Practical Nutrition Certificate

Program Overview

The Practical Nutrition Certificate Program (PNC) is a unique 4-month on campus and online program that introduces students to whole foods nutrition and the medicinal uses of food according to various cultures.

Length: 4 months
Offered: Fall semesters

Hours: 270 total
Format: On campus and online

Curriculum

Study Options

Admissions

Tuition & Fees

Financial Aid

Post Grad

FAQ

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Pacific Rim College, including the people who help run it as well as attend it, has been incredibly special to me, and frankly, has been the most positive and significant impact on my life to date. I really treasure PRC. Attending the school is incredibly significant to me, and I hold the College in high reverence.

– Latasha McMullen, Alumnus

Why Pacific Rim College?

Pacific Rim College is a leader in the field of holistic nutrition with a 4-month certificate program and a 3-year diploma program, the most comprehensive in North America.

Through the PRC Student Clinic, students provide more than 7,000 treatments annually in holistic nutrition, herbal medicine and acupuncture.

This program is approved by the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training (Private Training Institutions Branch) and Canada Student Loans.

Pacific Rim College is actively engaged in many forms of environmental stewardship including 100% green energy offsets for our campus, the highest eco-certification, and planting of 10 trees in British Columbia for every program graduate.

What You’ll Learn:

Key Learning Outcome #1

How to use food to support health and wellness.

Key Learning Outcome #2

How to analyze and evaluate the most commonly used supplements for personal use.

Key Learning Outcome #3

Learn self-assessment techniques to determine personal health needs that can assist you in making curated nutritional choices.

Key Learning Outcome #4

The most common and nutrient dense foods consumed in North America.

Key Learning Outcome #5

Common syndromes through the lens of holistic nutrition, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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I don’t think I could say enough good things about PRC. After spending three years at a large university, the smaller class sizes and compassionate teachers were an inspiring change. The school itself is a beautiful and nurturing space, and the staff and students make it that much more amazing. I learned so much about myself, gained a new outlook on the world and was trained in an amazing form of healing that has given me a job I am so proud of. I would recommend PRC to anyone, the staff and faculty are educated, kind and helpful individuals who want to see their students grow and succeed in the world of health. I will forever be grateful for my experiences and education from PRC as well as the continued support as I start my own career path. Thank you so much for those three life changing years.
– Sasha Ormiston, Alumnus

Core Program Instructors

Study Options and Calendar

The Practical Nutrition Certificate Program is a hybrid on-campus and online program offered once yearly in September. Classes are delivered on campus Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday days, with a Monday evening class delivered online.

	Fall 2024 September-December	Fall 2025 September-December
Thursday	3:45-7:00pm	3:45-7:00pm
Friday	3:45-7:00pm
Saturday	9:00am-5:30pm	9:00am-5:30pm
Sunday	9:00am-5:30pm	9:00am-5:30pm
Schedule	Fall 2024	Winter 2025

Curriculum

Below are the courses that comprise the Practical Nutrition Certificate Program. Successful completion of all components is necessary for graduation with a Practical Nutrition Certificate.

Practical Nutrition Certificate

HNCP101

Politics of Food

15 hours 15

HNCP106

Culinary Materia Medica

30 hours 30

HNCP107

Ayurveda 101

15 hours 15

HNCP108

Intro to the 5 Elements

15 hours 15

HNCP109

Systems in Sync: Nourishing Your Body Needs

15 hours 15

HNCP110

Safe Supplementation

15 hours 15

NU/WHS116

Herbal Nutrition

45 hours 45

NU/WHS153

Food Gardening

15 hours 15

NU101

Foundations of Holistic Nutrition

45 hours 45

NU111

Professional Cooking

45 hours 45

NU131/WHS130

Fungal Foods and Mushroom Medicines

15 hours 15

Total

270 hours 270 hrs

Admissions

General Admission Criteria

Admission requires successfully meeting the following minimum criteria:

Applicants must be 19 years of age or older, or have completed high school or an equivalent, such as the GED or CAEC. Applicants who are 19 or older without a high school diploma or equivalent may be considered for mature student status and will be required to complete an essay provided by the college.

English Language Proficiency Admission Requirements

Prior to acceptance applicants must meet at least one of the following language proficiency requirements:

Completion of grades 9-11, including English 11 with a grade of ‘60%’ or higher from a country where English is one of the principal languages, or
Completion of 2 years of full-time post-secondary education at an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction, or
Provide verified results for one of the English language proficiency tests listed below. Test results must be dated no more than two years before the start date of the program.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) – An applicant must earn a score of no less than 16 out of 30 on any of the 4 test sections and a total score of no less than 75 out of 120.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic – An applicant must earn an overall score of 5.5 or higher.
- Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Test – An applicant must earn an overall score of 40 or higher.
- Duolingo English Test – An applicant must earn an overall score of 95 or higher

To apply, please click on the link below:

This program is offered once per year in September. We do not have a set deadline for applications, and we will continue to accept students up until the start of classes provided there is space within the program, however, programs do fill prior to the semester start, so we recommend applying 3 months in advance of the intended start date.

