FAQ

Q. Why should I study at IINH?

• Experience – IINH has offered accredited vocational courses in nutrition and health since 2002. We were the first college in Ireland to graduate Nutritional Therapists, and we now have over 100 alumni, more than any other provider. Experience is a key asset – our four primary tutors have, between them,  over 75 years of clinical and teaching experience. And in 2005, IINH founded Ireland’s first dedicated Nutritional Therapy Clinic.

• Reputation – Most of our new students each year are referred by former graduates, or have heard of our reputation elsewhere. Several overseas students have moved to Ireland in order to study with us.

• Innovation – The first Nutrition & Health Coaches (ever!) will graduate from IINH in summer 2011, armed with a brand-new, internationally recognised qualification (BTEC Advanced Diploma in Nutrition & Health Coaching). This programme was created at IINH, and is validated by EDEXCEL, a global accreditation body for academic and vocational education. Our programmes emphasise ‘nutrition in practice’ – learning to teach others why and how to make smarter, healthier food & lifestyle choices, and to make them stick.  So, unlike most regular nutrition courses, these aspects get high priority in our Coaching programme.

• Accreditation -IINH is a registered Training Provider for:
  • EDEXCEL –  global accrediting body for our year-1 programme: BTEC Advanced Diploma in Nutrition & Health Coaching
  • FETAC - The Further Education and Training Awards Council is the statutory awarding body for further education and training in Ireland. Our nutrition courses come with FETAC awards
  • ITEC -  international examining board for complementary therapy. The ITEC Diploma in Diet & Nutrition for Complementary Therapists is an optional award in Year 1
  • NTOI – Irish professional body that recognises our Diploma in Nutritional Therapy
  • More on accreditation

• Degree opportunities - Our Nutritional Therapy graduates have progressed to MSc programmes in Nutritional Therapy, Nutritional Science and Public Health Nutrition, among others, at UK, Irish and Australian Universities. A UK college specialised in nutrition education (cnelm.co.uk) will fast-track IINH graduates onto a BSc or Masters programme awarded by Middlesex University. Study options are flexible – full-time, part-time, attendance, full e-learning, or blended learning.

Q.  I’m interested in both the Nutritional Therapy (NT) and Coaching programmes. Which should I choose?

• No problem there. All our new students enter the Nutrition & Health Coaching course, which also serves as year 1 of the NT programme. You have the whole of year 1 year to consider if you want to progress to year 2. Towards the end of year 1 (around late May) two lecture weekends are held for those who intend to progress, or are still undecided.

Q.  I want to train as a Nutritional Therapist, so why do I have to do the Coaching programme?

• …….healthier cooking oils, low-GI sweeteners, better breakfast cereals, how to cook beans, sourcing alternative spreads, how to use quinoa, gluten-free bread recipes…. As a novice Nutritional Therapist  you’ll discover that, apart from clinical expertise, you need lots of very practical knowledge & skills around food to help you educate clients and achieve better outcomes. That’s why these essential elements and core skills are covered during the Nutrition & Health Coaching programme in year 1.

• Other benefits of your training as a Nutrition & Health Coach on the way to NT graduation:
  • you can practise – and earn – as a Coach during years 2 & 3 of the course
  • practical experience gained as a Coach provides confidence and useful skills to ‘hit the ground running’ as a newly-graduated Nutritional Therapist.

Q.   Do I need previous qualifications or skills?

• No previous qualifications are required. You do need to be reasonably competent in spoken and written English, and have basic computer skills.

Q.  I didn’t do science at school – does that matter?

• No. Many of our students left school – long ago – without science subjects, and our programmes are designed to accommodate them. So there’s no need for any previous science knowledge.

Q.  I have previous qualifications, can I skip a year?

• With certain forms of prior learning, it is possible to enter year 2 of the Nutritional Therapy programme. However, our Nutrition & Health Coaching year is an integral part of the NT curriculum, and certain elements of it are not taught elsewhere. Our Prior Learning Coordinator will deal with this issue on an individual basis.

Q.  What is the study commitment?

• Apart from the scheduled weekends, a 2-hour tutorial (attendance and on-line) is offered to students between each teaching weekend. Attendance is voluntary.
• Suggested study time for the year-1 programme is about 4-6 hours per week. A large part of this is recommended reading. Written assignments and case studies form a large part of home study.
• In years 2 and 3, about 8-10 hours per week of study commitment is suggested.

Q.  What can I do as a Nutrition & Health Coach?

Q.   What can I do as a Nutritional Therapist?

Q.  How is course attendance structured?

• Study weekends are Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm. In Year 1, the Saturday session finishes at 6pm.
• Weekends are scheduled about once a month, from mid-September to early June. There are 13 weekends over the 10 months in year 1, 11 weekends in year 2, and 9 in year 3 (plus clinical practice sessions). Year 3 extends to 18 months (graduation in December) to facilitate the completion of all clinical practice and assessments.

Q.  What about deposit and fees? Any discounts available?

• An initial deposit of 600 euro is required to secure a place on the course. This is refundable (minus 30 euro admin fee) until the first course weekend.

• Two discount options are available:
  • If full payment received before September 30, 2011, 10% discount is applied over the full amount.
  • If full payment received before December 31, 2011, 5% discount is applied over the full amount.

Q.  What if I have to drop out?

• If a student withdraws from the programme, a refund policy may apply. (Please see Fees Refund Procedure.)

Q.  What if I miss a day or weekend?

• It is certainly best if you can attend, but we do understand that it may not always be possible. If you have to miss a session, day or weekend, all class handouts plus audio recordings can be downloaded the following week from the dedicated Student page on the website.

Q.  Do I need to buy books or other materials?

• Just 2 or 3 books are recommended for purchase each year. As soon as students enrol, they may borrow books, DVDs and other materials from the extensive IINH library. All required lecture materials are supplied by IINH, including printed notes.

Please contact us for other questions, or check the admin page.