Study Holistic Nutrition: PhD, Master's Degree & Online Course Info

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What will you learn in a holistic nutrition program? Read about degree requirements, the pros and cons of a master's and PhD in holistic nutrition and potential careers.
  • At a Glance
  • Master's
  • Doctorate

Holistic Nutrition Master's and PhD Degrees at a Glance

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Practitioners of holistic nutrition integrate a patient's lifestyle into a nutritional regimen. Professional credentialing can be obtained through the Holistic Nutrition Credentialing Board (HNCB), which recognizes holistic nutrition as separate from and complementary to allopathic approaches. Aggregate data for growth of the industry is not collected at this time.

Master's degree programs in holistic nutrition are available. Individuals looking for a PhD program in holistic nutrition will not find programs separate from more mainstream doctoral nutrition programs. These programs are science-heavy and focus on research. They work from the paradigm of allopathic or evidence-based medicine (EBM).

Master's Doctorate
Who is this degree for? Individuals interested in studying holistic nutrition at the graduate level Individuals interested in performing professional-level research regarding holistic nutrition from a biomedical standpoint
Common Career Paths (with approximate median annual salary) - Nutritionist ($55,000 - some master's programs meet state licensing requirements)*
- Life coach ($23,000-$107,000 - range depending on time in practice)**
- University nutrition professor ($65,000)*
- Medical scientist (except epidemiologists, $76,000)*
Time to Completion 1-2 years full time 3-5 years full-time
Common Graduation Requirements - Roughly 20-30 courses
- Master's thesis or research paper
- Master's exams
- Roughly 16-20 courses
- PhD qualifier exams
- Dissertation
- Teaching requirement
Prerequisites Bachelor's degree Bachelor's or master's degree in nutrition, chemistry or related field with nutrition coursework
Online Availability Yes None found at this time

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2011 figures), **Payscale.com (January 2013 figures).

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  • At a Glance
  • Master's
  • Doctorate

Popular Schools

  • Online Programs Available
    1. Grand Canyon University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • MBA: Health Systems Management
      • MBA: Health Systems Management
  • Online Programs Available
    2. National University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • MEd - Corporate Wellness
      • MEd - Corporate Wellness
  • Bridgeport, CT

    University of Bridgeport

  • Glenside, PA

    Won Institute of Graduate Studies

  • Chapel Hill, NC

    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • Online Programs Available
    6. Liberty University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • MA: Medical Sciences: Molecular Medicine
      • MS: Healthcare Administration: Project Management
  • Austin, TX

    Texas Health and Science University

  • Western Governors University

  • New York, NY

    Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences

Featured Schools

Grand Canyon University

  • MBA: Health Systems Management

What is your highest level of education?

National University

  • MEd - Corporate Wellness

What is your highest level of education?

University of Bridgeport

Won Institute of Graduate Studies

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Liberty University

  • MA: Medical Sciences: Molecular Medicine
  • MS: Healthcare Administration: Project Management

What is your highest level of education?

Texas Health and Science University