Online Functional and Integrative Nutrition Program

In this program, you will build on your background in health sciences and gain the skills to run your own nutrition business, learning:

• Behavioral design
• Research evaluation
• Medical technologies
• Complementary healthcare practices 
• Health coaching
• Business management

Curriculum Overview – Functional and Integrative Nutrition

Our program satisfies the coursework requirements for sought-after nutrition certifications (not service hour requirements) and prepares graduates for the next steps to become a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)**

Additionally, registered dietitians can gain a broadened scope of functional and integrative nutrition and a graduate-level degree to stay competitive in the field when current degree-level requirements change from a bachelor’s to a master’s in January 2024.

Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching Overview
The Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching specialization consists of five online courses, two of which are fully asynchronous and three of which are a combination of required synchronous and asynchronous components. Four courses are designed as seven-week intensives, and the final course is a 15-week practicum, providing learners with all the practice sessions needed to become eligible for national board certification by National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).

Because learners are coming from many different professions and points of view, this degree does not result in a discreet license or certification, but instead enhances existing skills and broadens the healthcare perspective to include a transdisciplinary approach.

The Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching Curriculum is an Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. Completers of this program are eligible to apply for the HWC Certifying Examination to become National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). Currently, there is no state licensure for health coaching. Students should contact the appropriate board for eligibility requirements, and their State Department of Health to determine which of these certifications may be recognized for practice in their state, as well as any other licensing, registration, or certification requirements, as they are subject to change.

The University makes no guarantees that an individual student will satisfy the licensure, registration or certification requirements of any particular state or other jurisdiction. It is the responsibility of an individual student to confirm the regulatory requirements that may apply in any jurisdiction in which that student intends to practice.

Receipt of a certificate or degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University does not guarantee a license or certification to practice. States vary in the specific courses of study required and/or state-based testing for certification or licensing. Students are responsible for confirming with the appropriate board(s) to determine the specific requirements for the state(s) in which they intend to practice and/or seek employment.