Master of Dietetics

Studying a Master of Dietetics at Swinburne will empower you to make a positive impact on the health of Australians.

You will develop skills in both traditional and emerging areas of dietetic practice, learning to work with a range of evolving food and health management strategies.

Units cover a range of innovative topics including entrepreneurship, leadership and business, sports nutrition, and paediatric nutrition.

The course includes face-to-face lectures and tutorials, seminars, theoretical and practical coursework, kitchen workshops, online learning, and professional placement.

The Master of Dietetics at Swinburne aims to educate and empower the next generation of dietitians to be nutrition experts and innovators making a positive impact on the health of Australians. Students will develop their skills in traditional areas of dietetic practice – clinical practice, community and public health nutrition and food service management – as well as the emerging and growing fields of entrepreneurship and private practice, research, nutrigenomics, aged care, corporate health, digital health, food sustainability and supply, food innovation and sport. The structure of the Master of Dietetics aligns with the requirements set out by the Dietitians Australia. The course comprises 15 compulsory units of study – 11 theory-based units and four professional practice placement units. Students will engage in a variety of learning experiences including Problem Based Learning; case studies; practical skill development using the teaching kitchen, food science laboratory and videoed consult rooms; and experience in real-world research. Placements will take place in three required domains including clinical and individual case management, community and public health nutrition, and food service management. Research projects will be undertaken to further enhance skill development and exposure to the evidence base in nutrition and dietetics.

To qualify for the award of Master of Dietetics, students must complete 200 credit points comprising:

• 11 theory units of study (150 credit points)
• 4 Professional placement units of study (50 credit points)

Units of study

Students must complete the following 150 credit points of study from the following list of units:

DET60001 Applied Nutrition Science, Nutrigenomics and Novel Technologies DET60002 Food Science, Food System and Food Industry Skills DET60003 Specialised Nutrition: Sport and Paediatrics DET60004 Nutrition Practice in Diverse Communities DET70001 Evidence Based Practice and Research Skills for Dietitians DET70002 Professional Practice and Communication Skills for Dietitians DET70003 Medical Nutrition Therapy DET80001 Advanced Medical Nutrition Therapy and Food Service Management DET80002 Research Project 1 DET80005 Research Project 2 DET80006 Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Business Skills for Health Professionals

Students must complete the following four placement units (50 credit points):

DET80003 Professional Practice Placement 1 DET80004 Professional Practice Placement 2 DET80007 Professional Practice Placement 3 DET80008 Professional Practice Placement 4

* Outcome units - matched exemptions are generally not granted for higher education outcome units.

Applicants who have completed a 3-year Bachelor degree in a relevant area of study are eligible to apply if:

• they completed their degree in the last 10 years or
• have undertaken subsequent Postgraduate studies or
• have relevant work experience*

• Chemistry/Biochemistry, 4 units - including Chemistry (equivalent to 25% of a year study load) followed by Biochemistry (equivalent to 25% of a year study load);
• Human Biology and Human Physiology, 4 units - including Human Biology (equivalent to 25% of a year study load) followed by Human Physiology (equivalent to 25% of a year study load); and
• Food and Nutrition Science, 2 units (equivalent to 25% of a year study load).

* Work experience

Documents substantiating work experience need to be provided on company letterhead and clearly detail roles as well as duties and duration of posts held.

Special requirements

Immunisation Students must provide an up to date record of all immunisations they have received over their lifetime, translated in English at the time of course commencement. For information on required vaccinations, please visit the Australian Government website . At course commencement, the Faculty Immunisation form will require completion and signed by an Australian medical practitioner to ensure you are immunised according to the Vaccination for Healthcare Workers standards. Further information will be provided upon course commencement. Additional immunisations may be required in response to any changes in Government policy or the specific requirements of the organisation you attend for your placements. Any required immunisations or serology tests would be at your own cost.

Police check A Police check from your country of residence will be required at the time of course commencement.

Overseas If you have lived overseas for more than 12 months in the past ten years, you are required to provide a police check from each country you resided in (including an English translation) and/or a statutory declaration stating that you have never been convicted of any crime in another country.Australia You will be required to have an annual National Police Record Check to attend placements. Further information about how to apply will be provided at course commencement. Working with Children Check – all applicants must maintain a current Working with Children Check throughout the duration of the program.Professional placements Placements can occur at any time during the course, including during the school holidays, Christmas and Easter holidays. Students need to be available to attend placements at all times during the course. It is advised that holidays are not booked prior to allocation of placements as alternative placements may not be available, therefore impeding progress in the course. Detailed information will be provided to all students at the commencement of the course.

Additional costsUniform and equipment will be required to be purchased for use in class and placement.

Some placements will be undertaken in regional locations, students are responsible for costs incurred for travel and accommodation.

• work effectively and ethically in a variety of workplace settings including: clinical, community and public health, food service management and be able to apply those skills to other settings including: private practice, sporting clubs, food industry, research and academia
• apply well developed independent research skills to critically review literature and undertake evidence based practice, including utilising strong theoretical knowledge of research methods, design and statistics and practical research experience
• undertake and document the nutrition care process for individuals, including nutrition assessment, diagnosis, intervention and monitoring/evaluation as applied to individuals, groups and/or populations, whilst applying knowledge of nutrition’s role in the prevention and management of disease states
• demonstrate high level communication skills, collaborate with clients, carers and health care teams; document appropriately to the discipline
• apply high level food skills and knowledge to evaluate product/food suitability and address nutrition and food related issues with both individual clients and in relation to products produced by the food industry
• engage in reflective practice to support own development, including acquisition of knowledge and skills related to own dietetic practice and career aspirations and be adaptable and able to manage change
• apply innovative problem solving skills and an entrepreneurial attitude and utilise appropriate technologies and digital health solutions to support and advance dietetic practice and contribute to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
• demonstrate cultural awareness of local and international environments in which they will be engaged and recognise the importance of communicating in a culturally appropriate way.

The Swinburne Graduate Attributes signify that Swinburne intends that its teaching courses assist all its graduates to be:

• capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
• entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
• effective and ethical in work and community situations
• adaptable and able to manage change
• aware of local and international environments in which they will be contributing.