Looking to expand your knowledge in functional nutrition? There are many certification programs available, including full-length degrees, graduate certificates, or professional programs. You can be sure to find one that best suits your goals, budget, and bandwidth from the seven options below.
7 Best functional nutrition certifications
When considering how to become a functional nutritionist, below are some of the best certification and degree programs. These were discovered through our research as well as conversations with nutrition professionals.
Note that many programs may require prerequisites like being a health care professional or having an undergraduate degree, so be sure to explore those requirements prior to choosing a program.
Here are our favorite options:
1. Integrative and Functional Nutrition (IFN) Academy
The Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy offers fully online training in integrative and functional medical nutrition therapy. This program is a comprehensive way to learn about nutrition assessment, systems biology, labs, supplements, diet, treatment protocols and up to date research. These trainings have been a crowd favorite for many dietitians.
IFNA offers several pathways through their training programs, depending on your personal goals:
- Option 1: Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner (IFNCP) Credential – Complete the 5-track program (each track has many modules) and pass the board certification exam. To be eligible to take the exam, you must already hold a credential as an RD, RN, MD, etc, or be in an education program like a Master’s Degree or dietetic internship. Health coaches and other allied health professionals may be able to sit for the exam but should contact the company to confirm requirements. You must complete the program within 24 months.
- Option 2: Certificate of Training – Complete the 5-track program but the board exam not is required. You must complete the program within 24 months.
- Option 3: Continuing Education – Only want to focus on certain topics? You can purchase tracks individually to earn continuing education credits. Up to 224 CEUs are currently available.
The fee for all 5 tracks is currently $4727 at the time of publish, with an additional small fee for application for the credentialing and for the board exam if you pursue that track.
2. Bastyr University
This Master of Science in Integrative Nutrition program is ideal if you’re looking for a traditional academic approach to enhancing your skills. The program approaches nutrition through a whole-person wellness lens, and focuses on topics like culinary medicine, counseling skills, whole food nutrition, supplements, and food systems and justice.
The program is fully online and includes the following courses:
- Whole Foods Nutrition in Culinary Medicine (4.5 credits)
- Research in Integrative Nutrition (4.5 credits)
- Nutritional Biochemistry (4.5 credits)
- Human Physiology for the Integrative Nutritionist (4.5 credits)
- Nutrition, Environment, and Food Systems (4.5 credits)
- Integrative Nutrition Metabolism (4.5 credits)
- Nutrition Analysis, Assessment and Meal Planning (4.5 credits)
- Integrative Nutrition in Wellness Care (4.5 credits)
- Integrative Nutrition in Chronic Disease Prevention (4.5 credits)
- Supplementation and Bioactive Compounds in Nutrition Care (4.5 credits)
- Integrative Nutrition Counseling (4.5 credits)
- Applied Capstone Project (4.5 credits)
The current cost of $475 per credit, totals approximately $25,650 for the 54 credits, at the time of publish.
3. Certificate of Training in Integrative and Functional Medicine Nutrition Therapy (IFMNT) through Next Level Nutrition
The Certificate of Training (COT) program in Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy (IFMNT) is offered to a variety of licensed healthcare professionals, or fitness and nutrition professionals that meet minimum educational requirements (undergraduate or graduate nutrition degree).
The comprehensive training is completely online and offers 12 modules, totaling almost 450 hours of content. There are live and interactive training sessions, but these are recorded if you are unable to attend live.
Modules include topics like:
- Gut health
- Toxic burden and detoxification
- Metabolic disorders
- Thyroid health
- ADHD and autism
- Cognition and brain health
- Advanced functional lab testing
- And more!
Pricing for these training programs is not listed on their website but can be obtained by contacting the program.
4. University of Western States Certification or Master’s Degree
The University of Western States offers rigorous training for those who want an intensive dive into functional nutrition. You can choose from one of these two programs:
Option 1: Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine (MS-HNFM). This graduate degree program includes the following courses:
- Evidence-Based Nutrition (3 credits)
- Principles of Functional Medicine (4 credits)
- Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Assessment (3 credits)
- Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (3 credits)
- Gastrointestinal Imbalances (4 credits)
- Detoxification and Biotransformation Pathways and Imbalances (3 credits)
- Hormone and Neurotransmitter Regulation and Imbalances (4 credits)
- Whole Food Nutrition and Supplementation (4 credits)
- Oxidative/Reductive Dynamics and Energy Production (3 credits)
- Autoimmune Disease: Causes and Strategies (3 credits)
- Meal Planning in Health and Illness (3 credits)
- Immune Imbalances and Inflammation (4 credits)
- Nutritional Epidemiology and Clinical Research (3 credits)
- Cardiovascular Disease and Metabolic Imbalances (3 credits)
- Clinical Nutrition through the Life Cycle (2 credits)
- Capstone-HNFM (3 credits)
Option 2: Graduate Certificate in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine. This is designed for practicing healthcare professionals who want to deepen their understanding of functional nutrition without necessarily committing to an entire master’s degree program. It includes 9 of the courses listed above.
