Master of Dietetics

This postgraduate 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 (e.g., clinical, food service, community nutrition and public health nutrition).

The objectives of the Master of 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.

This coursework-only masters degree includes opportunities to develop research skills and offers a potential pathway to higher degrees by research.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

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

1. fulfil the National Competency Standards for Entry Level Dietitians as defined by the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) 2009
2. maintain professional and ethical conduct as outlined in the DAA Code of Professional Conduct and accept responsibility and practise in a safe and ethical manner
3. be skilled human nutrition scientists innovative in their approach to analysis, critical thinking, problem-solving and evaluation
4. understand the associations between nutrition and health and nutrition and disease and integrate and apply this to the practice of nutrition and dietetics
5. value research and be skilled at accessing, critically appraising and applying the best available evidence to everyday practice
6. communicate effectively and efficiently with other peers, professionals, clients and the public and work collaboratively in a range of settings
7. advocate on behalf of individuals, groups and the profession influencing the wider environment about factors which affect eating behaviour, health and nutrition standards
8. demonstrate awareness of the social, ethical,cultural, economic, political and environmental context of food and eating, nutrition, health and illness and psychological wellbeing, and delivery of care
9. integrate knowledge of relevant public policy and health and social care systems into practice
10. integrate advanced food knowledge and food skills into professional practice
11. maintain high standards in professional life through a commitment to lifelong learning and excellence of practice.

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 procedures

The faculty recommends that all students accept responsibility for having up-to-date immunisations before commencing this course. Recommended immunisations include diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, tuberculosis and hepatitis B. Refer to the faculty's Immunisation and infection riskImmunisation and infection risk (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/immunisation/) webpage.

Health requirements

In order to meet health requirements for working in teaching hospitals and professional placement sites and for protection of other students and themselves, students in this course need to comply with certain precautionary procedures. These consist of confidential tests for immune status (including blood tests and skin tests), receiving vaccines and having x-rays where the evidence indicates these are appropriate and there are no specific contraindications in individual cases.

Prospective students should note that on enrolment, students are provided with detailed written information and, as appropriate, counselling about the effect that HIV or hepatitis B infection may have on the ability of health care workers to practise their profession. Additional information is provided to students in their third year when they are in contact with patients as part of their clinical studies.

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.

Students are responsible for all travel and accommodation expenses during practice placements.

This course fulfils the requirements of the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) for entry level competencies and has commenced the accreditation process.

Students complete one of the following structures as determined by any credit granted for prior studies:

• Structure 1: 96 points over two years full-time
• Structure 2: 72 points over one and a half years full-time

Note: Students eligible for credit for prior studies may elect not to receive the credit and complete the 96-point option if they choose.

Units are 12 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Structure 1 - 96 credit points

Students must complete:

(a.) the following preparatory units (24 points):

First year

Semester one

• NUT4001 Foundations of dietetic practice
• NUT3002 Diet, activity and health in chronic diseases (6 points)
• NUT3082 Public health nutrition (6 points)

(b.) the following master's core units (72 points):

Second year

Semester one

• NUT5001 Introduction to dietetic practice
• NUT5002 Practice and research in public health

Semester two

• NUT5003 Dietetic practice 1
• NUT5004 Food for dietetic practice

Third year

Semester one

• NUT5005 Dietetic practice 2
• NUT5006 Practice and research in dietetics

Structure 2: 72 points

Students must complete from the requirements listed in structure 1:

• units in (b.)