Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Nutrition
This newly launched Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Nutrition is designed for healthcare professionals who wish to gain a deeper understanding of how nutrition can affect medical conditions and lifestyles in varying population groups, and to gain a better insight into the various presentations related to nutrition that they could encounter.
With a completion time of just six months, you can now upskill in this crucial field faster than ever before, and you'll be better equipped to offer accurate diagnoses and choose appropriate treatment plans.
Next intake: September 2024Key Facts
Successful completion of our online clinical nutrition course will add value to your CV and will enable you to rise to the challenges of delivering high-quality care to their patients within a complex primary and secondary care environment.
Unlike competitors who emphasise theoretical learning through extensive reading and essay writing, our PG Cert in Clinical Nutrition focuses on practical, clinically-rich scenarios. We offer a multidisciplinary approach, enabling students to apply their knowledge in real-life situations alongside their day jobs.
This Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Nutrition aims to:
- Equip the individual with a critical and systematic knowledge of clinical nutrition, skills in critical appraisal and application of knowledge for direct patient benefit/service development and future study.
- Equip students with life-long learning and advanced problem-solving skills that they can apply to (clinical) practice in a range of settings.
- Enable graduates to critically evaluate practice in clinical nutrition in relation to the evidence base.
University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham is the only independent university in the UK with a Royal Charter, and also one of the smallest with around 2,700 students, who study for honours degrees in two intensive years of study. The University houses its own medical school and was ranked first for student satisfaction in 2018, 2019 and 2020 by the Complete University Guide.
Next intake: September 2024 Key Facts
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Why Study a Clinical Nutrition Postgraduate Certificate with Learna
We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
100% Flexible
Our courses are 100% online. No fixed study times mean you can log in and learn whenever and wherever.
Multidisciplinary - study in a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.
Expert Led
All of our programmes are authored and developed by world leading experts in their field.
Our faculty are selected due to their subject expertise, experience and teaching abilities to ensure the highest standards of educational excellence.
Career Boosting
Get a University Validated postgraduate qualification in just 1 calendar year instead of 2 academic years.
40% of our alumni reported an increase in salary 2 years after studying with us.
Who is this course for?
This programme is directed to Dietitians, Medical doctors, Nurse practitioners and physician associates, Pharmacists, Speech and language therapists, Occupational therapists, Physiotherapists.
How Will I Learn?
You will be supported throughout your studies by a committed team of internationally recognised educational experts.
Our courses are conducted through our interactive online learning platform, log in daily whenever and wherever you want. No fixed timetable empowers you to study when it suits you
These usually occur within groups of 10-20 students, allowing you to clearly communicate with both your tutor and fellow students.
Curriculum
Our online Clinical Nutrition Postgraduate Certificate allows you to study for just six months and is a part-time, distance-learning course. The course is worth 60 credits and comprises three modules of 20 credits, each running over a period of six weeks.The module provides a systematic understanding and specialist theoretical and methodological approaches of the fundamentals of nutrition in adult medicine, covering the physiology and pathophysiology of diet, metabolism, appetite and food science, including macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) and their metabolic roles.
Indicative content:
- Food science, including Foods, nutrients, metabolism, diet and appetite
- Macronutrients
- Micronutrients
- Physiological functions
- Biochemical mechanisms
- Diets
Learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the fundamentals of nutrition in health.
- Critically evaluate current research and guidelines relating to dietary patterns and nutrient intake in adults, in a range of settings.
- Apply an advanced knowledge and understanding of the dietary variety, nutritional intake patterns, functions of nutrients, absorption and metabolisation.
This module will equip students with the knowledge and skills to conduct integrated nutritional assessments, calculate individual energy and nutrient requirements, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing nutritional concerns, whilst providing in-depth knowledge of body composition in healthy individuals, assessment methods, and factors influencing nutritional status.
Indicative Content:
- Nutritional risk, nutritional status and body composition changes (changes throughout the life cycle)
- Methods for assessing nutritional risk and nutritional status body composition (practical and research applicability)
- Dietary intake questionnaires to assess current and previous dietary patterns. Nutritional history
- Previous intake of food and nutrients (consumption of supplements and drugs)
- Biochemical analysis
- Social and individual aspects relevant to access and intake of food (isolation, housing conditions, economic factors, functional disabilities)
Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the physiological changes in body composition across various life stages and the implications for overall health, integrating knowledge of metabolic processes, hormonal influences, and nutritional requirements.
- Critically evaluate and apply advanced methodologies for assessing body composition in clinical and research contexts, synthesising information from multiple sources to interpret anthropometric data, bioimpedance measurements, and imaging techniques accurately.
- Synthesise the evidence and critically interpret this into the delivery of processes to conduct comprehensive nutritional assessments, including obtaining dietary history, analysing nutrient intake data, and interpreting weight variations over time, to make informed recommendations for dietary interventions and personalised health strategies.
The overall aim of this module is to equip postgraduate healthcare professionals with advanced knowledge, analytical skills, and practical expertise in utilising clinical nutrition as an integral component of preventative care strategies for promoting optimal health and mitigating chronic disease risk across diverse patient populations.
Indicative Content
- Importance of nutrition in disease prevention
- Obesity and chronic disease prevention
- Cardiovascular disease prevention
- Bone and joint health, neurological health
- Gut health and immune function
- Cancer prevention
Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the role of specific dietary patterns, functional foods, and nutraceuticals in the prevention of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity-related conditions.
