Diploma in Sports Nutrition - Institute of Performance Nutrition Diploma in Sports Nutrition - Institute of Performance Nutrition

6 weeks until the May 2024 goes live

IOPN Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Our unique Level 7 programme, equivalent to a Postgraduate Diploma.

Become confident translating science into practice
Tackle 40 real-world case based scenarios
Learn from the leading experts in sports nutrition

 

Apply now Download prospectus

Mode

100% online

Duration

12-18 months (FT-PT)

EQF Level

7 (masters)

Credits

120 credits

Price From

£4,980 + VAT

Accredited

CFI (OfQual AO)

Global Comunity

Internationally recognised

What is the IOPN Diploma?

The IOPN Diploma in Sports Nutrition is a CFI accredited (OfQual EQF Level 7 / Masters degree level) 100% online practice-focused program that has been uniquely designed and is exclusively delivered by the IOPN. You will be supported by our in house team of highly trained and experienced sports nutritionists, who are complemented by a world-class faculty of expert guest lecturers.

 

When you finish this course, you’ll have the advanced theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to immediately work effectively with a wide range of individual athletes and teams, from amateur “recreational athletes” to elite-level professionals and Olympians.

Laurent at IOPN lecture

Many of our students and graduates work for top sports teams

England Rugby logo
Leicester FC logo
West Ham United logo
Canada Basketball logo
Chelsea FC logo
North Texas Mean Green logo
British Athletics
Scottish Rugby
Exeter Rugby Chiefs
Norwich FC
Team GB
Toronto Maple Leafs
Millwall FC

Why choose our course?

Study while you work

Our course is 100% online so you can easily study anywhere at any time and fit in your studies around full-time work and family commitments.

Master behaviour change coaching

Learn how to explain complex topics in a simple way so your clients can easily understand how and why they need to fuel for performance and recovery.

Learn problem solving skills

Practical assignments will challenge you to develop the skills to overcome unexpected challenges with clients in different performance environments.

Upgrade your career

We'll teach you the knowledge and practical skills to set up your own sports nutrition coaching business, work with amateur and elite athletes or even apply to study for a PhD.

Attract more clients

Evidence-based knowledge and coaching skills will maximise the results you get from clients across multiple sports, so you can attract clients and increase your income.

Get insured

Once you’ve graduated, our qualification will allow you to obtain insurance to practice as a Performance Nutritionist. See our FAQs section for full details.

Gain international recognition

The IOPN Diploma is a CFI accredited EQF Level 7 (UK OfQual regulated masters degree level) program.

Join our student network

Access to a private Facebook group to network with fellow students, including personal trainers, nutritionists, S&C coaches, dieticians, doctors and more.

What will the IOPN Diploma do for my career?

Our graduates have gone on to work with elite athletes and teams, build thriving sports nutrition businesses, studied PhDs, landed their dream jobs and even switched careers.
Read more success stories

🇮🇪 Ellen McDermott

DipIOPN, BSc, UKAD

Performance Nutritionist

"Like anyone who graduated from the IOPN would say, it was the most relevant, practical and engaging coursework I've ever been a part of. Fast forward to 5 years of exercise science and performance nutrition studies, topped off with the IOPN Diploma and I have developed a set of skills which has allowed me to work with some top level athletes. In the past few months I embraced the challenge of starting my own business which couldn't be going any better."

🇬🇧 Charles Ashford

DipIOPN, MSc, SENR

Nutritionist at Dallas Mavericks

"I also did a master’s degree a few years later but I actually found the diploma more valuable than I found my master’s degree, because I felt like I already had that level of knowledge from the diploma by the time I went into the master’s. I also didn’t get access to the same world leading experts in their area. There are only a handful of courses in the world that offer that and the IOPN is one of them."

🇮🇪 Fiona O’Donnell

DipIOPN, MSc

Performance Nutritionist

"I graduated from the diploma and can honestly say it was the best learning experience I’ve ever engaged in. I’ve spent the last 18 months since graduation focussing on business and I’m delighted to say - it’s taken off! Great confidence gained from the programme which has allowed me to excel in my space."

🇬🇧 Richard Brennan

DipIOPN, MSc, CSci

BASES Accredited Sport Scientist - Chartered Scientist. Royal Society Medicine - Senior Associate Member

“Having completed a BSc. and MSc. before gaining #BASES accreditation I thought I knew a thing or two about nutrition… and then I took the IOPN Diploma. It’s not easy to put across how incredible it is but mind blowing and inspirational are two words that come to mind.”

🇬🇧 Tiffany Afflick

DipIOPN, BSc, SENR

Senior Nutritionist, Physiologist and Creative Chef working for The Edge HPL

“The course has accelerated my career. I had practical experience with athletes after university but the diploma built on that - I’m ahead of where I thought I’d be at this point.”

🇬🇧 Nick Lumley

DipIOPN, MSc, CSCS

Head of Performance - NSW Waratahs

"A course doesn’t have to give you the answer to every challenge you get in your career, it needs to give you the skills to deal with the challenges you face and that’s what this course does."

🇬🇧 James Moore

DipIOPN, MSc, SENR

Performance Nutritionist

“I’m working with a female athlete and developing nutrition strategies around her menstrual cycle - I wouldn’t have been able to work at this advanced level without the diploma.”

🇬🇧 Kate Neudecker

DipIOPN

Online Coach, Fitness Writer and Content Creator

“My business and client base has really progressed. I’ve been able to really niche down and work with clients who are performance based and interested in specialist coaching.”

