Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the entry requirements?
A. The entry requirements vary for each course. Each application will be considered individually to take lifetime learning into account and to ensure that IHS is providing equal opportunity to everyone.
Q. What is the legislation for practitioners of Nutritional Therapy?
A. Nutritional Therapy as a profession is currently not statutory regulated which means that it is not regulated by governments. However, this may be set to change with the professional body that represents nutritional therapists in the UK applying to the British government to become statutory regulated in October 2009 (BANT British Association of Nutritional Therapists). In Ireland the professional body that represents Nutrtional Therapists is NTOI – Nutritional Therapists of Ireland. It is likely that Ireland will follow the lead of the UK nutritional therapists and seek statutory regulation at some time in the future.
Q. What is the legislation for practitioners of natural medicine?
A. CAM is currently undergoing a process of voluntary regulation. The Federal Register of Complementary & Integrated Medicine (FRICAM) has been formed as the central register for CAM practitioners. FRICAM will be responsible for education and training, accreditation, continuing professional development and regulation of practitioners.
Q. Who performs accreditation?
A. The regulatory body specific to the modality. Please contact the Administration Office for information on the relevant regulatory body.
Q. Will I be able to practice?
A. Yes. As a graduate of an IHS diploma course you will have successfully completed an accredited course. You will be able to join NTOI as a full member. It is through the association that you will get the insurance required to practice.
Q. Where and when are the courses held?
A. IHS operate out of Dublin from the Education and Research Centre in Our Lady’s Hospice in Harold’s Cross. Please apply to the Institute for details on course availability and start dates.
Q. What is the enrolment fee?
A. The enrolment fee is a single non-refundable payment of €200, paid to secure a place on a specific course. It is a part of the course fees and is payable only in the first year on the Diploma course only. There is no enrolment fee on the certificate courses.
Q. Can I do more than one course at a time?
A. You can as long as both you and your course advisor consider it possible. It is usually much better to learn one subject well and then learn another one well, than it is to try and learn several subjects at once.
Q. Are there any grants available?
A. There may be some assistance from social welfare services for those already in receipt of benefits. IHS do have a monthly payment plan to make the longer courses more accessible.
Q. Do I need to buy books?
A. You will usually have to buy a book or a number of books, depending on the course. These will continue to be useful reference books. The booklists are available for each course and course year. IHS recommend that you buy the books listed on the essential reading lists. We have a library available to our diploma students that will contain all of the books on the recommended reading lists so we advise that you take a book on loan before deciding to buy.
Q. What happens if I have to stop the course part way through?
A. If you have to stop a course part way through, the Institute will hold your place open for up to two years at the discretion of the Institute Director. You are obliged to continue payments for the semester started. IHS can no longer guarantee an immediate place, you may have to wait for a place to become available.
Q. What are the career opportunities?
A. There is an ever increasing demand and need for effective Nutritional Therapists in today’s society. As a graduate of an IHS Diploma course you will be well placed for jobs within the healthcare, health & beauty and sports & leisure industries. For those who wish to set up in private practice, IHS will support you with all the advice and guidelines required in launching your practice. Current opportunities in Ireland include:
- Education of the public, media, students and other health professionals
- Employment with supplement companies as nutrition advisors, product developers or sales advisors
- Contributing articles to industry, academic or general interest publications
- Contributing to radio and TV programmes
- Postgraduate research to Masters level (via distance learning)
- Training health food traders and other groups in industry
- Cooking demonstrations and classes
Take a look at our Graduates page to see the job opportunities taken up by some of our graduates.
Q. What is a Nutritional Therapist and is it different to a Dietician?
A. For a concise definition of a Nutritional Therapist follow this link “The Definition of a Nutritional Therapist“. To then understand the difference between a Nutritional Therapist and a Dietician follow this link for “The Definition of a Dietician“.
