Human Sciences
Main Content
The Master of Science in Human Sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences offers a broad, interdisciplinary program, preparing students for careers in exercise, nutrition, recreation, and sport professions. The program leads to a Master of Science in Human Sciences degree with three concentrations in Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Sport and Recreation Administration.
Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours including a research core, a professional development course, and concentration-specific courses. The research core requires 3 credit hours of research methods, 3-4 credit hours of statistics or analytics, and 3-6 credit hours of a culminating project. For the culminating projects students will choose from one of four options: thesis, research paper, professional development project, or internship. If the thesis or research project option is selected, submission of the completed paper must comply with the rules of the Graduate School. Additional requirements for the degree are specific to the respective concentrations of Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Sport and Recreation Administration. All students must maintain a minimum 3.0 (4.0 point scale) grade point average and earn a C or better in all graduate-level classes to be eligible to graduate.
All students must submit a Program of Study with a Graduate Faculty member in the first semester of graduate school. All Program of Study forms will be approved by the Graduate Program Director when the student is enrolled in SHUS 503.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Human Sciences
Required Courses
Human Sciences Core (9 - 13 credit hours)
- KIN 500: Techniques of Research (3 CH)
- PH 513: Public Health Analytics I (3 CH), or QUAN 506: Inferential Statistics (4 CH)
- Variable: Culminating Project: 3-6 credit hours
Professional Development (1 credit hour)
- SHUS 503: Human Sciences Seminar (1 CH)
Select One Of The Following Concentrations:
Exercise Science Concentration (11-18 credit hours of KIN graduate courses; an additional 2-6 credit hours of approved courses are also required)
Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration (16-20 credit hours)
- Nutrition & Dietetics with Dietetic Internship*: 12 credit hours from approved FN courses; 15 hours supervised practice (FN 580A, FN 580B, FN 580C).
To be eligible for admission into the Nutrition & Dietetics with Dietetic Internship program, students need a Verification Statement for having completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics issued by an ACEND®-accredited program director. Admission to The Dietetic Internship program is separate from admission to the SIUC Graduate School, please see the Dietetic Internship Coordinator for information on admission to this program. The Master of Science Degree in Human Sciences with a concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics with The Dietetic Internship Program is designed to provide advanced study in nutrition and dietetics and provide a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised practice (dietetic internship). Students who successfully complete the M.S. in Human Sciences’ coursework and a minimum of 1000 hours of the accredited dietetic internship must be verified by the program director to then be eligible to take the registration examination for dietitians. The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®) sets Standards of Education for entry-level dietetics education. ACEND® is the only accrediting agency for dietetics education programs recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE). Continued recognition by the USDE since 1974 affirms that ACEND® is a reliable authority as to the quality of dietetics education program that it accredits. Programs accredited by ACEND® meet the education requirements established by Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). The Dietetic Internship program at SIUC has been granted accreditation through 2028 by ACEND®.
Sport and Recreation Administration Concentration (17-20 credit hours of KIN, REC, or other approved courses)
Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation/Recreation Therapy
Enhance your knowledge and skills in the dynamic field of Recreation Therapy (Therapeutic Recreation).
Overview/Program Highlights
The Therapeutic Recreation/Recreation Therapy Graduate (Post-Baccalaureate) Certificate prepares students to help maintain and improve the quality of life and general health of individuals and society by creating, discovering, and disseminating knowledge through service in the profession. The certificate meets the majority of the academic requirements for National Certification as a Recreation Therapist. Students seeking National Certification should meet with recreation professions faculty to verify specific coursework required.
Academic Requirements
Completion of the Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation/Recreation Therapy will require 15-18 credit hours of coursework selected from the courses listed below (at least 50% of certificate hours must be earned in courses numbered 500 or above). Students may select course options that meet the academic requirements aligned for preparation of NCTRC certification testing or opt for an individualized plan that aligns with their career goals.
- REC 560: Advanced Techniques in Administration of Recreation Therapy Programs (3 CH)
- REC 561: Advanced Assessment and Documentation for Recreational Therapy (3 CH)
- REC 524: Recreational Therapy Foundations (3 CH)
- REC 525: Recreation Therapy Facilitation Techniques (3 CH)
- REC 526: Recreation Therapy for Physical Disabilities (3 CH)
- REC 580: Readings in Leisure and Recreation (1-3 CH)
- REC 596: Internship in Recreation (3 CH)
Admissions Requirements
The Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation/Recreation Therapy is open to post-bachelor level students who meet the criteria for admission to the SIUC Graduate School. Students should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (A=4.00) on the entire last undergraduate GPA earned at the time of application and complete a program application.
Accelerated Master's Program
The accelerated master’s program is designed for motivated and high-achieving students who are currently enrolled in the undergraduate program in Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, Recreation, and Sport Administration. The program allows students to earn both a Bachelor of Science in one of the previously mentioned undergraduate programs and a Master of Science in Human Sciences with a concentration in Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics with internship, or Sport and Recreation Administration within 5 years (or other applicable time frame, depending on degree requirements). Up to 9 credit hours of coursework can be shared between the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Students have the following options:
Thesis
Non-Thesis
Undergraduate students may request program entry as early as their third year with approval of the school. The program graduate director and the student will work out an accelerated Master’s degree memorandum of interest (MOI) that will identify up to nine credit hours that may be counted toward both the undergraduate degree and the Master’s degree. The courses identified on the list in the MOI must be graduate-level courses as listed in the Graduate Catalog for the catalog year in which the student is enrolled in the course.
Please refer to the Graduate Degree Requirements section of the catalog for more details on Accelerated Master’s Degrees.

