Bachelor of Nutrition Science

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Nutrition Science
Deakin course code	H315
Course version	6
Faculty	Faculty of Health
Course Information	For students who commenced from 2018 to 2021
Campus	Campus of offer -For students who commenced prior to 2022 Burwood (Melbourne)
Duration	3 years full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS code	095521M Burwood (Melbourne)
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7
Offered to continuing students only- The final intake to this course version was in Trimester 2 2021. Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course, course map and enrolment information.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Study Deakin's Bachelor of Nutrition Science to develop an understanding of human nutrition and the impact it has on health. Learn how to tackle challenges facing our society including disease prevention, lifespan nutrition, obesity, the spread of misinformation, and the social and physiological effects of food on our wellbeing.

Put theory into practice in our state-of-the-art food sensory labs. Designed just like those in industry settings, our labs provide hands-on experience that prepares you for the workplace. On top of that, you will gain at least 75 hours of additional workplace training through industry placement. These experiences ensure you have the practical skills to improve health through food and nutrition – skills that are increasingly in demand as society grapples with nutrition-related diseases and their impact on wellbeing. This course provides a pathway to the Master of Dietetics, which allocates 60% of places to Deakin graduates.

Do you want to have a real impact on population health, and improve the wellbeing of communities?

In this course, you will study a broad range of subjects that unlock a variety of career opportunities across health and nutrition industries. Gain a comprehensive understanding of:

the role of food in disease prevention
nutrition education and research
food choice and intake
food regulation
nutritional physiology
lifespan nutrition
sustainable food systems
the science of food.

To add diversity to your degree and expand your career opportunities, you can choose elective units in complementary areas such as food innovation, health promotion, psychology, physical activity and health or exercise science.

You will have the opportunity to gain extensive practical experience, either by studying the volunteering unit in year two or three, and/or the Food and Nutrition Practicum elective unit in your final year. This allows you to build industry experience and connections while applying your skills alongside established nutritionists.

The major in food innovation will prepare you for a career in the food industry, where your knowledge of nutrition and food composition will facilitate the creation and marketing of food products that help to improve health.

You can also learn about nutrition perceptions and issues in different cultures by taking your studies abroad to gain an international perspective. Find yourself learning about food policy in Thailand, enjoying an Amish dinner, visiting Hershey’s in the US or even travelling to the Netherlands to study organic farming.

Indicative student workload

As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.

Professional recognition

While studying, you are eligible to apply for student membership with the Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA). Graduates with a Bachelor of Nutrition Science can apply for ordinary membership of NSA or apply to become a registered nutritionist. Registration will ensure you are recognised as a qualified nutrition professional in the field.

Additionally, if you have completed this degree with a major in food innovation, you may also seek membership into the Australian Institute of Food, Science and Technology (AIFST).

Graduates are eligible to apply to become a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the:

Nutrition Society of Australia
Hong Kong Nutrition Association
UK Association for Nutrition.

Career opportunities

As a nutritionist, you will have the knowledge and skills to confidently provide evidence-based advice to communities regarding food and its impact on our health. Graduates of the Bachelor of Nutrition Science will be well prepared for careers requiring knowledge surrounding:

nutrition
individual and population health
food analysis
food sustainability
food policy
nutrition for disease prevention
assessing and evaluating food intake.

Students completing the food innovation major will be prepared for careers requiring knowledge of:

consumer behaviour
education and research
the food industry
food policy and regulation
sensory analysis
product development
food quality and safety
food manufacturing.

You will gain the skills required to perform a range of roles across:

advocacy
nutrition promotion
nutrition media and marketing
quality assurance
self-employment and consulting

Visit our nutrition careers page for more on the different pathways available to you.

Students can choose to study the prerequisite subjects for further study in Dietetics and apply for the Master of Dietetics on completion of their Bachelor degree. 60% of places in Deakin’s Master of Dietetics are allocated to Deakin graduates.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. Refer the relevant unit guide.

Pathways

This course can be a pathway to:
Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Honours) (H418)
Graduate Certificate of Human Nutrition (H511)
Graduate Diploma of Human Nutrition (H616)
Master of Human Nutrition (H714)
Master of Dietetics (H718)
Master of Nutrition and Population Health (H748)

Articulated courses

Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Honours) (H418)

Course learning outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Apply food and nutrition and health knowledge from a range of perspectives.
Communication	Select and use a variety of engaging communication modes to disseminate knowledge to individuals, groups, government and non-government organisations and health professionals.
Digital literacy	Select and use appropriate technologies to source, understand, evaluate, and communicate information to professional networks and communities.
Critical thinking	Source and critically analyse the food and nutrition literature to apply an evidence-based approach to the field.
Problem solving	Identify and apply practical solutions to a range of changing and complex food and nutrition and health issues.
Self-management	Employ self-directed, reflective work and learning practices in a responsible manner to professionally contribute to nutrition sciences..
Teamwork	Work collaboratively as part of interdisciplinary teams with a range of stakeholders to advance the field of nutrition sciences.
Global citizenship	Engage in professional and ethical practice that demonstrates awareness of, and adaptability to, diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts in nutrition sciences.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Nutrition Science students must pass 24 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
HSN010 Food and Nutrition Laboratory Safety (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0-credit-point compulsory unit) prior to your first laboratory based unit in this course
12 credit points of core units
6 credit points of HSN coded (nutrition and food) course electives
6 credit points of open electives which may form a major sequence
a maximum of 10 credit points at level 1
a minimum of 6 credit points at level 3

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.

Majors

Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.

It is recommended that students that commenced their first year in 2018 take the Food Innovation major sequence.

Note: Students who commenced H315 Bachelor of Nutrition Science in 2018 and received credits, please contact a Course Adviser via health-enquire@deakin.edu.au before you enrol into the Food Innovation major.

