Guidelines for Nutrition Program Approval

Nutrition education programs must demonstrate proficiency in the following educational standards to become NANP approved, and to allow graduates to become Professional members of our association, and apply to sit for our Board Exam in Holistic Nutrition. To be considered for NANP review, career/ technical/ vocational/ trade schools and occupational certification programs must be recognized as private postsecondary educational institutions by the state or province in which they operate.

Review Fee: $1,500.00 USD

Nutrition Program Educational Curriculum Requirements

A minimum of 24 credits (1 semester credit = 45 educational hours)

1. Anatomy/Physiology – 3 semester credits
2. Biochemistry – 3 semester credits
3. Nutrition – 6 semester credits, must include:
1. Macronutrients
2. Micronutrients
3. Life Cycle Nutrition:
1. Men’s health (pediatric & geriatric)
2. Women’s health (pediatric & geriatric)
4. Sports Nutrition
4. Nutrition & Pathophysiology – 3 semester credits, topics to be covered below (may overlap with Physiology requirements above):
1. Nutritional Support of the Body (Digestive, Immune, Cardiovascular, Musculoskeletal, Nervous, Lymphatic, Integumentary)
2. Environmental Influences on Health & Disease
3. Symptomology of insufficiency, excess and impaired metabolism
5. Nutritional Counseling – 6 semester credits, to include:
1. Comparative Dietary Systems
2. Diet analysis & planning
3. Popular diets review
4. Whole foods
5. Cultural influences
6. Nutritional Supplementation
7. Health assessments
8. Analyzing laboratory results
9. Whole foods cooking
10. Menu/meal planning
6. Herbology – 1 semester credit, at least 30 herbs studied
7. Business – 1 semester credit, to include:
1. Legal issues surrounding nutrition practice
2. Practice Development
3. Ethics – Standard of Care and Scope of Practice
4. Bioethics (including FERPA & HIPAA)
8. Research – 1 semester credit

Graduates of NANP approved nutrition programs must meet all standards listed above.

SPECIAL NOTES:

• Hard copy materials will NOT be returned to applying institutions.
• Approved programs must notify the NANP of curriculum changes. Failure to do so may result in approval revocation.
• Programs that do not meet the educational standards, will be provided a list of deficiencies.
• Graduates of schools that do not obtain NANP approval may still qualify for Professional membership if they have successfully met the educational standards through prior or additional coursework from other programs.  
• A telephone interview with the program director is required to complete the review process.