Why Study/Key Benefits

The Master of Dietetics is a professional postgraduate programme designed to prepare students for dietetic practice across clinical, community, public-health and food-service environments.

Key benefits include:

• Develop advanced knowledge and practical skills in nutrition and dietetics.
• Build competencies in clinical nutrition and medical nutrition therapy.
• Study community and public health nutrition.
• Develop skills in nutrition assessment, diagnosis, education and counselling.
• Gain knowledge of food science and food systems management.
• Develop research and evidence-based practice skills.
• Explore entrepreneurship, innovation, systems thinking and leadership for private practice and consultancy.
• Complete extensive professional placements across clinical, public-health and food-service environments.
• Gain practical experience through industry-connected placement organisations.
• Prepare for eligibility to join Dietitians Australia and apply for the Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) Program after meeting the relevant requirements.
• Develop skills applicable across healthcare, food and nutrition, education, corporate and research environments.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

The Master of Dietetics consists of 200 credit points: 150 credit points of core study and 50 credit points of professional placements.

Core subjects include:

• Applied Nutrition Science – DET60001
• Food Science and Systems – DET60002
• Community and Public Health Nutrition – DET60004
• Research and Evidence-Based Practice A – DET60005
• Nutrition Assessment and Diagnosis – DET60006
• Nutrition Education and Counselling – DET70002
• Medical Nutrition Therapy A – DET70003
• Research and Evidence-Based Practice B – DET70004
• Medical Nutrition Therapy B – DET80001
• Research and Evidence-Based Practice C – DET80002
• Research and Evidence-Based Practice D – DET80005
• Entrepreneurial Dietetic Practice – DET80006

Professional placement units include:

• Clinical Dietetics Placement 1 – DET80003
• Public Health Nutrition Placement – DET80004
• Food Service Management Placement – DET80007
• Clinical Dietetics Placement 2 – DET80008

The curriculum develops knowledge and skills in:

• Nutrition science
• Food science
• Food systems
• Community nutrition
• Public health nutrition
• Nutrition assessment
• Nutrition diagnosis
• Nutrition education
• Counselling
• Medical nutrition therapy
• Evidence-based practice
• Dietetic research
• Clinical dietetics
• Food-service management
• Entrepreneurial dietetic practice

Disciplines/Specialisations

The Master of Dietetics does not currently list separate formal majors or specialisations.

Instead, students develop expertise across several dietetic practice areas:

• Clinical dietetics
• Community nutrition
• Public health nutrition
• Medical nutrition therapy
• Food service management
• Nutrition education and counselling
• Nutrition research
• Entrepreneurship and private practice
• Food systems
• Sports-related nutrition
• Corporate and digital health
• Food sustainability

Programme Highlights

• Fully accredited by Dietitians Australia.
• Designed to prepare graduates for professional dietetic practice.
• Minimum 100 days of professional placement.
• Clinical, public-health and food-service placement experience.
• Evidence-based nutrition and dietetic education.
• Strong focus on culturally responsive professional practice.
• Includes research and evidence-based practice across the degree.
• Includes entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership.
• Industry connections with health services and community organisations.
• Potential professional pathway towards Dietitians Australia membership and the Accredited Practising Dietitian Program.

Career Outcomes

The programme prepares graduates for roles and career areas such as:

• Clinical dietetics
• Community dietetics
• Public health nutrition
• Corporate health
• Digital health
• Aged-care nutrition
• Nutrition services
• Food-service management
• Sports and fitness nutrition
• Food sustainability
• Nutrition research
• Private practice
• Dietetic consultancy
• Nutrition education

Latest Updates/Special Requirements

The following requirements are particularly important for international students:

• All applicants must submit a completed Supplementary Information Form.
• The course has limited capacity.
• Students cannot defer their place after receiving an offer.
• Students must enrol full-time.
• Students must complete the required professional placements.
• Minimum 100 days of professional placement is mandated for the accredited programme.
• Current evidence of required immunisations must be provided before attending placements.
• Additional immunisations may be required depending on government policy or placement-provider requirements.
• Students may need an annual N95 mask fit test before placement; the relevant fee is the student's responsibility.
• Students must maintain a current Working with Children Check and Police Records Check throughout the programme.
• An NDIS Worker Screening Check may be required before placement with an NDIS provider; any relevant fee is the student's responsibility.
• Placement organisations may impose additional requirements.
• Students undertaking accredited placements may need items/checks including a uniform, police check, Working with Children Check, NDIS screening where applicable, immunisation documentation, COVID-19 vaccination, annual hand-hygiene certification and N95 mask fit testing.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students intending to undertake the Master of Dietetics in Australia generally require an Australian Student visa (subclass 500).

Current Department of Home Affairs requirements include:

• Enrolment in a full-time course registered on CRICOS.
• A valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) when the visa is decided.
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies.
• Genuine Student requirement.
• Satisfying health and character requirements.
• Evidence of sufficient funds where required.
• Submission of the documents identified by the Department's Document Checklist Tool.
• Compliance with all Student visa conditions.

Student visa work rights:

• Student visa holders can generally work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session.
• Students studying a master's degree by research or a doctoral degree are exempt from this work cap, but the Master of Dietetics is a coursework master's degree, so the standard 48-hour-per-fortnight cap applies while the course is in session.
• Students can generally work unlimited hours when the course is not in session, subject to their visa conditions.
• Students cannot work before their course starts.