Alternative major sequences can be undertaken from undergraduate courses offered by any faculty at Deakin University (subject to unit and course rules).

Students can choose to undertake majors from other courses as long as they can fit the major into their course structure and the majors are available for you to undertake.

Please ensure you discuss your request with your Course Adviser to ensure you are still meeting your course rules

Bachelor of Health Sciences

Bachelor of Commerce

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Science

Other major sequences available include:

Major sequences:

Disability and Inclusion
Exercise Science
Family, Society and Health
Health Promotion
Physical Activity and Health
Psychology

Note: Minor sequences are not available to H315 Bachelor of Nutrition Science students.

Course structure

Core units

Course structure applies for students who commenced prior to 2022.

Level 1 - Trimester 1

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin '(0 credit points)' replaces HAI010*

SLE010

Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0 credit points)

HSN101

Foundations of Food, Nutrition and Health

HBS109

Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology

HSN105

Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems

SLE133

Chemistry in Our World

Level 1 - Trimester 2

HSN010

Food and Nutrition Laboratory Safety (0 credit points)

HSN104

The Science of Food

HSN106

Food Fundamentals

plus two elective units (recommended at Level 1)

Level 2 - Trimester 1

HSN211

Nutritional Physiology

plus 2 HSN-coded units (selective or Food Innovation major sequence)

plus 1 elective unit (recommended at Level 1 or Level 2)

Level 2 - Trimester 2

HSN202

Lifespan Nutrition

plus 1 HSN-coded unit (selective or Food Innovation major sequence)

plus two elective units (recommended at Level 2)

Level 3 - Trimester 1

HSN301

Diet and Disease

HSN309

Food Policy and Regulation

plus 2 HSN-coded units (selective or Food Innovation major sequence)

Level 3 - Trimester 2

HSN302

Population Nutrition

HSN305

Assessing Food Intake and Activity

plus 1 HSN-coded unit (selective or Food Innovation major sequence)

plus one elective unit (recommended at Level 2 or Level 3)

Students who want to complete H718 Master of Dietetics pre-requisites must enrol in ALL the following elective units. You can find detailed information on the course entry requirements and frequently asked questions relating to the Master of Dietetics.

HSN107

Physiology of Human Growth and Development

HSE208

Integrated Human Physiology

SLE155

Chemistry for the Professional Sciences

SLE212

Biochemistry

SLE222

Biochemical Metabolism

If an exercise physiology unit has been completed at level 2 (e.g. HSE201 Exercise Physiology, it must be combined with one of these units to meet H718 Master of Dietetics pre-requisites:

SLE211

Principles of Physiology

SLE221

Systems Physiology

* HAI010 Academic Integirty (no longer available for enrolment, replacement unit DAI001)

Elective units

Electives are offered subject to availability of resources and quotas where applicable.

Trimester 1

HSN206

Food Analysis and Quality Assurance

HSN223

Sensory Evaluation of Food

HSN307

Sports Nutrition: Theory and Practice

HSN315

Food Manufacturing and Process Innovation

HSN319

Consumer and Sensory Innovation of Food

Trimester 2

HSN204

Food Safety

HSN210

Nutrition and Food Promotion

HSN308

Food, Nutrition and Society

HSN311

Food and Nutrition Practicum

HSN320

Trends in Product Development

HSN360

International Perspectives in Food and Nutrition

Work experience

Work Integrated Learning

If you are interested in the possibility of enhancing your employment prospects by consolidating your knowledge and skills through realistic field experience, you are encouraged to consider undertaking an industry placement or volunteering experience. You can do this by choosing to complete HSN227 Volunteering in Exercise and Nutrition Sciences as an elective unit in your second or final year and/or HSN311 Food Science and Nutrition Practicum as an elective in your final year.

Details of major sequences

Food Innovation

Campus

Burwood (Melbourne)

Unit set code

MJ-H000036

Overview

By completing the Food Innovation major you can also establish a career in the food industry, where your knowledge of nutrition and food composition facilitate the creation and marketing of food products that help to improve health.

You may also gain employment in food regulation, food safety and Quality, food product development and sensory analysis.

Units

Note: Students who commenced H315 Bachelor of Nutrition Science in 2018 and received credits, please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central before you enrol into this major.

HSN204

Food Safety

HSN206

Food Analysis and Quality Assurance

HSN223

Sensory Evaluation of Food

HSN315

Food Manufacturing and Process Innovation

HSN319

Consumer and Sensory Innovation of Food

HSN320

Trends in Product Development

Psychology

Campus

Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online

Unit set code

MJ-H000008

Overview

This sequence develops students’ understanding of a range of topics in psychology, which is the science concerned with unravelling questions about human behaviour and mental processes.

This six unit major is not intended for the purpose of registration as a psychologist.

Units

To obtain the six unit major students must complete HPS111 and HPS121 plus:

any two level 2 units from the psychology units list below.
any two level 3 units from the psychology units list below.

Core units

HPS111

Introduction to Psychology: Human Behaviour

HPS121

Introduction to Psychology: Individual and Social Development

Plus two units from the list below:

HPS201

Psychology Research Methods (Introductory)

HPS202

Developmental Psychology (Child and Adolescent)

HPS203

Cognitive Psychology

HPS204

Social Psychology

HPS206

Forensic Psychology

Plus two units from the list below:

HPS301

Psychology Research Methods (Intermediate)

HPS302

Developmental Psychology (Adult)

HPS304

Social Psychology (Advanced)

HPS307

Personality Psychology

HPS308

Psychopathology

HPS310

Biological Psychology (Brain and Behaviour)

HPS395

Biological Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience)

Course duration

You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.