Find out more about the training opportunities and career prospects here
Are you considering a career in nutritional therapy ?
Becoming a Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner is not just about seeing clients in clinic. There are also other career paths that can be pursued outside one-to-one clinic as a nutritionist, including organising retreats, working in the community, journalism, corporate wellness, teaching and development of health products. Commonly BANT members combine a couple of different, but related, income opportunities to add variety to their working week.
Find out more about your potential future career options.
Training to become a Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
The training providers listed below offer Nutritional Therapy Education Commission (NTEC) accredited courses in nutritional therapy which afford you direct entry onto the register held by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and will enable you to become a member of BANT. The CNHC holds an Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) for the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). The PSA oversees statutory bodies and accredits organisations holding voluntary registers for health and social care occupations in the UK.
NTEC accredited nutritional therapy courses are accredited to the standard required for entry to an accredited register. Students who follow courses that do not meet this standard will not be able to apply for professional registration as a Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, until they have accrued three years clinical experience of working at the level of the National Occupational Standards, evidenced by the submission of a detailed portfolio of evidence.
Centre for Nutrition Education and Lifestyle Management
All programmes are Distance Learning
The BSc, MSc and PGDip programmes are validated by Middlesex University and the Practice Diploma is endorsed by Qualifi
MSc and PGDip in Personalised Nutrition + Practice Diploma
Upgrade to MSc or PGDip for Diploma or BSc trained practitioners
The BSc and PNPD is now closed to new students but remains an accredited route to nutritional therapy practice until remaining students have graduated. The PNPD continues in combination with the MSc and PGDip programmes detailed above.
*** Offers Return to Practice (RTP) ***
Institute for Optimum Nutrition
Distance courses with optional attendance activities
All courses are validated by the University of Portsmouth
BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy
GDip Integrative Functional Nutrition + Practice
BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy Top-up for students who want to upgrade their diploma to degree level
*** Offers Return to Practice (RTP) ***
University of West London
Distance learning course with live, online clinic training.
Degree validated by the University of West London
BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy
Upgrade to BSc (Hons) for Diploma or BSc trained practitioners
University of Worcester
Combination of Attendance and Distance learning
Degrees validated by University of Worcester
PGDip /MSc Nutritional Therapy and Lifestyle Medicine
BCNH College of Nutrition and Health / University of Northampton
Online learning
Degree validated by the University Northampton
BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
Diploma in Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (this course is now closed to new students but remains accredited until remaining students have graduated)
Northern College of Acupuncture
Mostly distance learning
Degrees validated by the Health Sciences University (HSU)
The following courses are now closed to new students but remain accredited until remaining students have graduated:
MSc/PGDip in Nutrition Science and Practice
Upgrade to MSc for Diploma or BSc trained practitioners
BANT cannot recommend one course over another. However, we do recommend that you should enrol on a course that has been fully accredited to achieve qualifications as a Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.
Training to meet the competencies laid down in the National Occupational Standards will require in-depth study of health and nutrition science. There are no exemptions from clinical practice to graduate as a nutritional therapy professional.
Practising Nutritional Therapy Practitioners have an opportunity to upgrade to a degree level course at CNELM, ION, and UoW. Please contact the Training Providers for further information.
Healthcare professionals have an opportunity to complete a GDip + Practice at ION. Please contact ION for further information.
Applicants with first degrees or higher qualifications may be able to enrol directly, or after completing a short pre-entry bioscience course, in a Post Graduate Diploma or Master of Science course. Please contact the Training Providers for additional details.
*As of 1st of September 2020, BANT Full Membership will require a level 6 qualification, i.e. Bachelor’s (Hons) degree or Graduate Diploma, or higher level qualification from a recognised university with NTEC accreditation for nutritional therapy practice.
**BANT continues to accept and supports student members on all NTEC accredited courses. Student members who started their NTEC accredited diploma course on or after 1st of September 2020 will require an upgrade to BSc (Hons) or higher degree qualification to convert to Full Membership.