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  1. Courses
  2. For healthcare practitioners
  3. Short Courses

Short courses in integrative functional nutrition (personalised nutrition)

Credit bearing & non-credit bearing short courses

Tailored to healthcare practitioners

Healthcare practitioners are increasingly seeing patients and clients presenting with lifestyle diseases that were rarely seen 40 years ago, with numbers rising despite pharmacological intervention.

As a result, there has been growing demand within the healthcare sector for training in nutrition and lifestyle medicine. Integrative functional nutrition, also widely termed 'personalised nutrition', is such an approach that enables practitioners to understand the impact of food, nutrition and lifestyle on individual health. 

We offer all modules from our Graduate Diploma in Integrative Functional Nutrition and selected modules from our BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy as short courses, as well as one- to three-day CPD courses. 

All courses are delivered online.


Short courses (GDip Integrative Functional Nutrition)

Our Graduate Diploma in Integrative Functional Nutrition is validated by the University of Portsmouth. Modules taken as short courses offer qualified healthcare practitioners the opportunity to explore the impact of nutrition on health, to study specific areas of interest, or to qualify and practise as a registered nutritional therapy practitioner.

Each short course has a credit bearing (assessed) or non-credit bearing (unassessed) option, is taught at Level 6, and is tailored to practising healthcare professionals including doctors, allied health care and CAM practitioners. 

More details about credit bearing and non-credit bearing courses:

All short courses contain case-based learning and collaborative work. All nutrition modules address diet, nutraceutical use, and test choice and interpretation.

Functional Nutrition*

Gain a solid grounding in understanding the impact of diet and nutrition on health and wellbeing, down to the level of the genome, biochemical and metabolic pathways. Nutraceutical and testing use in clinical practice are introduced in this module.

*We recommend that applicants considering taking the Graduate Diploma in Integrative Functional Nutrition, who have been out of education for a considerable time, take the Functional Nutrition short course as an entry point.

Modulation of Neuroendocrine Function

Learn how diet, lifestyle and environmental factors impacts neuroendocrine function. Explore how these impacts might be measured and modulated using personalised nutrition and lifestyle approaches to promote health.

Modulation of Detoxification and Gastrointestinal Function

Investigate how foods, diets, lifestyle and environmental factors impact the microbiome, gastrointestinal (GI) and detoxification functions, and whole-body health. Explore how impacts might be measured and modulated, and apply these skills to cases using personalised nutrition approaches such as foods, nutraceuticals and lifestyle advice.

Behaviour Change in Nutrition and Lifestyle Practice

Examine the principles and theories of behaviour change in a nutrition and lifestyle practice setting and develop interventions to support clients’ wellbeing outcomes. Develop knowledge and understanding of health causality, individual differences, and psychological models of behavioural change, therapeutic approaches, and ethics and communication skills in the therapeutic encounter.

Modulation of Cardiometabolic Function

Examine impacts of food, diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors on cardiometabolic function, including hypertension, insulin dysregulation, metabolic syndrome, obesity, muscular skeletal health and renal function, and how this impacts whole body health. Discuss anthropometric, nutrition screening, and personally collected digital health data. Using cases, explore how impacts might be measured and modulated using personalised nutrition and lifestyle approaches to promote health.

Modulation of Immune Function

Examine how food, diet, lifestyle and environmental factors impact the immune system at different stages of its development and throughout the life stages. Includes management of inflammation, autoimmune conditions, allergy and intolerance, and invaders – viruses, bacteria, moulds, and fungi. Using cases, explore how impacts might be measured and modulated using personalised nutrition and lifestyle approaches to promote health.

Clinical Practice

Observe, with peers, live supervised clinical practice and undertake real world clinical training in our highly respected Optimum Nutrition Training Clinic, under the supervision of supportive, qualified clinic supervisors. Aspects of practice management including governance and ethics are covered. However, for those who wish to develop their own business we suggest either the Business and Career Planning credit bearing short course, or the Models of Nutrition and Lifestyle Practice credit bearing short course.