Learn from the best

Your lectures will be delivered by some of the world’s leading experts in performance nutrition, who fuel elite athletes and teams and carry out the research that dictates how Sports Nutritionists work with athletes.

Prof. James Morton PhD SENr

Liverpool John Moores University. Formerly Team Sky & Liverpool FC.

Dr Sophie Killer PhDr

Performance Nutritionist, English Institute of Sport

Dr Mayur Ranchordas DProf SENr

Sheffield Hallam University & sports nutrition consultant for elite athletes.

Prof. Graeme Close PhD SENr

Liverpool John Moores University. England Rugby & European Tour golf.

Dr Javier Gonzales PhD

University of Bath

Prof. Emma Stevenson PhD

Newcastle University

Prof. Dylan Thompson PhD

University of Bath

Dr Kevin Currell PhD RNutr SENr

English Institute of Sport

Dr Lewis James PhD

Loughborough University

View all lecturers and tutors

One-on-one tutors

Our course will push you to reach your sports nutrition coaching potential - but you won't do it alone. You’ll be assigned one of our one-on-one tutors to help you along your learning journey.

Dr Laurent Bannock

DProf, MSc, CSCS, RNutr, SENr, IOPN Founder and Director

Alex Ritson

MSc, SENr (Grad) Head of Education

Dr Stephen Smith

BSc, MSc, PhD, SENr (Grad) Lead Tutor & Red Bull Performance Nutritionist

Dr Mark Hearris

BSc, MSc, PhD, SENr Tutor & Nutrition Consultant (elite football)

Nina Walker

Tutor, MSc, DipIOPN, BSc, SENr, UKAD, Sports Nutritionist & S&C coach for elite student athletes

Harvey Fortis

Tutor, DipIOPN, BSc, MPhil, SENr, UKAD, ISAK, Sports Nutritionist

What will I learn on the course?

Our four sports-specific modules will give you a thorough training in advanced sports nutrition science and exercise physiology related topics, as well as teach you how to communicate with and coach “real world” clients.

 

Click the (+) button for a brief summary of each module or the gold button below for a full breakdown of each module, unit, lecture, practical assignment and more.

 

Module 1: Human Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
The module aims to introduce and/or refresh students to the underlying principles of exercise metabolism and human nutrition. Topics covered include bioenergetics, skeletal muscle metabolism, the structure and function of skeletal muscle, nutrients and non-nutrients and human energy expenditure/availability.

Module 2: Sport and Exercise Nutrition
Digestion and Intestinal Absorption & Macronutrients
The module aims to provide students with an overview of the underlying principles of sports nutrition. Topics covered include digestion and absorption of nutrients and the roles, functions, biochemical pathways and metabolism of macronutrients.
Module 3: Sport and Exercise Nutrition
Micronutrients & Supplementation
The module extends the students understanding of core concepts in sports nutrition. Topics covered include fluid requirements and water balance, the function, role and requirements of micronutrients, the evidence-base of various supplements and current doping regulations in sport.
Module 4: Advanced Sports Nutrition
The module advances the students understanding of key concepts and prevalent research themes in sports nutrition. Topics covered include, exercise and immune function, nutrition’s role in modulating training adaptation, weight management strategies and personalised nutrition.

Accreditation

We are proud to have achieved formal program accreditation as well as professional body / industry recognition for the IOPN Diploma from a number of leading international bodies and awarding organisations. Visit our accreditation page to learn more:

Eligibility

The course is an postgraduate level (EQF Level 7 / Master’s degree level) program, meaning students must have a good level of prior knowledge and education to be eligible to apply. Examples below:

Related degrees
If you have a university degree in a life science subject (i.e., biology, physiology) or specific to sport or nutrition (i.e., sports science, strength & conditioning, nutrition, sports nutrition, dietetics etc.), then you are eligible. Students with degrees in psychology and education are also eligible.

If you don’t have a degree or a degree in a related field, you must have other professional qualifications in your field:

Professional qualifications

Alternatively, professionals with accredited certifications (i.e., personal training, nutrition coaching), plus a minimum of 1 year of relevant experience (i.e., as a personal trainer, strength & conditioning coach, or nutritionist) will be accepted.

For those that have nutrition coaching certifications (i.e. PN, NASM etc), you may also be able to apply on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the programme director.

English language level

In addition, all applicants must satisfy an IELTS 6.5 level (CEFR: C1) of English comprehension. Alternatively, if applicants can demonstrate that they have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in English in the last five years, then this will also be accepted as having met the standard without demonstrating IELTS certification.

Course start dates (intakes)

There are four course cohorts (intakes) per year: February, May, August and November. You can apply at any time and start your studies in the next available cohort.

 

Each cohort opens officially on the 25th of the cohort month (Feb, May, Aug, Nov), with the application and enrolment deadline for each cohort being the last day of the cohort month.

 

There is a maximum time limit of 18 months to complete the course (part-time), with the average time to completion being 12 months (full-time).

Fees breakdown

Our flexible pricing makes our internationally recognised, world leading programme a highly affordable option for current and aspiring specialists in sports nutrition. The total fees payable includes the student registration fee (£445) plus tuition fee.


Learn More

Registration fee

CFI (OfQual AO)
£445

Tuition fee - three options

Pay in full
£4,980 + VAT
Cost per credit (£41.50 / credit)

Spread over 10 monthly instalments
£5,478 + VAT
Cost per credit (£45.65 / credit)

Spread over 18 monthly instalments
£5,874 + VAT
Cost per credit (£48.95 / credit)

Apply today to join our May 2024 cohort.

APPLY NOW