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Tuition and Fees

Canadian Students

– A $250 non-refundable registration fee and a signed student contract is required for acceptance into this program.
– A $4400 tuition payment is due on the first day of the program.
– A $320 program supply fee is due with each semester’s tuition payment.

International Students

– A $500 non-refundable registration fee and a signed student contract is required for acceptance into this program.
– A $4150 tuition payment is due on the first day of the program.
– A $180 program supply fee is due with each semester’s tuition payment.

Early bird rates apply for this program. Apply and be accepted before June 1 for the Fall semester to receive 10% off your program tuition.

Graduates of PRC’s certificate or diploma programs are eligible for 20% off of total certificate tuition. Graduates who complete their acceptances before the early bird deadline for a 10% tuition discount will receive a total tuition discount of 30%.

Please click here for a description of Academic Fees in PDF format.

Financial Aid

This program is approved for Canada Student Loans. British Columbia residents can apply for student loans online through StudentAid BC. For non-British Columbia residents, please visit hrsdc.gc.ca for information about Canada Student Loans.

For a list of all financial aid programs available to PRC students, please visit our Financial Aid page.

Post-Graduation

Graduates of this program can use knowledge and experience gained to advocate for healthier and more sustainable food choices. They can work in the health and wellness retail sector, grow and maintain urban and rural gardens, assist family and friends in making healthier food choices, or matriculate into the Diploma of Holistic Nutrition program at PRC.

To facilitate an easy transition into the Diploma of Holistic Nutrition, the following credits of coursework within the PNC are directly transferable into the 3-year diploma program:

NU101 Foundations of Holistic Nutrition – 3 cr
NU111 Professional Cooking – 3 cr
NU/WHS116 Herbal Nutrition – 3 cr (transfers as either a WHS or NU elective)
NU131/WHS130 Fungal Foods and Mushroom Medicines – 1 cr (transfers as either a WHS or NU elective)
NU/WHS153 Food Gardening – 1 cr – (transfers as either a WHS or NU elective)

FAQs

What is Holistic Nutrition?

Holistic nutrition is the practice of using food to maintain and restore health and vitality. Most if not all indigenous cultures have positioned diet as one of the key tenets of strengthening health and warding off illness. The primary goal of a holistic nutrition-based approach is not to diminish symptoms but instead to assess the body as a whole and make dietary modifications to create more balance and thus health.

Why earn Holistic Nutrition certification at Pacific Rim College?

Our Practical Nutrition Certificate is a 270-hour program for those interested in building personal knowledge rather than gaining practitioner skills. Our courses are taught by physicians, naturopathic doctors, doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine, osteopaths and more, some of whom are world-renowned experts and authors in the field of Holistic Nutrition. Our students benefit from studying holistic nutrition at our beautiful and historic campus in the heart of Victoria, British Columbia.

Do I need to be licensed to practice Holistic Nutrition?

In Canada there is currently no regulation of the practice of Holistic Nutrition, although some credentialing bodies do exist. Our Diploma of Holistic Nutrition is a practitioner training program while the Practical Nutrition Certificate is recommended for people who wants to expand their knowledge of nutrition to help family and friends, work in the health and wellness retail sector, grow and maintain foods, and create food products.

What is the difference between a Holistic Nutrition certificate, Holistic Nutrition diploma, and a Holistic Nutrition degree?

There are a number of schools for holistic nutrition in Canada, but none offer holistic nutrition degrees. Educational regulations vary between countries and thus affect the credentials a college of holistic nutrition can award. Pacific Rim College offers a comprehensive 3-year Diploma of Holistic Nutrition and a 4-month Practical Nutrition Certificate.

What are the graduation requirements of the Practical Nutrition Certificate?

Students who successfully complete 90% of all required coursework and credits are eligible for graduation and will be awarded a certificate upon program completion. Students who fail to successfully complete 90% of all required coursework and credits but have successfully completed at least 80% are eligible to retake components of the program in order to reach the 90% threshold and thus pass the program, provided that they do so within one calendar year from the end date of the program. Students who choose to retake components must make arrangements with the Program Director and will be subject to tuition fees for the components. Students who do not successfully complete at least 80% of all required coursework and credits in their first program attempt are not eligible to retake components or graduate.

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