Master of Dietetic Practice

Course information for - 2024 entry

Offered at 2 locations

Duration

2 years full-time

Fees (first year)*

$8944 CSP
$32136 Fee-paying

Start dates
Semester 1 intake: Beginning January 2024
Applications open August 2023
Midyear (Semester 2) intake: Not available

Overview

The Master of Dietetic Practice is a 2-year full-time program. Dietetic Practice is the application of the science of food and nutrition across a range of domains to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities, and populations. The course combines theory and practice placement across dietetic practice areas including food and nutrition counselling with individuals, food and nutrition education and capacity building with groups, public health nutrition, food production and provision to individuals, communities and populations, entrepreneurial dietetic practice and management, and research.

Commonwealth Supported Places are available for this course. See the Courses costs section below, under Fees.

Professional experience

Students will complete a minimum of 132 days of practice placement, which includes 15 days ‘engaging with communities’ placement.

All professional experience placements require pre-verification (e.g. police checks, immunisation).

All students are required to complete at least one regional/rural/interstate placement.

Community engagement

Students undertake a unit ‘Engaging with communities’ where principles of community engagement is integrated within the context of solving food and nutrition problems.

Supervision arrangements

Suitability of supervisors across placements will be assessed by the ACU Master of Dietetic Practice Placement Coordinator. Supervision of competence to practice on placement will be arranged between university academics and placement organisations. Where assessment of competence is conducted during placement, the supervisor needs to be a Full Accredited Practising Dietitian (not provisional).

Accreditation

The Master of Dietetic Practice is designed to meet the requirements for accreditation by Dietitians Australia and has achieved Program Qualification with Dietitians Australia. ACU is planning to submit a Provisional Accreditation and then Full Accreditation application within the required timelines, and aims to achieve accreditation prior to graduation of the first cohort of students. A graduate of an accredited program is eligible to become a member of Dietitians Australia with dietetics qualifications, and to join the Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) Program. Full details of the stages in the Dietitians Australia accreditation process are available at https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/becoming-a-dietitian-in-australia/accreditation-of-dietetics-education-programs/accreditation-standards-and-processes/   All inquiries regarding the progress of the ACU’s accreditation review should be directed to Associate Professor Sharon Croxford: sharon.croxford@acu.edu.au

Careers

Employment for graduates will be across a range of sectors and depend in part on the interests of the graduate.

Examples of the work and settings the course prepares graduates for includes:

  • Acute health services e.g. hospitals
  • Community health services
  • Aged care facilities
  • Private practice/consulting
  • Food and nutrition communication/media
  • Food production and provision
  • National and international health agencies
  • State and federal government health departments
  • Public health nutrition
  • Food industry
  • Food science and technology
  • Food safety and regulation
  • Food research and product development
  • Education sector

Course details

Course structure

Course map

Open all

Please note: Course maps are subject to change.

Pathway 1 Admission Requirement A. - Commencing Semester 1 - Full-time

Course map for students undertaking Pathway 1 (140 credit points) who were admitted under Admission Requirement A.

  • Specified UnitsNUTR501Contemporary Dietetic Practice Theory and Application

    MULTI-MODE

    10 cp
  • Specified UnitsNUTR502Dietetic Practice with Individuals

    MULTI-MODE

    10 cp
  • Specified UnitsNUTR503Dietetic Practice with Groups

    MULTI-MODE

    10 cp
  • Specified UnitsNUTR505Research in Food Nutrition and Dietetics 1

    MULTI-MODE (Inc: HLSC401, HLSC641)

    10 cp
  • Professional Practice UnitsNUTR600Individual Case Management Theory and Placement

    MULTI-MODE (Pre: NUTR501 & NUTR502)

    10 cp
  • Specified UnitsNUTR601Entrepreneurial Dietetic Practice

    MULTI-MODE (Pre: NUTR405 or NUTR504)

    10 cp
  • Specified UnitsNUTR602Research in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics 2

    MULTI-MODE (Pre: NUTR505)

    10 cp

All unit are delivered in multi-mode unless otherwise indicated in the map.

Prerequisites (Pre:) are other units that you must have passed before enrolling in the unit. 

