The following is required of all applications (additional requirements for applicants with foreign degrees are outlined in our Nutrition M.S. Program website):
Degree Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree conferred prior to matriculating as a Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University student.
- If the bachelor’s degree was issued by a U.S. college or university, as a rule, it should be from a regionally accredited institution. However, the program may grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
GPA Requirements
- Degree Requirements
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. In cases where an applicant's cumulative GPA is below the 3.0 minimum, reviewers may consider a replacement GPA computed from the most recent 40 semester credit hours of U.S. or Canadian coursework.
- Completed Prerequisite Coursework
The applicant has successfully completed the following prerequisite courses with a B- or better:
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- Human Anatomy - 3 Credit hours
- Human Physiology - 3 Credit hours
- Human Anatomy I & II 6-8 Credit hours will also be accepted.
- Biochemistry – 3 Credit hours
- Personal Statement
A personal statement outlining your career goals, any relevant experiences, and your motivation for pursing the MS in Nutrition. - Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation from persons who are acquainted with you academically and/or professionally and can speak to your ability to handle the academic rigor of a master’s level program.- References from close friends and family members will not be accepted.
- Letters must be submitted through GradCAS Evaluator Portal.
- Official Transcripts
o Applicants must report all institutions attended and send all official transcripts directly to GradCAS. If you do not list or send official transcripts for all institutions attended, the processing of your application will be delayed.
o Sending Transcripts Electronically (Click here for additional information)
o Any official transcript sent to the program, or the School of Health Professions Admissions and Enrollment department will not be accepted
Transcripts must be sent to GradCAS only. GradCAS only accepts electronic transcripts from the following sites:
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- Credentials Solutions
- Parchment
- National Student Clearinghouse
Sending by mail
If your school does not offer these services, download and send a transcript request form to your school's registrar, who should send the transcript to:
GradCAS Transcript Processing Center
P.O. Box 9217
Watertown, MA 02471
Applicants with Degrees from Non-US Institutions
In addition to meeting the admissions requirements above, applicants with foreign credentials are required to meet the following (additional requirements for applicants with foreign degrees are outlined in our website):
- Request a course-by-course evaluation of all foreign transcripts showing GPA calculation on a 4.0 grade scale.
- Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University does not endorse any evaluating and or credentialing service. You may use the following agencies:
- World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
GradCAS will ONLY accept the evaluation report from the credentialing agency. DO NOT SEND your foreign transcript to GradCAS.
If you choose WES, you can request electronic WES evaluations directly through the application. Click Order WES Evaluation after listing your foreign school in the Colleges Attended section. Once WES completes your evaluation, they will send it to GradCAS electronically. GradCAS also accepts paper WES evaluations sent via mail.
All other foreign transcript evaluations from the credentialing agency must be sent directly to GradCAS at the following address:
GradCAS Transcript Processing Center
PO Box 9217
Watertown, MA 02471
If the academic institution that you attended does not issue documents in English, the credentialing agency will require that you submit a word-for-word translation of your transcripts. You can contact University Language Services (ULS) to submit your transcript for translation and instruct them to send the translated transcript to the credentialing agency you choose.
TOEFL Requirements (these may be waived at the Program Director's discretion)
International applicants whose native language is not English MUST take the TOEFL exam and receive a score as follows:
- Internet-based test (preferred): 80
- Computer-based test: 213
- Paper-based test: 550
TOEFL Score Report
Use TOEFL Code B886 to have official TOEFL scores sent directly to GradCAS
Completed GradCAS Application
A completed application requires a paid application fee, all transcripts, CV/Resume, personal resume, and at least two letters of recommendation.
Incomplete GRADCAS applications WILL NOT be reviewed.