Harness the power of food.
Our hands-on program is designed to get you involved with food, understand the science behind food and the way the human body uses it. You’ll be surrounded by supportive, qualified Accredited Practising Dietitians with plenty of practical industry experience to share with you.
- International students should apply for the Bachelor of Nutrition, which provides a pathway towards careers in nutrition research, public health and community nutrition, food industry, health education and nutrition consultancy.
Our hands-on program is designed to get you involved with food, understand the science behind food and the way the human body uses it. You’ll be surrounded by supportive, qualified Accredited Practising Dietitians with plenty of practical industry experience to share with you.
Practical experience is woven throughout our degree with opportunities to experience real-life work environments, learn about nutrition in the specialised teaching kitchen, and role play clinical consultations in the hospital ward environment.
In your fourth year, get hands-on experience in a variety of fields and complete a minimum of 100 days of work placement. You’ll get to work with a real client and give them a nutrition assessment.
You’ll also have opportunities to gain experience in community nutrition, public health nutrition, and food service systems. After you complete two years of full-time study, choose to take an embedded honours stream to focus on a research area of interest.
This is an accredited program through the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), and on graduation you’ll be eligible to join the Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) program.
Post-admission requirements
Before undertaking Work Integrated Learning placement students must obtain a Blue card, complete a National Criminal History check and a QLD Health orientation package and may be required to complete first aid and CPR training. Students must also provide evidence of Hepatitis B immunisation, and evidence of vaccination for the diseases measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and pertussis— refer to Program Requirements.
Students will be required to undertake some placements outside the Sunshine Coast region in metropolitan and regional/rural centres. Expenses for these and other placement requirements are to be incurred by the student. Placements in fourth year are undertaken on a full-time basis.
Career opportunities
Clinical dietitian, private practice, community nutrition, public health nutrition, food service management, nutrition consultancy, research, education, sports nutrition.
Membership
Dietitians Association of Australia. Graduates are also eligible for enrolment in the Accredited Practising Dietitian Program of the Dietitians Association of Australia.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics is fully accredited with the Dietitians Association of Australia.
Program structure
Introductory courses (8)
COR109 Professional Journalism Practice A
LFS100 Professional Journalism Practice B
LFS112 Newsroom
NUT102 Communication and Thought
NUT110 Cell Biology
PUB112 Human Physiology
SCI105 Food in Society
SCI110 Introduction to Dietetics
Advanced courses (16)
LFS201 Public Health Foundations
LFS202 Chemistry
LFS251 Science Research Methods
LFS303 Systemic Physiology I
NUT201 Systemic Physiology II
NUT202 Biochemistry
NUT205 Pathophysiology
NUT212 Food Studies
NUT232 Nutrition Assessment
NUT301 Public Health Nutrition
NUT302 Principles of Nutrition
NUT312 Nutritional Biochemistry
NUT400 Advanced Public Health Nutrition
NUT351 Medical Nutrition Therapy 2
NUT352 Food Service Systems
NUT361 Nutrition and Dietetic Skills
PLUS one (1) of the following pathways:
Pass-Level Pathway courses (6)
NUT401 Medical Nutrition Therapy 1
NUT402 Contemporary Issues in Nutrition
NUT403 Counselling and Communication Skills for Dietetics
NUT404 Nutrition and Dietetics Research and Evaluation
NUT405 Individual Case Management
PUB361 Food Service Placement
Honours Pathway courses (6)
NUT333 Community and Public Health Nutrition
NUT402 Nutrition and Dietetic Practice Management
NUT403 Epidemiology and Biostatistics
NUT404 Nutrition and Dietetics Research Proposal
NUT405 Individual Case Management
NUT410 Food Service Placement
Note: Program structures are subject to change. Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 384
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Successfully complete 384 units as outlined in the Program Structure
- Complete all courses as listed below
In order to commence clinical placement you must:
- Hold a valid Blue Card from the Public Safety Business Agency (PSBA), throughout the duration of your program. You should allow 12 weeks for PSBA to issue the card. Note students who do not possess a valid Blue Card will be unable to complete the clinical practice component of their program and will be unable to meet graduation requirements
- Have a National Criminal History check (by Queensland Police Service or other state/territory authority)
- Show evidence of vaccination for the vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) of: Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Varicella (Chickenpox), Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
- Complete an orientation package, (a Queensland Health [QH] requirement) before undertaking any placement which involves QH. The package can be completed online
Program notes
- For Sippy Downs students some courses in this program will be taught at the Sunshine Coast Heath Institute
- Cross-institutional study is not permitted for the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses)
- Students wishing to study less than 4 courses per semester should contact the Program coordinator
- LFS100 Cell Biology MUST be completed in your first semester of study
- NUT402 , NUT403 and NUT404 MUST be completed together consecutively over 20 weeks of full time placement. Semester of enrolment in these courses will be determined by the Program Coordinator
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods
- Not available to international students on a Student Visa
- Refer to the Planning your study page to manage your progression