Level 6
Short Courses

This course provides a solid foundation in diet and nutrition and their profound influence on health and wellbeing down to the level of the genome, and biochemical and metabolic pathways. The application of nutraceuticals and testing in clinical practice are introduced.

Course Highlights:

• Understand the foundations of personalised nutrition: Explore the philosophy and principles underpinning nutrition tailored to individual needs.
• Trace the food journey: Investigate how food travels from the soil or sea to our plates, influencing quality and its effect on human health.
• Connecting diet to biochemistry: Gain insights into how diet impacts health at the genomic, biochemical, and metabolic levels.
• Critical evaluation of dietary guidelines: Understand how nutrient intake recommendations are set and evaluate their relevance for personalised applications.
• Introduction to clinical tools: Learn the basics of using nutraceuticals and clinical testing, providing a strong base for application in future modules.
• Promote healthy eating: Explore factors that influence eating habits and develop skills to interpret and apply healthy eating guidance effectively.

Duration and start dates
September 2025 (4 months), February 2026 (4 months)

This course focuses on the possible negative and positive impacts of diet, lifestyle and environmental factors on neurological and endocrinological biochemical pathways. You’ll explore how these impacts might be measured and modulated using nutrition and lifestyle approaches. You’ll explore subjects such as stress, the HPA axis, hormonal health, neurotransmitter support, and brain health.

Course Highlights:

• Evaluate how biochemical and functional testing can measure neurological and endocrinological function.
• Critically assess the role of nutrition screening and digital health data in monitoring and optimising wellbeing.
• Develop tailored interventions – construct personalised nutrition, nutraceutical, and lifestyle strategies to support stress management, hormonal health, and brain function.

Duration and start dates
May (4 months)

This course explores how diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors influence gastrointestinal function and detoxification processes, and in turn, how this affects overall health. You’ll explore how impacts might be measured and modulated using nutrition and lifestyle approaches. You’ll cover topics such as restoration of digestion, absorption and elimination, liver and gall bladder health, dysbiosis, the mucosal barrier, probiotics and prebiotics, and the gut-brain axis.

Course Highlights:

• Evaluate how biochemical and functional testing can measure gastrointestinal and detoxification function.
• Critically assess the role of nutrition screening and digital health data in monitoring and supporting digestive and detoxification health.
• Develop tailored interventions – construct personalised nutrition, nutraceutical, and lifestyle strategies to support digestion and gut-brain health, and optimise detoxification.

Duration and start dates
May (4 months)

This course examines the possible influences of diet, lifestyle and environmental factors on cardiometabolic function and related biochemical pathways. You’ll explore how these impacts might be measured and modulated using nutrition and lifestyle approaches. Topics include mitochondrial health, glycocalyx support, obesity, and cardiac health.

Course Highlights:

• Evaluate how biochemical and functional testing can measure cardiometabolic function.
• Critically assess the role of nutrition screening and digital health data in monitoring and supporting cardiometabolic health.
• Develop tailored interventions – construct personalised nutrition, nutraceutical, and lifestyle strategies to support cardiometabolic health.

Duration and start dates
September (4 months)

This course explores the impact that diet, lifestyle and environmental factors can have on the immune system at different stages of its development. Strategies for measuring and modulating immune function are discussed within the context of clinical cases. Topics include intolerance, allergy, and autoimmunity.

Course Highlights:

• Evaluate how biochemical and functional testing can measure immune function.
• Critically assess the role of nutrition screening and digital health data in monitoring and supporting immune regulation and health.
• Develop tailored interventions- construct personalised nutrition, nutraceutical, and lifestyle strategies to support immune function regulation and health.

Duration and start dates
September (4 months)

This module equips you with theoretical understanding and practical skills to implement effective behaviour change strategies within a nutritional and lifestyle context. By exploring the complexities of health causality, psychological models, and individual differences, you’ll gain insights into supporting clients to achieve meaningful and sustainable wellbeing outcomes.

Course Highlights:

• Understand behaviour change principles: Gain in-depth knowledge of behaviour change theories and their application in real-world nutrition and lifestyle settings.
• Develop effective interventions: Learn to create tailored strategies to facilitate positive health outcomes for diverse client needs.
• Explore health causality and ethics: Critically examine the multifactorial nature of health, alongside therapeutic approaches and ethical considerations.
• Enhance communication skills: Strengthen your ability to engage clients effectively, fostering trust and collaboration during the therapeutic encounter.

Duration and start dates
February – April (3 months)

This course is ideal for graduates with a health sciences degree, whether or not they have practice experience, as well as for qualified nutritional therapists seeking to return to practice. It also welcomes transfer students with Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) who are aiming to complete their training in nutritional therapy. Graduate Diploma alumni with practice experience in their profession can join to meet the requirements for CNHC registration and BANT membership.

This course prepares you for entry to the nutrition and lifestyle medicine profession consolidating theoretical learning and personal and professional development. You’ll undertake clinical training, and see real clients under the supervision of supportive, qualified clinic supervisors in our highly respected Optimum Nutrition Training Clinic. The module exceeds the regulatory requirements of profession regulator Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).

Course Highlights:

• Conduct real client consultations under the supervision of experienced clinic supervisors.
• Explore critical aspects of practice management, including governance and ethics.
• Meet the requirements for registration with CNHC and membership with BANT, enhancing your professional credentials.

Duration and start dates
February (6 months) – GradDip, Return to Practice
September (6 months) – Return to Practice

This course provides you with the knowledge, tools and skills to set up in business and become competent, lawful, safe and autonomous nutritional therapy practitioner. Visiting practitioners share their experiences of setting up a diversity of successful business models. You’ll explore opportunities to build a portfolio career, formulate business ideas and plans, learn about advertising and marketing using traditional and digital platforms, and look at emerging trends and competition. You’ll create a business plan including financial modelling within legal, professional and ethical frameworks.

Course Highlights:

• Develop the skills to set up a nutritional therapy practice
• Explore advertising and marketing strategies, including digital platforms, while considering competition and trends.
• Create a business plan as a blueprint for financial and operational success.

Duration and start dates
September  (5 months), February (4 months)

Firstly, students learn the essentials of research in nutrition and lifestyle medicine, including both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Afterwards, with staff support, students design a research project and submit an ethics application. There is a choice of four project types: literature review, content analysis, questionnaires, and interviews; this enables a good variety of projects. Research projects typically focus on a particular aspect of nutrition and lifestyle medicine, such as a certain diet, food, supplement, or lifestyle factor, and assess how it relates to human health and disease.

Course Highlights:

• Develop an understanding of different research methods and methodologies, including how to collect and analyse data
• Learn how to take an initial project idea and turn it into research project, according to sound research practices
  Gain expertise in writing and submitting a research proposal, including how to address ethical, research integrity, and data management issues

Duration and start dates
September (5 months), February (5 months)