The Clinical Practice short course is open to the following candidates:

  • GDip graduates who have clinical experience within their own profession and who wish to register with the sector regulator, the CNHC, and become a member of BANT, the professional body for practising nutritional therapy practitioners.
  • Qualified nutritional therapists who are seeking to return to practice.
  • Transfer students with Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) who wish to complete their training in nutritional therapy

Applicants should have a degree in their subject discipline with health sciences, with or without practice experience, or significant work-based experience at graduate or post-graduate level.

  • Functional Nutrition: Feb 2023-April 2023
  • Behaviour Change in Nutrition and Lifestyle Practice: Feb 2023-April 2023
  • Modulation of Neuroendocrine Function: May 2022-Aug 2022; May 2023-Aug 2023
  • Modulation of Detoxification and Gastrointestinal Function: May 2022-Aug 2022; May 2023-Aug 2023
  • Modulation of Cardiometabolic Function: Sept 2022-Dec 2022; Sept 2023-Dec 2023
  • Modulation of Immune Function: Sept 2022-Dec 2022; Sept 2023-Dec 2023
  • Clinical Practice: Feb 2023

Credit bearing (assessed) short courses

Credit bearing (assessed) short courses are validated by the University of Portsmouth and can be accumulated, providing a flexible route towards the Graduate Diploma in Integrative Functional Nutrition. The addition of the Clinical Practice credit bearing short course provides a route to regulator registration (CNHC) and professional body membership (BANT). 

For students undertaking credit bearing short courses, we offer opportunities to refresh study skills. Students enrolled onto credit bearing short courses also have access to the university’s physical and digital libraries.

Non-credit bearing (unassessed) short courses

Short courses taken without assessment receive an ION award.


Short courses (BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy) 

Our BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy is validated by the University of Portsmouth. Modules taken as short courses offer practitioners the opportunity to develop their practice management skills or undertake an area of research.

More details:

  • Business and Career Planning (Level 6, 20 credits). Starting 2023 for applicants without practice management experience. This will replace the current ION module, Practice Management.
  • Practice Management (Level 6, 20 credits) (ION award, not validated by University of Portsmouth)
  • Models of Nutrition and Lifestyle Practice (Level 6, 40 credits) for applicants with practice management experience who wish to further their skills.
  • Research Skills (Level 6, 20 credits). Available to all applicants

To enquire about dates, contact our admissions team


CPD courses

Throughout the year we also offer one- to three-day CPD courses.

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Key facts


Award 
Certificate

Duration
 

7-9 months

Study time
 

10-17 hours per week and weekend lectures

Course code
 

ED200PTD (online learning), rNTSAC

Entry dates
 

October: ED201PTD
January: ED202PTD
May: ED203PTD

Tuition fees

£2,900

Key facts

Course codes
C0502FTD (full-time) 
C0502PTD (part-time)

Award 
Graduate Diploma

Credits 
120

Duration
 

1 year full-time
2 years part-time


Study time

20 hours per week full-time
10 hours per week part-time

Entry month

February

Tuition fees*

£7,875 full-time
£3,940 part-time

* For 2022/23 academic year. Fees for subsequent years may increase in line with inflation

Key facts

Course codes
C0503PTD (online)

Award 
BSc (Hons)


Credits 
360

Pathways 
Clinical training pathway

Duration
 

4.5 years part-time

Study time

15-20 hours per week plus time to watch lectures

Entry month

September and February

Tuition fees

£5,250 per year, years 1-4
£2,625 year 4

* For 2022/23 academic year. Fees for subsequent years may increase in line with inflation

Key facts

Course codes
C0503PTD (online)

Award 
BSc (Hons)


Credits 
120

Pathways 
Qualified nutritional therapist 

Duration
 

1.5 years part-time


Study time

15-20 hours per week plus time to watch lectures

Entry dates

February

Tuition fees*

£5,250 per year
£2,625 year 5

* For 2022/23 academic year. Fees for subsequent years may increase in line with inflation

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The Institute for Optimum Nutrition is an independent educational charity. Registered company number 2724405, registered charity number 1013084.

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