Overview and Courses
Course list
In this course, you will hone your critical thinking skills then apply them to evaluate the state of health in your community and to navigate messages about health and nutrition.
You will also examine evidence-based principles on the benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet and consider nutrition from an expanded perspective — that is, nutrition as a "symphony" of complex interactions rather than the result of individual nutrients and mechanisms — as you differentiate between reductionist and "wholistic" perspectives in nutrition.
Additionally, you will analyze how diet and the environment might affect gut health through the modification of the microbiota. You will then examine the effect of industry and government on public policy and individual food choices.
Featured experts are:
- Samara Sterling, PhD
- Michelle Loy, MD, FAAP, DipABLM, DipABOIM, DABMA
- James Marin, RD, EN
- Dahlia Marin, RDN, LN
- Michele Simon, JD, MPH
This course includes:
- Six quizzes
- Two required discussions
- One optional discussion
- Several activities
- Readings
- Downloadable transcripts
In this course, you will examine the China Project, the most comprehensive study of diet, lifestyle, and disease ever conducted. You will take a closer look at diet's crucial link to chronic diseases worldwide, including cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, neurological conditions, and autoimmune disorders. Lastly, you will investigate the scientific evidence supporting a whole food, plant-based diet's ability to prevent and even reverse these chronic diseases.
Featured Experts are:
- Amber Orman, MD
- Dean Ornish, MD
- Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr, MD
- Nicole Harkin, MD, FACC
- Samara Sterling, PhD
- Michael Greger, MD, FACLM
- Neal Barnard, MD
- Eric L. Adams
- Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, MPH, MAS
- Ayesha Z. Sherzai, MD, MAS
- Brooke Goldner, MD
This course includes:
- Five self-check quizzes
- One required discussion
- Two optional discussion
- Several activities
- Readings
- Downloadable transcripts
The following course is required to be completed before taking this course:
- CNS601 Nutrition and Society
In this course, you will focus on the effects of plant-based eating throughout a lifetime, including its powerful impact on our day-to-day existence. You will explore the practical application of this lifestyle, including its role in raising a healthy family, enjoying longevity and quality of life, improving athletic performance, and ensuring lasting behavior change.
Much of this application includes dispelling popular myths — that children require dairy, that athletes require supplementation, etc. You will also enhance your understanding of personal behavior and the tools that support positive and sustainable lifestyle change.
By the end of this course, you will have the knowledge and confidence to take control of your health and help others do the same.
Featured Experts are:
- Padma Garvey, MD
- Jackie Busse, MD
- Evelisse Capó, PharmD
- Michelle Loy, MD, FAAP, DipABLM, DipABOIM, DABMA
- Robert Cheeke
- Lilian Aguilar
- Matthew Lederman, MD
- Jill Edwards, MS, CEP
- Bruce Monger, PhD
- Allison Wilson, PhD
- Doug Lisle, PhD
- Samara Sterling, PhD
- Brie Turner-McGrievy, PhD, RD
This course includes:
- Three self-check quizzes
- One required discussion
- Two optional discussions
- Several activities
- Downloadable transcripts
- Readings
The following courses are required to be completed before taking this course:
- CNS601 Nutrition and Society
- CNS602 Nutrition and Chronic Disease
How It Works
Key Course Takeaways
- Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s 8 Principles of Food and Health
- The role nutrition plays in chronic disease, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune disorders
- How nutrition and the environment affect gut health and the microbiome
- Common topics of concern to athletes and fitness enthusiasts, including supplements and protein consumption
- The psychological reasons we are drawn to unhealthy foods
- How government and industry can affect dietary choices and the environment
- The importance of nutrition at each stage of life, beginning with pregnancy through adulthood
- Strategies to support sustainable positive lifestyle change and inspire others


What You'll Earn
- Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies powered by eCornell
- All students will earn 4.8 CEUs
- Physicians/physician assistants eligible to earn 30 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits (CMEs)*
- Nurses/nurse practitioners eligible to earn 30 Nursing Contact Hours (CNEs)*
- Pharmacists eligible to earn 30 Pharmacy CE Hours (CPEs)*
- Dietitians eligible for 30 CPEUs
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) members eligible for 2.0 CEUs
- National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) Certified Health Coaches eligible to receive 12 CE credits
Who Should Enroll
- Anyone seeking to improve their personal health
- Medical and health professionals
- Chefs or food managers
- Athletes and personal trainers
- Parents
- Teachers
- Entrepreneurs
“Excellent overall curriculum for those new to plant-based and those seeking to solidify or expand their knowledge base. The instructors were available and responsive, classmates were engaging, and content was superb. The bonus is that I could fit the courses into my schedule from a few hundred miles away. Love it!”
“I have a M.Sc., Molecular Genetics, as well as Dip.Ed., but this course is single handedly the best and most important course I have ever taken in my life. The application to daily life is direct, and as far as being a teacher, I feel it is of utmost importance that my students are equipped with this knowledge. It has become an extremely important part of my daily life and I can’t thank Dr. T. Colin Campbell enough for building up this program.”
“The course info gave me a better understanding of Diabetes, and helped me design an eating regime—the resources, database, and access to info was extremely helpful in this process. Useful info, for everyone, not just professionals.”
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