Tuition for both of these programs is currently $592 per credit.
5. The Functional Nutrition Alliance Training Programs
The Functional Nutrition Alliance (FxNA) offers two training programs that are intended for healthcare professionals, health coaches, and aspiring nutrition counselors. There are no specific prerequisites to take the trainings. Programs include:
- Option 1: Full Body Systems Program. This is a 10-month online program that explores the seven key body systems: digestive, immune, urinary, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, and reproductive. The program includes recorded classes and live Q&A sessions. Once you’ve completed the training and passed the exam, you will be certified as a Functional Nutrition Alliance Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor (CFNC).
- Option 2: Functional Nutrition & Lifestyle Practitioner. This program is only available for graduates of the Full Body Systems program, and is by application only. It is a 4-month deep dive with intensive mentorship and community support. Upon completion of the program, you will earn the title of FxNA Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner (FNLP).
The Full Body Systems program costs $5950 if paid in full, though payment plans at a higher rate are available. Pricing for the practitioner program is not public facing. This training is not approved for CEUs for registered dietitians.
6. Kansas University Dietetics and Integrative Medicine Graduate Certificate
This program is a bit shorter than some of the other college-level courses, so it might be a great option for those who want a quicker route to a certificate. It includes the following four courses:
- Dietary and Herbal Supplements (3 hours)
- Introduction to Dietetics and Integrative Medicine (3 hours)
- A Nutrition Approach to Inflammation and Immune Regulation (3 hours)
- Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics in Health and Disease (3 hours)
Applicants must currently be a registered dietitian or other health care professional, or enrolled in a graduate health care degree, and must have taken at least one medical nutrition therapy course.
This program is virtual and is 12 credit hours long. Current tuition is $458 per credit hour for online courses, totaling approximately $5496 at the time of publish.
7. The DIFM Practice Group Certificate of Training Program (currently unavailable)
The Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine practice group, DIFM for short, offers a 5-module introductory course in functional nutrition. This program is intended for registered dietitians who wish to further their functional nutrition knowledge.
At the moment, this program is unavailable as it is being updated. However, it should be available again in late 2025.
While the exact programming may change, the last iteration of the program included five modules:
- Module 1: Introduction to Integrative and Functional Nutrition
- Module 2: Digestive Health
- Module 3: Environmental Toxins, Exposure, and Elimination
- Module 4: Inflammation
- Module 5: Dietary Supplements
Additional specialized trainings in gut health
Many dietitians become interested in functional nutrition because of an interest in gut health. If that sounds like you and you’re looking for specialized training in that area, the following learning opportunities may be the best choice for you.
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1. Mastering Gut Healing
Mastering Gut Healing focuses on how to use functional nutrition to improve patients’ gut health. A large number of conditions are covered using a signature “5R” treatment framework: Remove, Replace, Repair, Reinoculate, and Relax.
This is a 9 module course that runs live over 11 weeks. The modules contain recorded lessons, practitioner protocols, patient handouts, research citations, and cheat sheets. There are also live Q&A discussions.
The cost of Mastering Gut Healing is $1099. The CPE activity application for this course is pending CDR review and approval for 30 CPEUs.
2. The Ultimate Online Education for Dietitians Treating IBD Patients
This course is ideal for any healthcare professional working with patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The 10-module self-paced online course will arm you with the tools and confidence to help your IBD patients feel better using food and nutrition. The integration of readings, mini-videos, diagrams and images keeps the course interesting and appeals to many learning styles.
The cost of IBD Nutrition School is $379. It is approved for 10.75 CEUs.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, there are many paths towards expanding your knowledge as a functional nutritionist. There’s no one “right” certification program, but rather it’s smart to choose one based on your professional goals, CEU preferences, and budget.
Once you’ve expanded your knowledge in this area, be sure to come back here and visit our content all about functional nutrition resources. These are super helpful worksheets, handouts, and treatment protocols that you can use in your work with patients!
Recommended reading
Ready to learn more? We’ve hand-picked a few favorites from the blog.
- How to Become a Functional Nutritionist – Becoming a functional nutritionist usually involves background education in nutrition or the medical field, followed by an approved program like…
- 30+ Functional Nutrition Resources to Use with Clients – Looking for functional nutrition resources to use with your clients? Find handouts, presentations, and treatment protocols!
- The Best Nutrition Coaching Apps for Dietitians & Trainers – Find out which nutrition coaching software programs will help you to streamline your nutrition business and save time.
