Overview

Nutrition is relevant to many areas of basic research as well as clinical medicine and public health, all, major strengths of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

The emphasis of the Nutritional and Metabolic Biology program from Columbia University is on educating students to become independent scientists through rigorous training in the fundamentals of nutritional and metabolic biology and thorough preparation for bench research leading to a dissertation.

Instruction is organized around a core area of concentration through a combination of courses, seminars, tutorials, and laboratory research.

Education

Students prepare for qualifying examinations and dissertation research by judicious selection of required and elective coursework at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and in other divisions of the University. Course selection for individual students is at the discretion of the Training Committee and the Dissertation Research Advisory Committee (DRAC).

First-year students take advanced courses and seminars in nutrition and molecular biology, elective courses, begin laboratory work, and explore research opportunities for their dissertation topics.

Second-year students participate in research and seminars, have an initial meeting with their DRAC, complete the Qualifying Examination (by June 30 of the second year), and may take additional courses if desired.

Third-year and on going students meet once or twice a year with their DRAC in anticipation of preparation and submission of the dissertation. Ideally, at the end of the fifth or sixth year the research is completed and the dissertation is defended and deposited with the University.

Electives may be taken at any time, usually after the first year in the program. The selection of courses should be based on the student’s research interests and career goals, or to fill deficits in their background. Elective courses are offered in the following departments: Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Biostatistics, Genetics and Development, Microbiology, Pathology and Cell Biology, Pharmacology, Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, and Psychology.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Molecular and Cell Biology of Nutrients

Mechanisms of Human Disease

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology

Responsible Conduct of Research and Related Policy Issues

Biostatistics

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 84 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

100

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IELTS

7.5

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Manhattan, United States

Disciplines

Biology Medicine Nutrition & Dietetics View 350 other PhDs in Biology in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

7.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Admissions decisions are made solely at the discretion of each program's faculty committee on admissions. Admissions committees are encouraged to take a comprehensive view of each applicant, including, but not limited to, academic preparation, such as educational history, test scores, and research experience.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

56840 USD / year

≈ 56840 USD / year
Out-of-State

56840 USD / year

≈ 56840 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

56840 USD / year

≈ 56840 USD / year

Living costs

Manhattan

United States

2638 - 5751 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Nutritional and Metabolic Biology.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Education

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Manhattan

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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