Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics Pathway)

2023 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2023 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]

Year	2023 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics Pathway)
Course Map	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2023. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2023. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Online	No
Duration	3 years full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS course code	0101098 Burwood (Melbourne)
Deakin course code	H318
Approval status	This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
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

Deakin's Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics Pathway) offers 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 also have the opportunity to gain 75 hours of valuable practical experience through the Food and Nutrition Practicum unit in your final year. This allows you to build industry experience and connections while applying your skills alongside established nutritionists.

*Australian Government, Department of Health: www.health.gov.au/health-topics/food-and-nutrition/about

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 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 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.

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

Career skills are developed throughout the course. Specific work integrated learning is provided through HSN311 Food and Nutrition Practicum. This unit will enable you to gain hands on experience, and a potential pathway to your future career. Upon graduating from H718 Master of Dietetics (subject to course rules) you will be well placed to pursue careers 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/Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics) 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.

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.

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.

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.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and 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.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. Further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods is available on our Current students fees website.

Course Learning Outcomes

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 attain 24 credit points. Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point. In order to gain 24 credit points, you will need to study 24 units (AKA 'subjects') over your entire degree. Most students choose to study 4 units per trimester, and usually undertake two trimesters each year.

The course comprises a total of 24 credit points, which must include the following:

18 core units (these are compulsory)
Completion of 4 HSN coded (nutrition and food) elective units.
2 elective unit(s) which can be selected from any faculty (you can choose which ones to study)
No more than 10 credit points may be taken at level 1 and at least 6 credit points must be taken at level 3
Students must enrol and pass HAI010 – Academic Integrity.
Completion of HSN010 Food and Nutrition Laboratory Safety prior to the first laboratory based unit in this course.
Completion of SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program prior to the first SLE coded unit.
Completion of HSE010 Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety prior to commencing HSE208.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.

Major sequences

Students who commenced prior to 2022 should refer to previous online Handbooks or consult a Student Adviser.

It is recommended that students that commenced their first year in 2022 or later 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

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

HAI010

Academic Integrity (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.

Trimester 1

HSN206

Food Analysis and Quality Assurance

HSN223

Sensory Evaluation of Food

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

HSN320

Trends in Product Development

Trimester 3

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 Science 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.