The international PhD program in "Nutraceuticals, functional foods and human health" is a joint PhD program between University of Naples Federico II, University of Valencia (E) and Tshwane University of Technology ofPretoria, South Africa (SA).

The main objective of the "Nutraceuticals, functional foods and human health" program is to impart advanced scientific knowledge in drug discovery, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical science, food chemistry and human nutrition. The program aims at providing training opportunities in conducting state-of-the-art approaches in basic research as well as enhancing skills critical to developing innovative nutraceuticals or functional foods to improve human health. 

Each student will be enrolled in the application process by University of Naples Federico II and he shall conduct his PhD project mainly at the "home" institution but is required to spend at least from six to twelve months in the "host" institution. During this research period out of Italy, the research grant for the students will raise of 50%.

This international PhD degree is designed to capture the broad sweep of research undertaken from organic synthesis and biochemistry, to pharmacological and chemical studies that can identify innovative drugs and new nutraceuticals or functional foods.

Other than conducting their own PhD projects, students are expected to attend seminars, lessons, and workshops included in the PhD program designed to offer tools to progress students beyond their research degree to different disciplines.

In addition, the PhD program supports exchange and mobility of students in foreign institutions in order to experiencing different research approaches, spreading knowledge and sharing ideas. This should allow students to broad their skills beyond their research work. 

• entry visa
• Italian tax code
• opening of bank account
• accommodation

The Boarding of the "Nutraceuticals, functional foods and human health" course evaluates, organizes, and offers for each cycle a series of educational activities both carried out through lectures and as seminars to obtain 60 CFU. 

The evaluation of the training proposal is modulated annually according to the specific needs of the students and the needs highlighted by the market. 

The offer is divided as follows: 

Basic courses, common to all students:

• Two different scientific English courses, lasting one year and with weekly frequency, aimed at achieving European certification of knowledge of the English language. In particular, there is an intermediate level course for obtaining PET certification and a more advanced level for obtaining FCE, CAE and similar certifications.
• Lectures and seminars held by international professors at the Consortium universities of Valencia (Spain) and Thswane (South Africa), and others, aimed at the transfer of transversal skills (for example, ethics in scientific research, preparation of CV, preparation for an interview work, improvement of scientific data communication skills, etc.). 

Annual elective specialized courses organized in modules of 6–8 hours each focused on frontier issues: 

• "Introduction to Metabolomics", 26-hour course given by Dr. Nunzia Iaccarino
• "Mass spectrometry: principles and applications in the analysis of foods, nutraceuticals and functional foods", 12-hour course given by Dr. Luana Izzo. 

Seminar cycles, compulsory for all students and held by teachers, mainly foreigners, who are invited and financially supported by the PhD program. 

Students of the doctoral course can also follow and participate in the seminars organized as part of the doctoral course in "Pharmaceutical Sciences".