Undergraduate - CourseBachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours)

This course aims to prepare graduates with the professional and personal qualities required for future dietetic practice in a variety of workplace settings. The course integrates academic teaching and learning with clinical, population health, food service, research and management experience and is undertaken in both academic and professional practice placement settings. The first two and a half years of the couse are studied mainly on-campus, and the last eighteen months are spent primarily in professional placements. These include clinical, food service, community nutrition and public health nutrition settings.

The objectives of the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics have been classified according to the four themes of the course:

• Personal development and professional practice
• Determinants and influences of public health and nutrition
• Nutrition fundamentals of health and disease
• Food: From science to systems.

Applied and practical learning experiences will traverse all themes to support the integrated approach to the teaching and learning of this course.

The development of skills and knowledge in research relevant and/or applied to nutrition and dietetic practice will underpin each of the four core themes of the program.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

• fulfil (and potentially surpass) the National Competency Standards for Entry Level Dietitians as defined by the Dietitians Association of AustraliaDietitians Association of Australia (http://www.daa.asn.au) (DAA) 2009 and apply professional, safe and ethical conduct as outlined in the DAA Code of Professional ConductCode of Professional Conduct (http://www.daa.asn.au)
• integrate and utilise associations between nutrition and health and disease to the practice of nutrition and dietetics for the health of populations as well as individuals
• integrate advanced food knowledge and food skills into their professional practice
• independently demonstrate initiative, creativity and responsibility in the application of quality research principles and methods within the science and practice of nutrition and dietetics
• demonstrate flexible and appropriate oral and, written communication skills, including the ability to present coherent argument, critical enquiry, negotiate effectively and conflict management with peers, professionals, clients and the public
• demonstrate the ability to work effectively and flexibly with a diverse range of people and function well within teams across a range of settings
• demonstrate cultural competence, reflective practice empathy and compassion showing concern for issues of equity, equality, humanity and social justice
• advocate on behalf of individuals, groups and the profession influencing the wider environment about factors which affect eating behaviour and nutrition
• describe the social, ethical, economic, political and environmental context of food and eating, nutrition, health and illness and psychological wellbeing, and delivery of care
• practise using a client-centred approach, respecting the right of clients and support networks to collaborate in decision-making.

Special requirements

Students must refer to the information available on the special requirements outlined below. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they have the correct documentation.

Police checks

Students must have a current Police check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Refer to the faculty's police checkspolice checks (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/police-checks.html) webpage.

Working with Children checks

Students must have a current Working with Children check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Refer to the faculty's Working with Children checksWorking with Children checks (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/wwc-check.html) webpage.

Immunisation and infection requirements

In accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council recommendations, this course requires that students comply with the faculty's Immunisation and vaccination policy and proceduresImmunisation and vaccination policy and procedures (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/immunisation/). These are designed to provide maximum protection against the increased risk of some vaccine preventable diseases for students, patients and workers in a health care setting.

This policy, and the associated procedures require that students have certain specified vaccinations, and have their blood borne virus status determined, before they commence a clinical placement. Students who have not complied with this policy may not be able to undertake clinical placement, with the attendant academic consequences.

Prospective students are provided detailed information on the effect of blood borne virus infection on the scope of practice of health care workers. Students who test positive to a blood borne virus (including HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C) will be required to consult a specialist medical practitioner approved by the faculty to provide advice on any necessary restrictions on work practices to protect patients and others from infection.

Professional practice units

This course requires students to undertake off-campus supervised practice placements. In the practice setting students will have an opportunity to apply theory to practice under supervision. Attendance is mandatory for the practice component of each unit. Placement may occur in metropolitan or rural settings.

Where a student's skill or knowledge is found to be inadequate, access to the placement component of the unit will be denied. A student may be withdrawn from a practicum if required skills, knowledge and professional behaviour are deemed inadequate, or on other grounds deemed appropriate by the head of school.

Clinical expenses

Students are responsible for all travel and accommodation expenses during clinical placement.

This course meets the accreditation requirements of the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA).

This course consists of 16 compulsory units that fulfill the Dietitians of Association of Australia Entry Level Competencies.

First year

Semester one

• BND1001 Personal and professional perspectives in nutrition
• BND1101 Science foundations

Semester two

• BND1002 Evaluating the evidence: Nutrition and population health
• BND1102 Introduction to food and nutrition science

Second year

Semester one

• BND2001 Health across the lifespan
• BND2102 Food: Science, composition and skills

Semester two

• BND2002 Applied research methods in nutrition
• BND2103 Integrated science systems

Third year

Semester one

• BND3102 Introduction to dietetics practice
• BND3101 Evidence based case management

Semester two

• BND3202 Food for dietetic practice
• BND3302 Dietetic practice 1

Fourth year

Semester one

• BND4082 Improving the populations nutrition
• BND4092 Practice and research in public health nutrition

Semester two

• BND4102 Practice and research in dietetics
• BND4402 Dietetic practice

• Nutrition and dietetics

Students may exit with 3956 Bachelor of Nutrition Science after successfully completing appropriate third year units of that course.

Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours)