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Nutrition & Exercise Physiology

Welcome to the Program in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Washington State University. Our dedicated faculty members have developed unique degree programs that incorporate professional and research training in two areas that are critical to human health: nutrition and exercise.

A major goal of our undergraduate (BS NEP) and professional graduate (MS CPDNEP) programs is to enable graduates to test for certifications as ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialists (CES; undergraduate) or Registered Dietitians (RD; graduate). Many of our students seek both certifications as future healthcare providers. Beyond attainment of these professional goals, we provide students with the critical thinking, analytical, quantitative, and oral and written communication skills that are essential for careers in healthcare and science.

On the research side, NEP faculty members have diverse interests that encompass areas from basic science, to clinical science, to public health. Recent examples of NEP scholarship include publications concerning the effects of diet and exercise on cardiac function, and the effects of lipid mediators on the growth of cancer cells. Our PhD NEP program provides mentored training that prepares students for research careers in academia, industry, or the public sector.

We are delighted to be part of the rapidly growing Division of Health Sciences of WSU, located in Spokane. Our location facilitates training of our students at high-quality supervised practice sites from Spokane to Tacoma, and allows us to engage in interdisciplinary activities and outreach with other healthcare professionals and researchers on the Riverpoint campus. Our graduates are “giving back” by serving the public in diverse venues. We look forward to your inquiries and visits.

Kathryn Meier, Ph.D.
Director and Professor
Nutrition & Exercise Physiology

Degrees Offered

• B.S. in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
• M.S. Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
• M.S. in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
• Ph.D. in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

B.S. Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

This is a unique two-year bachelor’s completion degree (junior and senior years). The curriculum integrates exercise physiology, human nutrition, biological sciences, and social and psychological sciences. Graduates will be eligible to become Clinical Exercise Specialists through the American College of Sports Medicine, or may continue and obtain a master’s degree to become a Registered Dietitian through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Read more on the B.S. NEP »

M.S. Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

This is designed to ready students to become Registered Dietitians through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This program was established and accredited in 2010, building on decades of success with dietetics programs at WSU. This degree can be completed in 15 months, usually as one academic year plus two summers. Read more on the M.S. CPDNEP »

M.S. Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

This professional degree program is for students with an undergraduate degree in a related field who seek to obtain more expertise in clinical exercise physiology. The degree can be either thesis or non-thesis, and can include research opportunities in clinical exercise physiology.

Career Opportunities for the B.S., M.S. CPDNEP and M.S. NEP

These NEP degrees are for students interested in professional careers in healthcare. Depending on their degree, these professionals may work in:

• Hospitals, medical centers, and rehabilitation facilities counseling patients in nutrition and exercise
• Food service operations at institutions like schools and long-term care
• Food and nutrition industry in consumer affairs, product development or communications
• Sports nutrition or corporate wellness programs educating and counseling others
• Private practice providing services to restaurant managers, food vendors and distributors, athletes, and corporations
• Public health teaching, monitoring, and advising
• Teaching physicians, nurses, students, and others at universities and medical centers
• Research in universities, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities or for food or pharmaceutical companies

Ph.D. in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology

This program focuses on advanced work in nutrition science and exercise physiology. Students use research techniques to study and determine how compounds in food affects human health and wellbeing, and analyze the body's responses to physical exertion, as well as hormones and metabolism. Read more on the Ph.D. NEP.