We train and develop sport and exercise nutrition specialists
Our advanced, practice-focused online course will arm you with the knowledge and nutrition coaching skills you need to work with private clients, elite athletes and teams.
The IOPN Diploma in Performance Nutrition
- Advanced (EQF Level 7) course
- CPD accredited
- 40+ world-class lecturers
- Trusted for 8+ years
- 1000+ graduates
- Studied in 80+ countries
- Internationally recognised
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
Why choose our course?
100% online
8-18 months
Practice focused
1 to 1 tutor support
Free SENPRO access
Upfront or monthly payment
Practice makes perfect
Our unique advanced-level diploma focuses on translating and transferring the relevant science into real-world effective practice. Case-study assignments will hone your nutrition coaching skills and enhance the support you can offer clients of all levels so you can become a confident and skilled Performance Nutritionist.
Many of our students and graduates work for top sports teams
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Who are our students?
Our students come from a range of different career backgrounds, but are all motivated by the same desire to become advanced level performance nutritionists and maximise the performance of their current and future clients.
- Personal trainers
- Nutritionists
- Dieticians
- S&C coaches
- Sports scientists
- Current/former athletes
- Physios
- Nurses and doctors
- Students
- Health & fitness enthusiasts
Recognised by professional bodies and organisations
What will the IOPN Diploma do for my career?
Our graduates have gone on to work with elite athletes and teams, built thriving sports nutrition businesses, studied PhDs, landed their dream jobs and even switched careers.
Nick Lumley: Head of Performance at New South Wales Waratahs
Nick is a Strength and conditioning coach but enrolled on our course so he could also offer his athletes evidence-based nutrition expertise to maximise their response to training. Since graduating, Nick has become the Head of Performance at the New South Wales 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."
Mark Twiggs: Head of Strength & Conditioning at Exeter Chiefs (rugby union)
Mark enrolled on the IOPN Diploma along with two other Strength and Conditioning coaches at Exeter, as well as the club’s chef after recognising the need for players to have access to world-class nutrition support. Two years on, the club’s pre-season, training and matchdays are all fuelled by the knowledge learnt on our course.
"Using the knowledge we learnt on the diploma, we changed how we fuelled our last pre-season camp and noticed a big difference in the physical performance of our players - we were able to run more intense sessions in the gym and on the pitch."
James Moore: Course Lead, Sport & Exercise Science, Sandwell College
James had a level three nutrition qualification but wanted to upskill so he could work with elite athletes. He’s since helped teenage taekwondo star Taylor Smith to win a gold medal at the European Games and is also working with several professional footballers.
“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: Personal Trainer
Kate enrolled on our course so she could give expert nutrition advice to performance-focused clients that wanted to get fitter, faster, stronger and lose weight while maintaining muscle mass. Since graduating, she’s grown her business.
“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.”
Jon Bateman: Endurance Coach
Jon studied our course to gain the knowledge and practical experience he needed to offer sports nutrition advice to his athletes. Since graduating, he’s now fully booked with clients.
“Halfway through the course I felt I was ready to start my own sports nutrition practice because the practical assignments were so hands on.”
Tiffany Afflick: Creative chef & Performance Nutritionist
Tiffany decided to study our course rather than do a master's degree. Within months of graduating her decision paid off as she landed her first job as a Performance Nutritionist and Creative Chef at The Edge Human Performance Lab.
“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.”
Sean Prunty: Development Manager & Performance Nutritionist
Sean was a pro footballer but retired following a heart problem and embarked on a new career in sports nutrition. He wanted to boost his ability to advise athletes on how to fuel for high performance in his role for a sports nutrition supplement brand.
“It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my career. It’s enhanced my knowledge of sports nutrition and given me the confidence to speak to individuals with authority based on science and research.”
Charles Ashford: Director of Sports Nutrition at University of North Texas
Charles wanted to upskill so he could give college athletes at Texas Tech University expert nutrition advice. Since graduating, he’s created a sports nutrition programme from scratch at the University of North Texas and works with elite athletes for a top NBA side.
“A lot of opportunities came my way after doing the course and I credit the diploma for that. Learning from so many world-class sports nutrition experts was an incredible experience.”
Paul Booth: Course leader & Sports Nutrition Consultant
Paul wanted to learn the knowledge and coaching skills to work with endurance athletes. Since graduating, he’s launched his own sports nutrition consultancy and works with amateur and elite athletes, including two of the UK’s best ultrarunners.
"The case studies really helped me to develop those problem solving skills. They get you thinking about all those different types of clients you might work with and a lot of the issues that you may face when working with them."
Belinda Leow
After graduating with a degree in Human Nutrition, Belinda spent four years working as a Sports Nutritionist at Singapore Sports School and enrolled on our diploma to develop her sports nutrition coaching skills.
"The biggest benefit was being challenged to think about how we’d respond to real world scenarios and situations with athletes and exactly what we’d do to help them. The diploma was perfect practice for working with athletes."
Peter Azzopardi
Peter enrolled on our diploma in 2019 after a long search for an evidence-based course that would give him the confidence and skills to change the nutrition habits of his clients and enable him to work with athletes.
"I’m now able to give evidenced-based advice for clients who are running 10k races or marathons or undergoing weight loss transformations."
Watch a free IOPN diploma lecture
Sample one of our favourite lectures from our diploma as Professor Graeme Close, Nutrition Consultant for England Rugby and European Tour Golf, discusses the translational potential of performance nutrition research.
