Graduate Diploma of Human Nutrition
2023 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2023 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Diploma of Human Nutrition |
| 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. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 3 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 | This course is only offered Online |
| Duration | 1 year full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Deakin course code | H616 |
| 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 8. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Other learning experiences
Course overview
Learn about the composition of food and explore the social, cultural and economic aspects of nutrition with the Graduate Diploma of Human Nutrition. Take your new skills into the community to provide nutrition advice that make a real difference to the lives of people you work with.
Ready to inspire positive change through evidence-based nutrition?
A history of teaching and research excellence, world-class facilities, pioneering academics and a long list of industry partners make Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Human Nutrition one of the leading human nutrition courses in Australia. The course attracts high-achieving students from a broad range of sectors. It caters for those looking to turn their lifelong passion for nutrition into sustained career growth, as well as professionals from other areas of health who want to enhance the quality of their care with expertise in human nutrition.
To truly understand the connection between nutrition and health, you’ll draw on studies from a variety of related disciplines, such as food science, biochemistry, physiology, epidemiology, psychology, public health and politics. Combining this knowledge allows you to examine nutrition from different angles, which is particularly beneficial when providing advice to audiences from diverse backgrounds. Better still, everything you learn is evidence-based, giving you the confidence to combat the dissemination of nutrition misinformation.
A highlight of the course is having the freedom to choose up to four elective units. This allows you to create a degree built for you and your unique career goals. Some of your elective unit options include:
- Sports Nutrition
- Obesity Prevention
- Food Policy and Public Health
- International Nutrition
- Diet and Disease
If you’re looking to pursue a specific nutrition career pathway, you might like to visit the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences' careers website to ensure the elective units you choose meet your career development needs. This course can also be used as a stepping stone into the Master of Human Nutrition, and includes four core units from the masters program.
While the course is conveniently offered on our premium online learning platform, there are many opportunities to engage in practical learning. During the course you can:
- go on an international study tour to gain a global perspective of food and nutrition
- leverage the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences’ extensive list of industry partners to secure work and placement opportunities
- develop your practical research skills with a nutrition research project.
There is growing public interest in the relationship between diet and health, and as a result there are increasing demands from the public for reliable, evidence-based and trustworthy information. In response, the Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA) has developed a ‘Register of Nutritionists’ to establish a list of appropriately qualified nutrition professionals.
As a graduate of this course, you may be eligible for registration as an ‘Associate Nutritionist’. Following three years of relevant work experience, Associate Nutritionists are able to apply for ‘Registered Nutritionist’ status. Registration with NSA does not authorise registrants to obtain provider numbers with Medicare or Private Health Insurers. Please refer to the NSA website for further information or queries about registration.
Indicative student workload
As a student in an online course in the Faculty of Health you will be expected to spend 11-13 hours every week studying, interacting online and completing assessment tasks for each unit in your course.
Professional recognition
There is growing public interest in the relationship between diet and health, and as a result there are increasing demands from the public for reliable, evidence-based and trustworthy information. In response, the Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA) has developed a ‘Register of Nutritionists’ to establish a list of appropriately qualified nutrition professionals.
As a graduate of this course, you may be eligible for registration as an ‘Associate Nutritionist’. Following three years of relevant work experience, Associate Nutritionists are able to apply for ‘Registered Nutritionist’ status. Registration with NSA does not authorise registrants to obtain provider numbers with Medicare or Private Health Insurers. Please refer to the NSA website for further information or queries about registration.
Career opportunities
As the prevalence of global health issues like obesity, malnutrition and mental illness grow, so too has the public’s interest in the relationship between nutrition and health. As a result, there are increasing demands for health professionals who can provide reliable, evidence-based nutrition advice. So much so that jobs in nutrition are expected to grow 17.6% by 2023*.
As a graduate of this course, you will have the practical skills, knowledge and real-world experience to take advantage of this demand. You can confidently enter the role of a nutritionist, nutrition promotion officer or nutrition consultant, and explore roles across a variety of sectors including:
- the food industry
- state and federal health departments
- NGOs with a focus on nutrition
- news and media
- education
- private business.