Incompatibles (Inc:) are units similar to this unit. If you have previously passed an Incompatible unit, you are not able to enrol in this unit.

* NUTR603 is offered in Australia during Summer and Winter Term. It is also offered in Balli during Winter 2024.

Pathway 2 Admission Requirement B - Commencing Semester 1 - Full-time

Course map for students undertaking Pathway 2 (150 credit points) who were admitted under Admission Requirement B.

All unit are delivered in multi-mode unless otherwise indicated in the map.

Prerequisites (Pre:) are other units that you must have passed before enrolling in the unit. 

Incompatibles (Inc:) are units similar to this unit. If you have previously passed an Incompatible unit, you are not able to enrol in this unit.

* NUTR603 is offered in Australia during Summer and Winter Term. It is also offered in Balli during Winter 2024.

Pathway 3 Admission Requirement C - Commencing Professional Term 1- Full-time

Course map for students undertaking Pathway 3 (160 credit points) who were admitted under Admission Requirement C.

All unit are delivered in multi-mode unless otherwise indicated in the map.

Prerequisites (Pre:) are other units that you must have passed before enrolling in the unit. 

Incompatibles (Inc:) are units similar to this unit. If you have previously passed an Incompatible unit, you are not able to enrol in this unit.

* NUTR603 is offered in Australia during Summer and Winter Term. It is also offered in Balli during Winter 2024.

AQF framework

Masters (Coursework) - AQF Level 9

Exit Points

A student who has completed 20 cp of Culinary Nutrition Units and 20 cp of Specified Units from the Schedule of Unit Offerings may exit with the Graduate Certificate in Culinary Nutrition Science.

Additional course information

The ACU Master of Dietetic Practice is unique for the following reasons:

  • Volume and variety of placement experiences
  • Inclusion of traditional and emerging areas of practice, including culinary nutrition science
  • Engaging with communities and international placement opportunities
  • Focus on solving food and nutrition problems
  • Student-driven evidence of competence to practice 

Overseas study available

International placement will also be offered however these will be voluntary.

Entry requirements

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites:

Admission Requirement A

Pathway 1 (140cp)

a. ACU’s Bachelor of Nutrition Science which includes completion of the ACU units NUTR404 Advanced Culinary Nutrition Science and NUTR405 Foods for Special Diets, AND one of the following:

  1. a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale; or
  2. evidence of relevant industry experience for at least one year post-Bachelor graduation.


OR

Admission Requirement B

Pathway 2 (150cp)

b. ACU’s Bachelor of Nutrition Science which includes completion of the ACU unit NUTR404 Advanced Culinary Nutrition Science AND one of the following:

  1. a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale; or
  2. evidence of relevant industry experience for at least one year post-Bachelor graduation.


OR

Admission Requirement C

Pathway 3 (160cp)

c. A Bachelor degree in Nutrition (or equivalent) which includes the equivalent of one full-time half year of study (4 study units or equivalent) in:

  1. Chemistry followed by Biochemistry; and
  2. Human Biology and Human Physiology; and
  3. Food and Human Nutrition Science, which must include foundation nutrition, nutrition through the lifespan, food science, and the role of diet in the development and management of chronic disease;

AND one of the following:

  1. a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale; or
  2. evidence of relevant industry experience for at least one year post-Bachelor graduation; or
  3. completion of ACU's Graduate Certificate in Culinary Nutrition Science with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale.


NOTE: Applicants having completed ACU’s Graduate Certificate in Culinary Nutrition Science may be eligible for recognition of prior learning of up to 40 credit points.

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2024 Admission.

Applicants with higher education study

An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy .

International applicants must also meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy .

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Dietetic Practice, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites:

Admission Requirement A

Pathway 1 (140cp)

a. ACU’s Bachelor of Nutrition Science which includes completion of the ACU units NUTR404 Advanced Culinary Nutrition Science and NUTR405 Foods for Special Diets, AND one of the following:

  1. a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale; or
  2. evidence of relevant industry experience for at least one year post-Bachelor graduation.

