Why Study/Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in Nutrition, provides a broad health-science foundation combined with specialised study of nutrition, food science, nutrition across the lifespan, nutritional biochemistry and public health nutrition.

Key benefits include:

• Develop scientific knowledge of nutrition and its relationship with health and disease.
• Learn about food and nutrition science through hands-on, laboratory-based learning.
• Study the biological, psychological and cultural factors that influence food choices.
• Explore nutrition across different stages of the lifespan.
• Examine contemporary lifestyle-related diseases and disease prevention.
• Study food security and sustainability.
• Develop skills in dietary assessment.
• Develop practical laboratory skills relevant to nutrition.
• Learn how to translate nutritional scientific evidence into accessible information.
• Develop scientific communication and nutrition advocacy skills.
• Complete a Health Sciences Project as part of the degree.
• Receive a guaranteed Work Integrated Learning opportunity through Swinburne's bachelor-degree programme.
• The degree can provide a pathway towards further study, including the Master of Dietetics. Swinburne specifically states that students interested in becoming a dietitian can continue to the Master of Dietetics after this major.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

The standard degree contains 300 credit points divided into:

• 100 credit points of core units
• 100 credit points of Nutrition major units
• 100 credit points of elective/other approved study.

The current Swinburne course page publishes an indicative Semester 1, 2026 sequence. Swinburne notes that unit offerings and sequencing can change, so the sequence should be treated as an indicative study plan rather than a guaranteed 2027 timetable.

Year 1 – 100 credit points

Core units:

• Anatomy and Physiology – BIO10004
• Introduction to Health Sciences – HEA10001
• Digital Health Foundations – HEA10004
• Foundations of Statistics – STA10003
• Brain and Behaviour – PSY10007

Nutrition major:

• Chemistry 1 – CHE10001

Additional study:

• 2 elective units.

Year 2 – 100 credit points

Nutrition major:

• Introduction to Nutrition – NTR10001
• Physiology in Medical and Health Sciences – NTR20003
• Food & Nutrition Science – NTR20001
• Nutrition in the Life Course – NTR20002

Core:

• Health and Disease Across the Life Course – BIO20004

Additional study:

• 2 elective units.

Year 3 – 100 credit points

Core:

• Research Methods for Health Science – HEA20007
• Health Sciences Project – HEA30001

Nutrition major:

• Nutrition and Disease Prevention – NTR30001
• Public Health Nutrition – NTR30004
• Nutritional Biochemistry – NTR30005

Additional study:

• 4 elective units.

The eight Nutrition major units confirmed in the current Bachelor of Health Science handbook are:

• Chemistry 1 – CHE10001
• Introduction to Nutrition – NTR10001
• Physiology in Medical and Health Sciences – NTR20003
• Food & Nutrition Science – NTR20001
• Nutrition in the Life Course – NTR20002
• Nutrition and Disease Prevention – NTR30001
• Public Health Nutrition – NTR30004
• Nutritional Biochemistry – NTR30005.

Disciplines/Specialisations

The selected specialisation is:

• Nutrition

The Bachelor of Health Science also offers the following majors:

• Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health
• Biomedical Science
• Clinical Technologies
• Health Economics
• Health Service Management
• Neuroscience
• Nutrition
• Public Health and Health Promotion.

The Nutrition major focuses particularly on:

• Nutrition science
• Food and nutrition science
• Nutritional biochemistry
• Human physiology
• Nutrition across the lifespan
• Nutrition and disease prevention
• Public health nutrition
• Dietary assessment
• Food security
• Food sustainability
• Nutrition communication
• Nutrition advocacy
• Digital health.

Programme Highlights

• Three-year Bachelor of Health Science with a specialised Nutrition major.
• Hands-on, laboratory-based nutrition learning.
• Study of food, nutrition and their relationship with health and disease.
• Nutrition across the lifespan.
• Nutrition and disease prevention.
• Public health nutrition.
• Nutritional biochemistry.
• Food security and sustainability.
• Dietary assessment.
• Scientific evidence translation.
• Scientific communication and nutrition advocacy.
• Guaranteed Work Integrated Learning as part of Swinburne's bachelor-degree offering.
• Health Sciences Project with potential industry links.
• Optional six-month or 12-month professional work placement.
• Potential pathway to the Master of Dietetics for students seeking further professional dietetics study.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne currently identifies the following career opportunities for the Nutrition major:

• Nutritionist
• Nutrition analyst
• Nutrition teacher
• Nutrition researcher
• Public health worker
• Health program developer
• Digital content developer.

The knowledge developed through the major can also be relevant to:

• Nutrition education
• Public health programmes
• Community nutrition
• Nutrition research
• Food and nutrition communication
• Health promotion
• Food and nutrition organisations
• Digital health content
• Nutrition analysis
• Nutrition advocacy.

Latest Updates/Special Requirements

• Current course code: BA-HSC1.
• Current CRICOS code: 077669G.
• 2027 starts: 1 March and 2 August.
• Application deadlines: 24 February and 28 July 2027 respectively.
• The individual VTAC code currently listed for the Nutrition major is 3400213881.
• International students in Australia holding Student visas must study full-time and on campus.
• The published course structure is an indicative Semester 1, 2026 sequence; unit availability and sequencing may change.
• Students may receive academic credit for previous study or relevant experience, subject to individual assessment.
• Optional professional placement is subject to the applicable Swinburne placement requirements.
• The course includes Informed Choices requirements relating to sensory abilities, mobility, professional conduct, learning and knowledge creation, and interpersonal capabilities. Some core safety-related activities have limited flexibility, while reasonable adjustments may be possible for adaptable components.
• The course page states that students participating in a six-month or 12-month professional placement will incur an increase in total course fees.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students intending to study this course in Australia generally require an Australian Student visa, subclass 500.

Current Department of Home Affairs requirements include:

• Enrolment in an eligible course registered on CRICOS.
• A valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies.
• Meeting the Genuine Student requirement.
• Meeting applicable health and character requirements.
• Demonstrating financial capacity where required.
• Providing the documents identified by the Department's Document Checklist Tool.
• Compliance with all Student visa conditions.

Student visa work conditions:

• Student visa holders can generally work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session.
• The exemption allowing more than 48 hours per fortnight for students undertaking master's degrees by research or doctoral degrees does not apply to this bachelor's degree.
• Students can generally work unlimited hours when their course is not in session, subject to their visa conditions.
• Student visa holders cannot work before their course starts.