Nutrition and Health Coach Diploma (NHCD)
Nutrition and Health Coaching
Overview
Key Features
Entry Requirements
Content & Delivery
Course Fees & Dates
Finance & Policies
Video
Downloads
Notes
Support
Advanced Learner Entry
Overview
We are currently pursuing approval for this programme with the UK and International Health Coaching Association (UKIHCA) enabling graduates to apply for professional membership.
CNELM, an early adopter of combining coaching within its educational and nutritional practitioner programmes since 2001 is delighted to launch the NHCD programme that places coaching as the central practitioner outcome alongside robust bioscience, nutrition and business practice outcomes. If you are looking to become a nutritional therapists then please review the Personalised Nutrition Practice Diploma (PNPD) that includes coaching within the programme.
Why become nutrition and health coach? Many of us are aware of the obvious and hidden challenges of adopting and sustaining lifestyle change that have the potential to improve our health and wellbeing. An effective health coach empowers their client to draw upon their own resilience to adapt to, and sustain change over time. Becoming a nutrition and health coach is a dual role. The services can be combined within a client consultation or separated.
The NHCD course embeds the Dietary Educator Course (DEC) that enables graduates to inform and educate their clients and groups about food and health and dietary change. The NHCD training will enable you to demonstrate skills required for the dual application of becoming a nutrition and health coach.
The revised NHCD is due to launch in January 2026. Applicants interested in this programme can start with Bioscience Entry Modules (BEC) in preparation for starting the rest of the NHCD in January 2026.
Students must have passed any initial required Bioscience Entry Modules (BEC) modules followed by two modules from the MSc/PGDip in Personalised Nutrition which are: Personalised Nutrition Requirements (PNR) and Personalised Nutrition & Longevity (PNL) before completing the rest of the programme. Please review the module outline for the MSc/Dip programme.
The NHCD course also embeds the NLP Practitioner Certificate course and the Why Weight Practitioner (WW8) plus a business module Nutrition Enterprise taken from the Personalised Nutrition Practice Diploma (PNPD) programme.
The programme inclusive of bioscience entry modules is assessed across Levels 3-7.
Qualifications, Accreditations and Validations
- Nutrition and Health Coach Diploma – CNELM is currently pursuing approval for the NHCD with the UK and International Health Coaching Association (UKIHCA)
- Dietary Educator Course (DEC) – Federation of Holistic Therapists
- NLP Practitioner Certificate – UKCPD and ANLP
- MSc or PGDip in Personalised Nutrition – validated by Middlesex University
- Following the completion of PNR and PNL a PG Cert Exit Award in Personalised Nutrition is possible from the MSc or PGDip in Personalised Nutrition – validated by Middlesex University for students unable to complete to the MSc or PGDip.
Key Features
- currently pursuing approval with the UK and International Health Coaching Association (UKIHCA) for January 2026 launch
- 100% Distance Learning
- Available to study part-time 3 years
- Opportunities to start throughout in January, April and September
- Flexible study plans that can be adapted after starting studies, to better suit any changing needs
- students will gain the Dietary Educator Course (DEC) for practice as a Dietary Educator
- students will gain the NLP Practitioner Certificate
Entry Requirements
Eligibility Requirements:
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- Meeting entry requirement and enrolling for the Level 7 MSc or PGDip in Personalised Nutrition
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- Applicants can apply to take the NHCD and take nutrition modules set at Level 4 instead of Level 7. This can be discussed on a per application basis. Students would take nutrition modules and assessments at first year undergraduate level rather than Level 7. Students would be registered with CNELM and not enrolled on a degree programme. The cost would be similar but less than students enrolled on a degree programme.
Entry Requirements:
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- Bioscience Entry modules, unless the applicant holds prior qualifications that may exempt them from one or more of the four modules e.g. GCSE and ‘A’ level, or equivalent qualifications. Please see the Bioscience Entry Course (BEC)
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- GCSE in mathematics, or equivalent, OR CNELM’s Maths Foundation module
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- GCSE in English Language or equivalent
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- IELTS 7.0 if taking the NHCD as well as the PNPD
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- Basic computer skills including word processing, internet browsing and use of email
Please note that GCSE and ‘A’ level, or equivalent qualifications accepted within a 5-year currency or demonstrating continued application in the workplace.
Content & Delivery
In addition to the Dietary Education service detailed in the DEC overview, NHCD students will have the opportunity to extend their coaching skills and gain the NLP Practitioner Certification and the additional Why Weight Practitioner coaching module that focuses on supporting individuals with weight management concerns.
Personalised Nutrition Requirements (PNR) will provide the fundamentals of nutrition including the macro and micro nutrients, phytonutrients and soil-to-table concepts alongside tackling obesity. Personalised Nutrition and Longevity (PNL) reviews health across the lifespan from the health of the conceptus through to healthy ageing with a focus on gene-nutrient-environmental interactions.
