Master of Dietetic Practice

Melbourne and North Sydney

For more information on the Master of Dietetic Practice and to apply, visit our Course Browser.

ACU’s new and contemporary Master of Dietetic Practice is a two-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.

Students will explore current topics in dietetic practice including sports nutrition, paediatrics, nutrigenomics, mental health, disability, aged care, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ and culturally/linguistically diverse populations’ health and food and nutrient status, metabolic disease, obesity, diabetes, coeliac disease, cancer and more. Students will have the opportunity to study overseas on ACU projects in the Solomon Islands and Bali.

Proposed units in the Master of Dietetic Practice in dietetic practice areas will include:

Culinary nutrition and entrepreneurship

• Advanced Culinary Nutrition Science in Practice
• Foods for Special Diets in Practice
• Entrepreneurial Dietetic Practice*
• Dietetic Practice and Management*

Dietetic practice with individuals

• Contemporary Dietetic Practice Theory and Application
• Dietetic Practice with Individuals
• Individual Case Management Theory and Placement*

Dietetic practice with groups

• Dietetics Practice with Groups
• Engaging with Communities*
• Dietetic Practice through Advocacy and Policy

Research

• Research in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics 1*
• Research in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics 2*

In addition to placements embedded within units (see *), an additional three placement units will allow students to develop and demonstrate competence in these dietetic practice areas. More than 1,000 hours of professional practice experience is embedded across the course.

Accreditation: The master’s program is designed to meet the accreditation standards of Dietitians Australia (DA, formerly Dietitians Association of Australia). ACU has commenced the accreditation process with DA and is currently in the Program Qualification stage. Following the accreditation stages set out by DA, graduates will be eligible to become Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) ACU graduates will be able to find employment across a range of sectors.

The course prepares graduates to work in:

• acute health services eg 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
• the food industry
• food science and technology
• food safety and regulation
• food research and product development
• education.

To be eligible for admission to the 160-credit point Master of Dietetic Practice, you must meet the following prerequisites:

Completed a bachelor degree in Nutrition Science (or equivalent) which includes the equivalent of one full-time half year of study (four study units or equivalent) in each of the following:

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 either:
   i. a grade point average (GPA) of at least 4.6 on the ACU 7-point scale;
   or
   ii. evidence of relevant industry experience for at least one-year post-bachelor graduation.

Students who have completed ACU’s Bachelor of Nutrition Science and completed the ACU units NUTR404 Advanced Culinary Nutrition Science and NUTR405 Foods for Special Diets will be eligible to enter a 140-credit point program.