Monash University Handbook 2011 Undergraduate - Course

This honours program is an additional year of study which builds upon the knowledge and experience gained in course 3404 Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics. It allows students to develop their research skills and competencies, learn specific techniques and gain a deeper understanding of a selected aspect of human nutrition. Students undertake a research project under the supervision of an approved member of the academic or research staff. The choice of project and supervisor will be organised by the student in consultation with potential supervisors and the honours year advisor. This allows a high degree of flexibility in the type of research project that can be undertaken, while focusing on the general area of human nutrition and health.

On completion of this course students will:

• be able to critically review the scientific literature in their discipline
• understand the processes involved in the design, development and implementation of a research project
• be able to develop a proposal for a research project and apply for ethics committee approval
• be able to execute and analyse a research project, or a set of studies
• be proficient in computer based data manipulation, analysis, presentation, and word processing
• be able to write up scientific work in a report suitable to submit for publication
• demonstrate communication skills in both oral and written presentation to a specialist scientific audience
• have refined or acquired a range of technical skills appropriate to their project
• have gained insight into the research process in an area relating to the health sciences.

To be eligible for entry to the Honours Degree of the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics students are required to have:

• completed course 3404 Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Monash University, or a comparable graduate qualification in dietetics from another approved tertiary institution
• a combined average of 70 per cent or higher for semesters five, six, seven and eight of the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, or equivalent performance in the final two years of a dietetics degree from another tertiary institution.

The head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetic may make a case for a student who has demonstrated research potential but does not have a grade average that meets the requirements above, or elect to admit a student who demonstrates research potential and has completed a science-based degree with substantial nutrition content.

The program consists of an individual major research project and a compulsory coursework component. The research project will constitute the major portion of the student's work. In addition all students will complete two components of the course that are not directly related to their specific research projects. One of these components will be a seminar series ranging broadly across different areas of human nutrition and the other will consist of a lecture series that will focus on the development of key research skills including statistical analysis.

Students must satisfactorily complete the following units:

• BND4111 Research skills for dietitians
• BND4112 Issues in human nutrition
• BND4121 Honours research project 1
• BND4122 Honours research project 2

Honours degree of Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics