NSF helps create first-ever Master’s degree course addressing regulatory compliance in the natural products and dietary supplement industries

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NSF International (Ann Arbor, MI), the standards development, testing, and certification organization, helped create what it calls the first-ever Master’s degree course for nutrition business that includes regulatory compliance training. The course will be taught at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences (SCNM; Tempe, AZ) as part of its School of Nutrition’s Executive Master of Science in Nutrition Business Leadership program. “The curriculum is designed exclusively for emerging and existing nutrition industry leaders,” says a press release.

The online degree program “equips graduates with the essential, evidence-based, nutrition, business, and regulatory knowledge that adds immediate value to their organizations and careers,” it adds. The curriculum was developed with input from experts in the natural products industry. “It is truly a degree built by the industry, for the industry,” the press release states, and is geared to “busy working professionals looking to advance their career and distinguish themselves in the field.”

The new course, which will be offered beginning in May 2022, is titled The Food and Supplement Industry Policies and Regulations and will cover topics such as current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), preventive controls, and international standards. This will complement the program’s other teachings related to nutritional sciences, supply/value chain, and leadership and management in the natural foods and dietary supplements industry.

“We are honored to collaborate with the remarkable team at NSF to create this important course for the already impactful MSNBL degree program,” said Gena E. Kadar, DC, MS.MEdL, CNS, founding dean of SCNM’s School of Nutrition, in a press release. “It is always exciting to see industry and academia converge in such a positive manner to benefit students. NSF literally sets the standard for quality, and their meaningful contribution to our curriculum helps us meet our commitment to prepare confident and competent evidence-based leaders who are ready to meet the unique and dynamic needs of the natural products industry.”

“The natural products industry is an exciting frontier. As a trusted expert in education on natural food and dietary supplement industry policies and regulations, we’re proud to play a part in developing global health leaders in this field,” added Casey Coy, senior manager, training and consulting, dietary supplements and cosmetics/personal care, NSF. “Working with SCNM to mold the minds of the nation’s brightest helps ensure the ethical standards-based future consumers deserve.”