Courses

9 Credits

SHPN 560

Biochemistry of Nutrition & Exercise

3

SHPN 581

The Energy Nutrients and Alcohol

3

SHPN 582

Advanced Nutrition Vitamins and Minerals

3

Major Specific Courses

9 Credits

SHPN 549

Sports & Human Perf Nutrition I: Theory

3

SHPN 550

Sprts & Hmn Prfrmnce Nutrition II - App

3

SHPN 575

Body Composition for Sports & Performnce Management

3

Research Sequence

9 Credits

SHPN 590

Research Methodology

3

SHPN 591

Statistical Analysis

3

SHPN 595A

Research Thesis

1

SHPN 595B

Research Thesis

1

SHPN 595C

Research Thesis

1

Non-Thesis

3 Credits

SHPN 596

Capstone Experience

3

Electives

9 Credits

SHPN 503

Endocrine Disorders, Nutrition and Exerc

3

SHPN 509

Principles of Strength & Conditioning

3

SHPN 513

Exercise and Aging

3

SHPN 523

Immunology, Exercise & Nutrition

3

SHPN 525

Clinical Nutrition: Pharmacology and Fluid-Electrolyte Balance

3

SHPN 575

Body Composition for Sports & Performnce Management

3

Students cannot be guaranteed that a particular elective course will be available.

Because SHPN courses are cross listed with ND courses, additional courses from the core or electives in the MS in Nutrition may be selected with permission of the department chairperson. Other graduate-level courses may be acceptable from Psychology, Business, or other departments with permission of the chairperson.

Student Resources

Prepare for your Thesis

What's a Thesis?

The culminating project for both the M.S. in Nutrition and M.S. in Sports and Human Performance Nutrition is a master's thesis. A thesis is an original research project developed by you, the student, in collaboration with a 3-person committee, which approves the thesis.

You are encouraged to begin thinking about your thesis as early as possible. Class assignments can be used to explore topics of interest. Before submitting a thesis proposal, you should be knowledgeable about the topic.

You will begin to develop your proposal in ND/SNES 590: Research Methodology.

Considerations

Some of the issues you should consider include:  

  1. Do you have access to an appropriate population?

  2. Do you have the technical and statistical skills to complete the project?

  3. Are there validated instruments that can be used?

  4. What equipment is needed and is it available?

  5. What costs will be incurred and how will they be paid?

The Process

The final product of ND/SNES 590 is a very rough draft of a potential thesis. You can use this as a starting point to enlist a faculty mentor and two committee members to work with you on the final project. Your mentor must be a Â鶹ÊÓƵ faculty member from the department that houses the program in which you are enrolled. The other two committee members can be other faculty or people outside the University. They must hold at least a master's degree.

Thesis credits are divided into 595A, 595B, and 595C. Each of these courses is 1 credit. 595A must be finished before you register for 595B or 595C. These courses are not formal courses that meet for a set number of hours each week. It is your responsibility to schedule meetings with your mentor and committee members to discuss ideas, submit proposal drafts, complete revisions, and ultimately prepare to defend your completed proposal.  

After a mentor has agreed to work with you on your project, you must sign up for your mentor's section of ND/SNES 595A. This section involves completing a polished version of the first 3 chapters of your thesis, defending it to the committee, and submitting it to the Â鶹ÊÓƵ IRB. This section takes the longest to complete. It is wise to register for ND/SNES 595A during the summer after you complete ND/SNES 590.

Section B involves the collection of data and readying it for analysis. It is wise to take ND/SNES 591: Statistical Analysis during this period.

Section C involves analyzing the data and writing chapters 4 and 5 of your thesis. This should be done in close collaboration with your mentor and committee.

Defending Your Thesis

After you've completed your thesis, you must present it and answer questions from your committee. Your committee then decides if your thesis is a pass, pass with modifications, or not passing. Most theses are pass with modifications. In this case, you have 1 week to make modifications.

If your thesis does not pass, you must correct any problems and defend your thesis again.

Admissions Events

Explore the vibrant community and endless opportunities that await you at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. Attend one of our special events designed specially for you to learn more about Â鶹ÊÓƵ's degree programs, dedicated faculty, and welcoming campus.

Related Programs

Nutrition and Dietetics (MS)
Clinical Nutrition (MS)

Centers of Excellence

Â鶹ÊÓƵ hosts three academic Centers of Excellence on campus; The Center for Law, Justice and Policy, The Center for Urban Studies, and The Mother Theresa Maxis, IHM Center. Each center provides students with the tools and resources to excel in their academic endeavors, fostering a dynamic environment where they can engage deeply with their respective fields of study and make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ Center for Law, Justice and Policy Learn More
Truth, Racial Healing, & Transformation Center Learn More

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Accreditation

Â鶹ÊÓƵ is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE). / Address / 3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104. | Phone: (267) 284-5000