- Critically analyse current research findings and evidence-based guidelines to formulate comprehensive nutritional strategies for the prevention and management of various health conditions in diverse patient populations.
- Devise and justify personalised nutrition care plans for patients, incorporating appropriate dietary modifications, lifestyle recommendations, and patient education strategies for effective preventative care.
Assessment Methods
The Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Nutrition places assessments at the heart of the learning process through the employment of real life scenarios to enhance problem-solving, critical analysis and evidence-based practice. Since the scenarios act as a focus for learning and assessment, the two are intrinsically linked.
The three modules on the course have the same assessment format and for all modules, you will be assigned a dedicated expert tutor. Your tutor will then facilitate case discussions with the group, whilst monitoring, assessing and marking your work throughout. You will also participate in a combination of module activities that may be group and/or individual based, dependent on the module.
These innovative teaching methods enable you to envisage the translation of your studies into your every day work and practice. Due to the online nature of the course, you will be expected to regularly login and participate in the course - ideally on a daily basis. Students are recommended to spend around two hours per day on their studies. Our dedicated Student Support Team are also available to help with any problems you may face. From navigating our online platform to advising you on deadlines, our team can assist with any questions or challenges you may have along the way.
The online reflective journal is a learning portfolio that requires the students to record and critically reflect on their learning. Reflection is an important aspect of the programme as the professionals will be able to spend time considering how their practice compares to the themes being discussed in the module. The tutor provides regular feedback to the student and marks it at the end of the module.
Reflective practice is a requirement for healthcare professionals for both professional re-validation and professional development.
The group activity is designed to stimulate and test the students’ ability to work as a team in taking the subject area forward. A group task is set, the group elects a leader using the online forum (designed to put leadership skills into practice) and the leader allocates tasks to group members.
The leader is responsible for managing, collating and submitting the activity (online) at the end of the module. The tutor provides formative guidance part way through the module and marks the assessment at the end.
Examples of individual activities might include either a written assignment, poster, blog or social media project.
All students must complete the same assignment for each module that is predetermined by the programme Leader before the modules commence. Students are not provided with an option to choose.
Students are required to critically analyse clinically focused case-based scenarios, discussion threads and weekly questions posed by their tutors via the Academic Forum (an online discussion board) and designed to meet the module learning outcomes. Here, students make their own researched and referenced contributions and interact with the tutor and their fellow students. There is no didactic teaching, instead, students are posed questions and prompted to search the literature, read it critically and respond. Engagement is encouraged by the tutor prompting students to respond and the use of automated activity monitoring software.
At the end of each module, the tutor allocates marks to each student based on a marking rubric. The rubric takes into account the following elements:
· Promptness and initiative
· Delivery of post (spelling and grammar)
· The relevance of post and referencing
· Expression within the post
Case problems in the form of a one-hour timed examination with multiple-choice ‘single best answer’ questions directly test the reasoning and knowledge objectives of the module. The online examination is marked automatically. The examination tests Anti-Ageing Medicine related theory and problem-solving skills.
Entry requirements
Since our PGCert in Clinical Nutrition is conducted entirely online, it is accessible to both UK and international registered healthcare professionals.
Applicants will typically hold a first degree or equivalent (including international qualifications) in a relevant professional healthcare field, such as a medical or nursing degree.
Registered healthcare professionals without these recognised qualifications will be considered for the Clinical Nutrition programme on an individual basis and a wide range of prior experience may be taken into account. In some cases, applicants may be asked to submit a piece of work for assessment in order to confirm that they are able to work comfortably at postgraduate level, and demonstrate the requisite clinical and professional knowledge.
Documents Required
- A copy of your updated CV including your address and date of birth.
- A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate.
- The name and email address of someone who is able to provide a reference, this can be a work colleague, employer or former tutor.
- A detailed personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the course.
- A copy of your proof of English competency (see below).
English Language Requirements
Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS (with an overall score of 6.5 and a minimum of 6.0 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.
If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. You can also contact our admissions team on admissions@diploma-msc.com for more information on the qualifications we accept.
Course Fees
Option 1: Upfront Payment in full. Option 2: Interest free payments every other month for the duration of the course.
| Date | Instalments | Up-Front Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | £800 | £2,400 |
| 1st November 2024 | £800 | |
| 1st January 2025 | £800 |
† Deposits are non-refundable
†† Prices are subject to review following each intake
Option 3: Lower your monthly payments by spreading the cost for between 2 and 8 years with a loan from our lending partner Lendwise*.
*Subject to eligibility criteria.
Learna | Diploma MSc has a partnership with Lendwise which is a leading private student loan provider, to help UK students fund their course fees should they require financing. Lendwise is a UK-based education finance platform through which candidates can fund their postgraduate and professional qualification studies at leading educational institutions.
A Lendwise loan comes with a fixed interest rate for the duration of the loan (between 2 and 8 years) and no early repayment penalties. The interest rate offered will depend on the overall applicant profile and the application process is entirely online.*
*Other sources of funding are available.
Learna | Diploma MSc does not offer financial advice, recommend or endorse any financial product. You should always check the suitability of the product that is of interest to you. If you are in any doubt as to its suitability, we suggest that you seek independent professional advice.
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We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online diploma courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
Our courses are some of the most affordable of their kind, providing value for money without compromising on quality. We also don't apply an international surcharge. No fixed timetable means you can log in & learn on the go, at your convenience.
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