OR

Admission Requirement B

Pathway 2 (150cp)

b. ACU’s Bachelor of Nutrition Science which includes completion of the ACU unit NUTR404 Advanced Culinary Nutrition Science AND one of the following:

  1. a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale; or
  2. evidence of relevant industry experience for at least one year post-Bachelor graduation.

OR

Admission Requirement C

Pathway 3 (160cp)

c. A Bachelor degree in Nutrition (or equivalent) which includes the equivalent of one full-time half year of study (4 study units or equivalent) in:

  1. Chemistry followed by Biochemistry; and
  2. Human Biology and Human Physiology; and
  3. Food and Human Nutrition Science, which must include foundation nutrition, nutrition through the lifespan, food science, and the role of diet in the development and management of chronic disease;

AND one of the following:

  1. a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale; or
  2. evidence of relevant industry experience for at least one year post-Bachelor graduation; or
  3. completion of ACU's Graduate Certificate in Culinary Nutrition Science with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on the ACU 7 point scale.

NOTE: Applicants having completed ACU’s Graduate Certificate in Culinary Nutrition Science may be eligible for recognition of prior learning of up to 40 credit points.

English language requirements

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Overall score 7.0

Individual score of 7.0 in all tests

Pearson Test of English

65 with a minimum of 65 in all four communicative skills

Test of English as a Foreign Language – Academic (TOEFL)

Internet based total of 94: with a minimum of 27 in writing, 23 in speaking, 24 in reading and 24 in listening

ACU English Language Test

A (75-100%)

Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

Overall CAE score of 185

Individual score of 185 in all tests

Inherent requirement

There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.

Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you

Pathways

Further study

Graduates of the Master of Dietetic Practice are likely to commence practice however may progress to additional postgraduate study. A Master of Public Health or Master of Business Administration are typical, as is further studies in Education.

Fees

Course costs

Average first year fee*

$8944 CSP
$32136 Fee-paying

Commonwealth Supported Places are available to commencing students only.

  • Indicative only. Subject to passage of legislation.

All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a full-time study load of 40 credit points (normally 4 units) per semester. In the Master of Dietetic Practice, a student studying full-time will normally undertake 90 credit points in their first year, and 70 credit points in their second year.

A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:

  • the number of units studied per semester;
  • the choice of major or specialisation; and
  • elective units.
  • The University reviews fees annually.

Payment options

You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.

Explore your options

Scholarships

You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.

Search our scholarships

How to apply

Domestic applicants

Direct application

Apply now

We have some additional information to help you with the application and assessment process for the Master of Dietetic Practice. Read more

Staff Profile

Dr Adam Walsh

Senior Lecturer and National Course Coordinator for the Master of Dietetic Practice, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences

Dr Walsh is an early-career academic whose focus is the promotion of evidence-based practice in teaching. Dr Walsh graduated from Deakin University with a PhD in nutritional epidemiology for his work characterising paternal influence on the diets and physical activity behaviours of young children. Dr Walsh is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian with extensive experience in the clinical and higher education sectors. As an educator of future dietitians, Dr Walsh encourages students to challenge conventional wisdom as they strive to better the livelihoods of those they treat.

Associate Professor Sharon Croxford

Associate Professor (Nutrition and Dietetics) and Head of Discipline Nutrition and Public Health, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences

Sharon is an award-winning academic with expertise across a range of teaching and food and nutrition-related professional domains. She has written on food and cooking, as well as nutrition, and has published in academic journals as well as magazines and newspapers abroad. Sharon has written and co-written books on Ottoman and Turkish cuisines, cheeses and preserving methods, the science of food, and food and nutrition through the life cycle. She is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and has worked professionally as a dietitian/nutritionist for more than 35 years in a range of contexts including acute health care, community and public healthcare, and education. Her research interests relate to dietary acculturation and its impact on health and defining terms in culinary culture and nutrition. Sharon is discipline lead for nutrition and public health at ACU and has led the development of undergraduate nutrition science, post graduate dietetic practice and post graduate culinary nutrition science courses. She is also passionate about the development of community engagement and international learning experiences for students across disciplines and has helped teams to pivot to online and blended learning models and is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

 

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