After completing requirements for PNR, PNL, NLP Practitioner and Coaching in Personalised Nutrition Practice and Personalised Dietary Education (see DEC), students then see, as Part of Preparation for Coaching Practice, 2 clients for 3 visits for coaching consultations and write up their case notes as well as complete formal assessments. After completing Why Weight Practitioner students will then see a client with weight concerns and write up case notes as well as formal assessments. The Why Weight module is the largest module on the programme and the syllabus brings together many elements of the overall programme and enables students to demonstrate depth of knowledge, understanding and application if skills in preparation for working independently as a Nutrition & Health Coach.
Nutrition Enterprise enables students to review their market potential and create a 5-year forward thinking business plan to review the services they wish to include within their practice as a nutrition and health coach.
Course Fees & Dates
| NHCD Course Fees Jan-Dec 2025 | |||
| Course | Course Breakdown | Payment Method | |
| Total Fee: £11,620 (students enrolling in 2025) with the bioscience entry modules | |||
| Bioscience Entry | £1600 | Payable in full or 4 x £400 consecutive payments. | |
| MSc/PGDip 2 Level 7 Modules | £4050 | Payable as a £1480 annual tuition fee prior to the starting of the first module and 8 or 12 monthly payments of £321.25 or £214,16 respectively. | |
| Remaining NHCD Course Modules | £620 | Coaching in Personalised Nutrition Practice includes Days 1-5 of the NLP course | |
| £1000 | Personalised Dietary Education inclusive of client work and certification | ||
| £1050 | NLP top-up days 6-11 + verification + certification. | ||
| £600 | Preparation for Coaching Practice | ||
| £1200 | Why Weight Practitioner inclusive of client work | ||
| £800 | Nutrition Enterprise | ||
| £700 | Annual Tuition Fee payable prior to each additional year of study.
Payable as £700 annual tuition fee prior to the start of the modules and 18 monthly payments of £248.33. |
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| Bioscience Entry modules are paid first. Students are invoiced annually based on the modules taken in one year.
MSc and PGDip students incur a £1480 annual tuition fee for each year of study. If any modules are taken alongside MSc & PGDip studies i.e. rest of course modules, the modules are covered by the £1480 annual tuition fee. A £700 annual fee would apply for any modules taken in a new academic year after MSc or PGDip studies. Hence, the Total Fee has included only one £700 annual tuition fee, as this is typical. |
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The NHCD standalone course is based on 240 credits = 2400 hours inclusive of bioscience entry modules. As a rule of thumb for every 10 credits allow 100 hours of work inclusive of attending webinars, tutorials, independent reading and writing up assessments.
The NHCD course, exclusive of bioscience entry modules, can be comfortably completed part-time over 36 months, as a standalone course. Based on 36 months this averages as 65 hours per month/15 hours per week. The minimum time to complete is 30 months.
Study plans for applicants combining the NHCD with the full MSc or PGDip programmes would be given a bespoke study plan based on full or part time degree studies.
Finance & Policies
Please review our Key Policies including the Payment, Charges and Refund Policy
Video
Downloads
Notes
Qualifications, Accreditations and Validations
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- Nutrition and Health Coach Diploma – CNELM is currently pursuing approval for the NHCD with the UK and International Health Coaching Association (UKIHCA)
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- MSc or PGDip in Personalised Nutrition – validated by Middlesex University
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- PG Cert Exit Award from the MSc or PGDip in Personalised Nutrition – validated by Middlesex University
Support
From the point of application to graduation we aim to provide you with robust support.
Module Leaders are there to support and guide you through each module. Alongside co-markers, Module Leaders are there to provide quality feedback in a timely and developmental manner.
If you need to review your study plan, you can meet with the Programme Manager. You can request to slow down your pace of study, or increase your pace of study. The Programme Manager would meet with you if you need to pause your studies for a period of time.
Our Student Support Manager is there to provide pastoral support, Students can schedule a time to throughout the academic year to discuss concerns they might have that are impacting upon their studies.
Students can be referred to meet with our Coach Mentor, if considered an appropriate means of support for a student.
Applicants with a diagnosed learning need, or students that develop a learning need can meet with the Student Support Manager and our Learning Needs Support Manager.
IT and Administrative support is ongoing throughout studies.
Students that might meet a financial challenge, can arrange to speak with our Finance Team.
Advanced Learner Entry
CNELM is committed to recognising prior certificated and/or experiential learning.
The NHCD is made up of 11 modules equating to 240 credits. All students irrespective of prior learning must complete Level 7 PNR and PNL modules.
Some applicants will already hold relevant coaching or business qualifications and can apply for module exemptions for our coaching and business modules.
Prior learning is assessed against the learning outcomes for the modules being considered for an exemption.
In principle, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is based on knowledge being current. For example, an accredited prior course such as a degree or professional qualification is within the last 5 years. If more than 5 years then applicants would need to demonstrate continued application of their knowledge in a work environment. Sometimes, students have experiential learning, for example, running their own business or working for a company that has enabled them to demonstrate the learning outcomes, or partially demonstrate the learning outcomes for the business module.
Applicants can discuss prior learning at interview or after starting studies. Guidance is offered following application. You can email us at info@cnelm.ac.uk.
