Degree Requirements: Courses in basic nutrition science, general biochemistry and anatomy and physiology are required. If desired, these courses can be completed at Saybrook as part of your degree program.
Completion Time: 28 - 32 months. The Masters does not require a thesis.
Earned Credits: 39
Registered dietitians are eligible for 6 credits of Advanced Standing, as are graduates of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Students can also minor in:
The MS program in Integrative and Functional Nutrition is a fully online* 39 credit masters degree program that provides a holistic, evidence-based and humanistic approach to nutrition practice. Saybrook’s MS IFN gives students the skills to partner with their patients, and to see the whole patient. Using a systems biology-based approach, graduates learn to create personalized nutrition therapies with the best available science: therapies that help nourish patients and remove the barriers to achieving health.
Courses such as Foundations of Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Advanced Nutritional Biochemistry, Systems Biology, and Therapeutic diets help prepare students for their careers.
Graduates of the MS in Integrative and Functional Nutrition program are prepared to work in:
- Private outpatient practice
- Hospitals and health care organizations
- Public health and policymaking positions
- Nonprofit organizations
- Corporate wellness programs
- Natural product, dietary supplement, and food industries
- Health communications
- Athletic organizations and fitness facilities
- Wellness centers and spas
- Research and development
The MS in Integrative and Functional Nutrition degree program is designed to fulfill the current academic requirements for the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) from the American Nutrition Association. The degree program is also designed to meet the core academic requirements for the Certified Clinical Nutritionist credential (CCN) from the Clinical Nutrition Certification Board and is preapproved to allow graduates to waive the 56-hour Post Graduate studies in Clinical Nutrition (PCSCN). The degree program does not lead to eligibility for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential (RDN), though may be useful for current Registered Dietitians to stay competitive as all-new RDNs will be required to have a Master’s degree beginning in 2024.
Prospective students should contact the appropriate board for eligibility requirements, as well as their State Department of Health to determine which of these certifications may be recognized for practice in their state, as well as any other licensing, registration or certification requirements, as they are subject to change.
More program information may be found in our Academic Catalog.
*All required coursework is done virtually; however Residential Conference (RC) participation is required when a student elects an elective course with a residential training component. Additionally, while RC participation is not otherwise required, students may opt to attend at any time.
The MS in Integrative and Functional Nutrition requires 39 credits for those meeting the prerequisite course requirements of basic nutrition science, biochemistry, and anatomy and physiology. Prerequisites can be taken at Saybrook if desired. Prerequisites can count toward open electives, but depending on how many prerequisites are needed, and whether students need the academic writing course, the credit load may be increased by up to 9 additional credits.
The MS IFN is 100% virtual and no face-to-face Residential Conferences (RCs) are required for this degree. This allows us to attract students from across the globe. Students may choose to attend any of Saybrook’s RCs where they can meet students, faculty and staff from other degree programs.
The IFN programs are conducted in an online learning environment, mostly asynchronous, supplemented by videoconferences with instructors and classmates. A typical full credit load is 6 credits per 15 week semester, which requires about 16 hours per week of time. The summer semester is 8 weeks, which requires about twice the weekly study time. Because of the asynchronous nature, the MS IFN degree can be completed while students are working.
Students end their degree with a Capstone course and paper. No thesis is required. The expected length of the program is 28-32 months, longer if prerequisites are needed. After successful completion of the first semester, students may accelerate their program if desired.
Students earning the MS IFN can acquire complimentary skills to enhance their professional practice by adding a minor in Integrative Wellness Coaching or Mind Body Medicine to their degree program. The addition of a minor will add to the total credits of the student’s program and take approximately one to two additional semesters to complete.
Saybrook University may accept up to three graduate transfer credits into the program from other regionally accredited colleges and universities prior to entrance. Transfer credits must be suitable for transfer to the intended degree program and must be approved by the department chair. Credits are applied to the number of elective or required course credits needed for degree completion.
Six credits of advanced standing are granted for registered dietitians or graduates of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
“We are committed to a humanistic and evidence-based approach to nutrition practice. This is reflected in our curriculum, which is based in the tenets of integrative and functional medicine and uses the best available science. Saybrook graduates change the face of nutrition care by their ability to connect the person, their environment and their illness to the mechanisms of disease, and by doing so, craft personalized therapies that result in whole-person wellness.”
– Lori Taylor, MA, MS, RD, Chair, Integrative and Functional Nutrition
IFN 5670 – Foundations of IFN
Students taking this course will expand upon their knowledge of basic nutrition science and gain a foundational understanding of the integrative and functional approach to nutrition. The course reviews the fundamental principles and perspectives of conventional, traditional, integrative, and functional medical models to identify best practices for nutritional care. Students learn about the concepts and tools used within these practices and how they align with the integrative practitioner’s goal for personalized, whole-person, relationship-centered, and environmentally sensitive care. Prerequisite(s): IFN 5520 (or proof of previous nutrition coursework) 3 credit(s)
RES 1500 – Research Literacy for Practitioners
Through an introduction to the library, students will learn about the production and construction of scientific knowledge and how to effectively search and critically analyze published research in their field. Research ethics and ethical standards are discussed. Students will learn how to summarize and synthesize research to support scholarly arguments and practice-based decisions. The broader application of academic and scholarly research findings is also discussed. This course is designed to prepare master’s students to be successful consumers of research related to their field.
Students enrolled in a Saybrook M.A. to Ph.D. pathway program should consult with their Department Chair about the possibility of enrolling in RES 2100 as an equivalent 3 credit(s)
IFN 5681 – Systems Biology I
Systems Biology explains the physiology, pathophysiology and applicable biochemistry that underlie the seven core imbalances within functional medicine. Understanding the physiological systems, and how they become unbalanced, is key to identifying and supporting interventions that address chronic disease. In Systems Biology I, students explore cardiovascular function; immunity and inflammation; digestion, absorption, and elimination. They examine how core imbalances within these systems contribute to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmunity, food allergy and intolerance, and gastrointestinal disorders. Prerequisite(s): IFN 5520, IFN 5688, IFN 5703 , IFN 5704 3 credit(s)
“We are committed to a humanistic and evidence-based approach to nutrition practice. This is reflected in our curriculum, which is based in the tenets of integrative and functional medicine and uses the best available science. Saybrook graduates change the face of nutrition care by their ability to connect the person, their environment and their illness to the mechanisms of disease, and by doing so, craft personalized therapies that result in whole-person wellness.”
– Lori Taylor, MA, MS, RD, Chair, Integrative and Functional Nutrition