You will be trained to provide dietary advice in community settings. And you’ll be equally as comfortable working on large-scale nutrition campaigns that impact the health and wellbeing of whole populations.
* Australian Jobs 2019, Department of Jobs and Small Business
Mandatory student checks
Applicable only to students undertaking practicum units, who will therefore require a Working With Children Check. Not mandatory for all students.
Pathways
H714 Master of Human Nutrition
H748 Master of Nutrition and Population Health
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 advanced and integrated knowledge of nutrition and health to nutrition related health problems. |
| Communication | Select and use appropriate modes of communication to obtain and share evidence based nutrition knowledge. |
| Digital literacy | Select and use appropriate technologies to analyse and synthesise complex nutrition information and problems, and to interpret and share knowledge, skills and ideas. |
| Critical thinking | Critically analyse, reflect on and synthesise complex information and problems in nutrition, to come to well-reasoned conclusions. |
| Problem solving | Apply best practice and evidence to identify problems and generate and evaluate practical solutions to complex nutrition issues. |
| Self-management | Employ high level personal responsibility, accountability and autonomy to demonstrate expert judgement, adaptability to new situations, effective work practices, and responsibility as a nutritionist. |
| Teamwork | Establish, contribute and maintain a key role in relationships with a range of stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes to advance nutrition sciences. |
| Global citizenship | Engage in professional and ethical practice that demonstrates a high level of personal autonomy, within diverse contexts in nutrition sciences. |
Course rules
The course consists of 8 credit points completed as: 4 core units (1 credit point each) and 4 credit points of elective units listed below. You may choose to undertake 2 electives from postgraduate units offered by any faculty of the University (subject to unit rules and approval by the Course Director) and 2 electives from the elective units listed below.
All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).
Students who wish to continue into H714 Master of Human Nutrition and complete the Research Based Project Option B (Research focus) i.e. HSN750 Nutrition Research Project Part A and HSN751 Nutrition Research Project Part B, are strongly advised to undertake HSN715 Understanding Human Nutrition Research Studies and HSN719 Assessment Methods for Nutrition and Physical Activity Research as elective units in this course.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Core Units
Course structure applies to students commencing in 2019 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2019 should refer to previous online Handbooks or contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Trimester 1
| HAI010 | Academic Integrity (0 credit points) |
| HSN701 | Principles of Nutrition (also offered in Trimester 3) |
| HSN749 | Biochemistry and Physiology for Human Nutrition |
Trimester 2
| HSN702 | Lifespan Nutrition |
| HSN735 | Essentials of Food Science |
Elective Units
Trimester 1
| HSN703 | Diet and Lifestyle Diseases |
| HSN705 | Public Health Nutrition |
| HSN708 | Nutrition Promotion |
| HSN709 | Sports Nutrition |
| HSN713 | Food, Nutrition and Behaviour |
| HSN750 | Nutrition Research Project Part A |
Trimester 2
| HSN706 | Policy and Practice for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems |
| HSN714 | Systems Thinking in Public Health Nutrition |
| HSN715 | Understanding Human Nutrition Research Studies |
| HSN734 | Obesity Prevention |
| HSN741 | Postgraduate Nutrition Practicum * |
| HSN746 | Nutritional Issues from Early Childhood to Adolescence |
| HSN751 | Nutrition Research Project Part B |
Trimester 3
| HSN719 | Assessment Methods for Nutrition and Physical Activity Research |
| HSN738 | International Nutrition |
| HSN743 | Nutrition for Healthy Ageing |
| HSN753 | Research Practice in Human Nutrition |
| HSN760 | International Perspectives in Food and Nutrition # |
* Practicum Unit
# Study Tour Unit
Work experience
Work Integrated Learning principles are embedded within all units. A Postgraduate Nutrition Practicum unit is also available for students to elect to undertake. Specifically designed Careers modules are available on the course specific online site.
Other course information
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Other learning experiences
A 1 credit point elective unit “International Perspectives in Nutrition” which features a 2 week study tour is available to all students every second year.