Emory University

What you'll study

The curriculum is designed to provide depth in a chosen research area alongside core methodological training. Teaching covers mechanistic and applied topics, and students tailor elective choices to their research focus.

• Biochemical and molecular nutrition — nutrient metabolism, signalling pathways, nutrient–gene interactions and laboratory techniques for studying metabolic regulation.
• Clinical and translational nutrition — nutrient assessment, clinical trial design, nutritional interventions for disease prevention and management, and patient-centred outcomes.
• Population and public health nutrition — dietary assessment methods in large cohorts, nutritional epidemiology, determinants of dietary behaviour and community intervention design.
• Research methods and statistics — advanced biostatistics, experimental design, longitudinal analysis, -omics data interpretation and use of statistical software for nutrition research.
• Specialist electives — topics such as metabolomics, gut microbiome–diet interactions, developmental origins of health and disease, nutritional genomics, policy and programme evaluation.
• Professional development — scientific communication, grant writing, ethics in human and animal research, and teaching practicum opportunities.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a relevant master's degree or a strong bachelor’s degree in nutrition, biochemistry, epidemiology, public health, or a related discipline, together with research experience. Academic transcripts, letters of recommendation that address research potential, a personal statement describing research interests and fit with Emory faculty, and a curriculum vitae are required. Some applicants may be asked to provide standardized test scores or evidence of relevant laboratory or statistical training; specific requirements are available from the programme admissions office. Admission is competitive and prioritises applicants with demonstrated research aptitude and clear alignment with faculty mentors.

Career prospects

Graduates of the PhD programme move into research-intensive careers in academia, government and the private sector. Common career paths include:

• Academic positions as principal investigators, faculty members, or postdoctoral researchers in nutrition, metabolism or public health departments.
• Research scientist roles in public health agencies, national health institutes and policy organisations focused on nutrition programmes and population health.
• Industry careers in nutrition science, product development, clinical research organisations, and biotechnology companies addressing metabolic disease or functional foods.
• Leadership and consultancy positions in non-governmental organisations, healthcare systems and global health initiatives that design, evaluate and implement nutrition interventions.

Why study at Emory University

Emory offers a collaborative research environment that spans medical, public health and basic science faculties, giving PhD candidates access to clinical populations, laboratory infrastructure and large cohort studies. Faculty expertise covers clinical nutrition, metabolic disease, nutritional epidemiology and molecular nutrition, enabling students to develop interdisciplinary projects. The university’s partnerships with affiliated hospitals and research centres provide opportunities for translational work, while professional development resources support grant writing, teaching and career planning for academic and non-academic trajectories.