Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics Pathway)
2024 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics Pathway) |
| Deakin course code | H318 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Online | No |
| Duration | 3 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS course code | 0101098 Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Articulated courses
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Majors
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Details of major sequences
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Deakin's Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics Pathway) is the first step in your journey to becoming a dietitian, offering guaranteed entry into our Master of Dietetics if you achieve a 75 weighted average mark or above. The course develops your understanding of human nutrition and its impact on health. Learn how to tackle challenges facing our society including disease prevention, 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 located within our Consumer Analytical Safety Sensory (CASS) Food Research Centre. Designed just like those found in industry settings, our labs provide hands-on experience that prepares you for the workplace. With more than 7% of the total burden of disease in Australia due to poor diet*, graduate with the practical skills to improve health and wellbeing through food and nutrition.
Want to have a real impact on population health and improve the wellbeing of communities?
This course offers the same structure and units as our Bachelor of Nutrition Science, while ensuring dietetics prerequisites are incorporated as core units, to fulfil the entry requirements for the Master of Dietetics. Graduates will receive an offer to study in the Master of Dietetics after completing the necessary units and meeting the weighted average mark (WAM) requirement.
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.
A 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 will gain 75 hours of valuable practical experience through the Food and Nutrition Practicum core unit in your final year. This allows you to build industry experience and connections while applying your skills alongside established nutritionists or food industry professionals.
Discover our food, nutrition and dietetics courses.
*Australian Burden of Disease Study: Impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2018
Indicative student workload
Approximately 150 hours of learning and assessment activities per credit point
As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, 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 this degree, you are eligible to apply for student membership with the Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA). Graduates who elect to not complete the Master of Dietetics can apply for ordinary membership of NSA and apply to become a Registered Associate Nutritionist. Registration will ensure you are recognised as a qualified nutrition professional in the field.
Graduates are also eligible to apply to become a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the:
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).
Career opportunities
Following the completion of your bachelor degree, you can take your next step towards becoming a dietitian with the Master of Dietetics. Once completed, you will be eligible to apply for full membership with Dietetics Australia and the Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) program and work in all areas of dietetics. You can visit our nutrition and dietetics careers page for more information.
If you don’t elect to continue with the Master of Dietetics pathway, your career outcomes will mirror those of Bachelor of Nutrition Science graduates. 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 (Dietetics Pathway) will be well prepared for careers requiring knowledge surrounding:
- nutrition
- population health
- food analysis
- food sustainability
- food policy
- nutrition for disease prevention
- assessing and evaluating food intake.
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.
If you have completed the Food Innovation major, you 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.
Visit our nutrition careers page for more on the different pathways available to you.
Participation requirements
Students are required to complete laboratory safety modules and a compulsory zero credit point Academic Integrity unit.
Deakin’s standard holiday breaks are listed here.
This course allows you to select elective units that may include placements, work based training, community-based learning and collaborative research training arrangements. Before you enrol in units, please check the unit specification to understand these compulsory learning experiences.
Placement may occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks, upon discussion with host organisation.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability.
Mandatory student checks
Working with Children Check
Applicants will be required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) for the relevant state prior to undertaking placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement unit.
Police Record Check
Applicants will be required to hold a valid National Police Record Check for placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement unit.
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 (Dietetic Pathway) 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) prior to the first laboratory based unit in this course
- SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program (0-credit-point compulsory unit) prior to the first SLE coded unit
- HSE010 Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety (0-credit-point compulsory unit) prior to commencing HSE208
- 18 credit points of core units
- 4 credit points of HSN coded (nutrition and food) electives
- 2 credit points of open electives
- 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
Students who commenced prior to 2022 should refer to previous online Handbooks or consult a Student Adviser.
It is recommended that students take the Food Innovation major sequence.
As there are only 2 elective spaces in this course, other major options are not available, however you may choose to undertake the units within other majors, as electives.
Course structure
Core units
Course structure applies for students who commenced in 2022 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2022 should refer to previous online Handbooks or contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Please refer to the Course Map page for course map information. The course maps will guide the units you need to enrol in each trimester.
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| 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 |
| HSN107 | Physiology of Human Growth and Development |
| SLE155 | Chemistry for the Professional Sciences |
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HSN211 | Nutritional Physiology |
| SLE212 | Biochemistry |
plus 2 HSN-coded units - recommended at level 2
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HSN202 | Lifespan Nutrition |
| HSE208 | Integrated Human Physiology |
| SLE222 | Biochemical Metabolism |
| HSE010 | Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety (0 credit points) |
plus 1 HSN-coded unit- recommended at level 2
Level 3 - Trimester 1
| HSN301 | Diet and Disease |
| HSN309 | Food Policy and Regulation |
plus 1 HSN-coded level 3 unit
plus 1 elective unit - recommended at level 2 or level 3
Level 3 - Trimester 2
| HSN302 | Population Nutrition |
| HSN305 | Assessing Food Intake and Activity |
| HSN311 | Food and Nutrition Practicum |
plus one elective unit - recommended at Level 2 or Level 3
Elective units
Electives are offered subject to availability of resources and quotas where applicable.
For your 2 elective units, you can choose to undertake units from any area of the university. You may wish to use the Advanced Unit Search function in the unit handbook to search for elective units.
| HSN204 | Food Safety |
| HSN206 | Food Analysis and Quality Assurance |
| HSN210 | Nutrition and Food Promotion |
| HSN223 | Sensory Evaluation of Food |
| HSN308 | Food, Nutrition and Society |
| HSN315 | Food Manufacturing and Process Innovation |
| HSN319 | Consumer and Sensory Innovation of Food |
| HSN320 | Trends in Product Development |
| HSN360 | International Perspectives in Food and Nutrition |
Work experience
Work Integrated Learning
You will enhance your employment prospects by consolidating your knowledge and skills through realistic field experience in HSN311 Food and Nutrition Practicum 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 |
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
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.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.