What qualifications do I need to be a nutritionist?

Are you considering a career in nutrition? Interested in setting up your own online nutrition business? Being a nutritionist is a rewarding role that can have a profound and positive impact on people’s lives. It’s also a very flexible career choice, with plenty of opportunities to explore in a variety of sectors – for example, food science, international aid and public health to name a few!

If you’re thinking about turning your passion for healthy eating and living into a career, but you’re unsure about how to get started or the qualifications you need (if any!), then you’re in the right place. 

Today, we’re going to walk you through the essential steps to enter this industry, how to get your expertise recognised and how our Certificate in Nutrition Business can get you on the right track. So without further ado, here’s what you need to become a nutritionist.

What is a nutritionist?

A nutritionist is someone who advises people of all ages on matters relating to diet, health and wellbeing to help them make the right choices about what they eat. They teach clients about diet and nutrition and design a range of personalised dietary plans, with the goal of improving individual health and wellbeing. 

Becoming a nutritionist opens up an exciting range of career prospects and sectors to explore. You can become a nutrition coach, dietary manager, a food industry expert or even a professional chef. Sectors can include public health, overseas aid projects, research, fitness and health projects. 

As a nutritionist, you can work as part of an organisation, set up your own practice or create an online nutrition business. Whichever sector you choose, having a strong background in nutrition offers flexible and versatile career choices.

Who can call themselves a nutritionist?

In Australia, you don’t need to attain a qualification to call yourself a nutritionist. However, if you’re serious about pursuing a career in nutrition and you want to secure higher-paying jobs in the industry, it’s a good idea to get a qualification from a recognised degree or nutrition course in the field. 

Another advantage of attaining these qualifications is that you’ll be able to apply to the Nutrition Society of Australia’s Voluntary Register of Nutritionists or the Dietitians Association of Australia.

As there are currently no government regulations or legal protection in the industry, registering with the NSA or DAA will give you that security and distinguish you from those who aren’t trained. Once you’ve successfully applied, all you need to do is renew your registration every three years.

What qualifications do you need?

To become a registered nutritionist with a recognised association like the NSA and DAA, there are a few qualification requirements you’ll need to meet. The first is a degree in Nutritional Science from an Australian university, which will take three to four years of full-time study. 

The second is several hundred hours of clinical placement. This will usually be included as part of your degree. In fact, courses that don’t include clinical placement aren’t commonly recognised by accreditation bodies…so it’s worth bearing in mind when choosing your course!

If you’re just starting out in nutrition or want to gain some experience before you apply to university, we recommend doing an online course. Our Nutrition Business course is perfectly designed for this. 

Although it’s not intended to take the place of university qualifications, it will give you the background you need to secure an understanding of the industry and set you on the right path to pursuing a career you love.

The benefits of doing an online course

Completing a Certificate in Nutrition Business will give you the background knowledge and confidence you need to pursue further education in your chosen field, like a Nutritional Science degree for example. 

You will secure a foundational understanding of what working in the industry entails, whilst discovering the tools to help you build a career or business in nutrition coaching. We’re proud to say it’s one of the most comprehensive small business courses for nutrition out there!

Most importantly, remote online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to study when it suits you best. You can learn how to advance your career easily around family and professional commitments. 

Our nutrition course is taught through a combination of videos, written resources and guided tutorials, all of which are suitable for both beginners and intermediates. You can also get extra support and guidance from our team of experienced tutors.

Nutrition Business course overview

During module one of the course, you will learn about healthy eating, how to write diet plans and create customised diet plans for your clients. You will understand how certain foods influence energy levels, fats and muscles and study nutritional intolerances and deficiencies. 

The course will also dive into different diets and what they can do for your health, including intermittent fasting and the ketogenic diet. 

Module two is where you get to take the technical knowledge you’ve learned and apply it to running a nutrition business whether it’s your own or a potential employer’s business. We’ll teach you how to find and look after your clients, the ins and outs of running a business day to day and how to even start your own fitness business. 

Plus, you’ll learn about the all-important insurance and registration requirements of operating a nutrition business. 

The course also includes two bonus short courses on social media marketing. Having this insight into the marketing side of nutrition will help you to hit the ground running, when you’re qualified and setting your business up for success. It will also help you to appear more attractive to future employers when applying to jobs!

What happens next after our online course?

After completing our online Nutrition Business Certificate, many of our students go on to get a University Degree in Nutritional Science.

This allows them to gain the relevant qualifications and experience they need, should they wish to become a member of industry accreditations and be recognised for their training and expertise.

Whichever sector or career path you decide to pursue, foundational knowledge of nutrition is an important step towards getting there. However, our Nutrition Business course doesn’t just give you foundational knowledge or a stepping stone towards a university degree.

You can access the course long after you’ve completed your certificate, so you can keep coming back to it to refresh your knowledge, upskill and stay ahead of advancements in the industry.

As a professional, doing short courses in nutrition can take your skills and knowledge to the next level and help advance your career!

Have a positive impact

You don’t need to get a qualification to be a nutritionist in Australia, but having one will help build your credibility and career opportunities in a competitive industry. Our beginner-friendly Nutrition Business course is designed to give you a rock-solid foundation of both nutrition and business, should you wish to complete further advanced studies at university. 

It can also open many career doors and take your passion for a healthy lifestyle and eating to the next level. 

On top of that, one of the major benefits of doing our online course is that with 24-hour access, you can fit it around whatever you’re juggling in your life right now, including family and work commitments.

Expand your knowledge of nutrition today and make a positive impact on people’s lives!