Welcome to HolisticNutritionDegree.org. We provide an all-in-one guide to finding a degree program in nutrition that best suits your career and educational goals. In addition to our articles and helpful links, our blog, maintained by registered dietitian Erin Thole, offers useful tips and resources for prospective and current students in the nutrition field. To learn more, click on each link below to jump to a more detailed overview.
- What educational options are there in nutrition?
- What is holistic nutrition?
- What credentials do I need to work in this field?
- What are my career options in holistic nutrition?
- Where can I find additional information about holistic nutrition and related fields?
What is holistic nutrition?
Holistic nutrition is a form of nutrition therapy that some doctors and wellness practitioners recommend to their patients. Most simply stated, holistic nutrition is healing the body with whole foods and supplements such as vitamins and amino acids in order to achieve optimal health. A holistic nutritionist is a professional educated in natural nutrition whose job is to help educate clients to make healthier food, supplement, and lifestyle choices.
What credentials do I need to work in this field?
It’s important to note that all registered dietitians are nutritionists but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. Inclusion of the word “nutritionist” indicates a broader knowledge of health and wellness beyond medical nutrition therapy. A registered dietitian (RD) is a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum professional and academic requirements. Many states have regulatory laws for dietitians and nutrition practitioners.
Below is a step-by-step guide that outlines the criteria necessary to earn the RD credential:
| Step #1: | Earn a bachelor’s degree with courses in nutrition and dietetics, including food and nutrition sciences, business, computer science, sociology, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry. |
| Step #2: | Complete an experiential practice program that focuses on your area of specialization, such as holistic nutrition, corporate wellness, or naturopathic medicine. |
| Step #3: | Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and verify you meet your state’s licensing requirements. (Forty-six states have enacted legislation regulating the practice of dietetics.) |
| Step #4: | Complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration and licensing credentials. To learn more, visit the Food and Nutrition Information Center provided by the USDA. |
| Step #5: | Enjoy helping others make positive lifestyle changes and achieve goals for living healthier, more active lives! |
What are my career options in holistic nutrition?
Although nutritionist is a popular career choice in the nutrition field, there are numerous other professions to choose from. The following directory will help you understand what types of careers are available to those who earn a nutrition degree. This list will help you determine if you are the right fit for a specific job based on your interests and credentials.
| Position: | Career Overview: | Job Setting: |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition Educator | Health educators teach others about behaviors that promote wellness, evaluate the effectiveness of health programs and materials, and advocate for improved health and wellness resources. | Schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations, government, doctors’ offices, private business |
| Nutritional Counselor | Nutritional counselors are concerned with human nutrition and how it can prevent or lead to various diseases or illnesses. | Hospitals, medical clinics, schools, nursing homes, food product companies, public health agencies |
| Public Health Nutritionist | A public health nutritionist is a registered dietitian who creates partnerships in the community to assure adequate and appropriate food and nutrition resources for the whole population, all ages and facilitates nutrition system and policy changes in the community. | Local organizations, welfare agencies, schools, community nutrition centers, international organizations or agencies |
| Dietitian | Dietitians are nutrition experts who help people understand the science behind food and nutrition enabling them to make smarter and healthier food choices. | Hospitals, medical clinics, schools, nursing homes, private practice office, athletic clubs, and wellness centers |
| Clinical Nutritionist | Clinical nutritionists help individuals achieve healthy physiological function by assessing their nutritional needs through biochemical laboratory testing. | Hospitals, medical clinics, private practice office |
For dietitians and nutritionists, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the job industry to grow 16% from 2014-2024. The employment growth is due to the continued problem of obesity in America, as well as a large aging population who are trying to stay healthy.
Where can I find additional information about holistic nutrition and related fields?
Our site, in addition to other credible sources, offer an abundance of information about holistic nutrition and related fields. The list below provides links to these resources to help you navigate our site and the web:
- Top Holistic Nutrition Resources Online: Our list of top 100 holistic nutrition resources online is an outstanding collection of nutrition facts and other information for those studying holistic nutrition, or anyone interested in learning more about it.
- Best Tech Tools For Nutritionists: Here you’ll find an index of great sites created to help nutritionists use technology to improve job efficiency, streamline the appointment scheduling process, and access forums for job support and information exchange.
- The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: This agency is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals as well as an accrediting agency for education programs that prepare dietetics professionals.
- Harvard Medical School Online Library of Webcasts: This site is a wealth of information with links to several Webcasts on nutrition topics.
- Meet a Dietitian – Interview with Erin McCarthy: Our interview with registered a dietitian sheds light on the nutrition industry and why working in this field is a job worth doing.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics: The BLS provides up-to-date career information for dietitians and nutritionists as well as a positive job outlook report that projects a growth of 21 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations!