Viewing Future Course Information

The information below will be relevant from 12/07/2027.
Click Here to view current information

CL88 - Master of Nutrition and Dietetics

Overview

Compulsory Residential School

Some units in this course require you to attend a compulsory Residential School or Work Integrated Learning. Please see Course Features in the Getting Started tab for further information.

Course Overview

The Master of Nutrition and Dietetics is designed to meet workforce needs, equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and attributes required to succeed as a dietitian in regional, rural, or remote Australia. Using the latest evidence, you will be prepared to deliver generalist, relationship-focused dietetic care across the lifespan to individuals, groups, and communities. You will develop the skills to navigate complex health and social systems to provide safe and ethical services across the broad landscape of dietetic practice. You will be supported to develop culturally responsive practice, team communication, clinical reasoning, critical thinking, counselling and behaviour change techniques, as well as digital literacy, leadership, advocacy, and management skills.

The Master of Nutrition and Dietetics course will be open for enrolments from July 2027 and can be completed in two years. To support access and equity, this course can also be completed part-time.

This course is delivered online to enable you to study remotely. For engagement, networking, and to optimise your learning experiences, you will also attend intensive residential schools at the North Rockhampton campus, undertake hands-on learning experiences (completed in Rockhampton or in your home community), and professional placements (completed in regional, rural, and remote settings, with the majority near your home location). Information on residential schools and placements will be available in the Handbook.

This course also offers a Pathway to Doctorate entry, opening doors to advanced research training. The pathway includes completing three research-focused units and placements, as well as achieving a first-author publication in a high-quality peer-reviewed journal.

Please note that CQUniversity is seeking accreditation from Dietitians Australia (DA), and delivery of this course will be subject to accreditation outcomes from  DA.

Career Information

Graduates from this course are eligible for registration as Accredited Practising Dietitian with Dietitians Australia.

Course Details
Duration 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time
Credit Points that Must be Earned 96
Number of Units Required CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in postgraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24).
Expected Hours of Study One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term.
Course Type Postgraduate Award
Qualification (post nominal) MNutr&Diet
AQF Level Level 9: Masters Degree (Coursework)
Course Fees
Indicative Year - 2023
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $15,000
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $30,000

Admission Codes

Domestic Students
Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes
Not Applicable
International Students
CRICOS Codes
Where and when can I start?
Units offered internally at the below campuses may be delivered using a combination of face-to-face and video conferencing style teaching.
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
Please Click Here for more information.
The following tables list the courses availabilities by location and term. Directing your pointer over your preferred location will provide further information if this course is not available for the full duration. Please be sure to also check individual unit availability by location and term prior to enrolling.

Domestic Availability

Term 2 - 2027

Online
Rockhampton
Show All

International Availability

Term 2 - 2027

Rockhampton
Show All
For any problems regarding admissions availability for the selected course please contact 13 CQUni (13 27 86) or send us an email at https://contactus.cqu.edu.au/
Entry Requirements - What do I need to start?
Academic Requirements

To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold:
A completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent three-year Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Biomedical Sciences or Health Sciences, with a minimum overall Grade Point Average of 4.5, which has been completed within the last 10 years. The completed degree must demonstrate successful completion of the following:

  • At least 8 units (equivalent of 1 year of full-time study of Bioscience (including chemistry, biochemistry, human physiology, and pathophysiology). Units in psychology, social science, and First Nations' knowledges may also be considered; and
  • At least 4 units (equivalent of 0.5 years of full-time study) of food and nutrition science units.

Students will be required to complete the Self-Assessment checklist available from the course page.
 
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Admissions Pathway:
Students who identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander may choose to enter the course via the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Admissions Pathway.
 
For an offer through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Admissions Pathway, applicants must:

  • complete a Semi-Structured interview, and
    • hold a completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent 3-year Bachelor's degree which has been completed within the last 10 years; or
    • can demonstrate academic preparedness from prior learning and/or professional experience.

For further information, please refer to the Semi-Structured Interview Panel details on the course page.

 

English Language Proficiency Requirements

If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or the United States of America, you are required to meet the English language proficiency requirements set by the University.

You are required to provide documentation confirming completion of:

  • a secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent), or
  • a completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate IV or Diploma level qualification, or
  • a Bachelor level qualification study for a period of at least 2 years fulltime with a minimum overall GPA 4.0.

These qualifications must be completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or the United States of America to meet the English language proficiency requirements.

If you do not satisfy any of the above, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores:

  • an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking), or
  • a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT overall score of at least 75 with no score less than 17 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking), or
  • a Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) overall score of at least 54 with no less than 46 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking), or
  • an Occupational English Test with a minimum result of 'B' in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.

Each application will be assessed individually.

Prerequisite Subjects
No information available at this time
Security Requirements

The Master of Nutrition and Dietetics includes 100 working days of placement in the industry. Students must satisfy specific pre-clinical safety and security requirements prior to each placement, including a clear criminal record check, and must disclose any condition that may put themselves or the public, at significant risk whilst on placement. Students are required to meet all mandatory requirements to attend work placements, including Working with Children checks. Students who have a criminal history check disclosure prior to commencing the course or recorded in the duration of the course are required to have their fitness for placement assessed on a case by case basis by the University or in conjunction with the placement provider or State Health Department (as appropriate). Where a student has a criminal history check prior to enrolment in the course, the student may be required to apply for clearance through the applicable State Health Department to determine fitness for placement prior to enrolment in the course. A student may be declared ineligible for placement based on the nature of the criminal history disclosure, the inability to perform required tasks, or if the student may be determined a risk to clients, staff or other stakeholders.

Health Requirements

Students must satisfy specific pre-placement health and safety checks prior to each placement and must disclose any condition that may put themselves or the public at significant risk whilst on placement. During placement, students will be working with patients at hospitals, clinics, or within the community. Students are required to ensure that all immunisations as per the requirements of the placement provider are completed before they proceed on work placement.

Course Features

Awards and Accreditation

Interim Awards Not applicable
Exit Awards CL89 - Graduate Diploma of Nutrition
Accreditation
  • Core

    Please note that CQUniversity has obtained Program Qualification status from the Australian Dietetics Council (ADC) of Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA). However, graduates are only eligible to apply for registration status to become Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) from courses with full accreditation from ADC. CQUniversity is applying for the full accreditation as per accepted timeframe from ADC.

Residential School Requirements

Compulsory Residential School The following units have compulsory residential schools: NUTR28002 (3 days) NUTR29012 (2 weeks)
Click here to view all Residential Schools

Practicum/Work Placement

NUTR29004 - This unit provides 30 days of placement in a regional healthcare setting where students are managing more complex cases.
NUTR29011 - This unit provides 30 days of placement in a Public Health setting.
NUTR29013 - This placement is aligned with the focus of our dietetics course and integrates regional/rural/remote setting placements, providing 50 days of placement.
NUTR28002 - This unit provides students with the opportunity to participate in a 5 day observational placement in an inter-professional health setting. This placement can be completed as part of a First Nations cadetship.
NUTR29006 - This research placements enables students to contribute to a research or quality improvement project in a work setting across the broad landscape of dietetics. This unit provides 20 days of placement.
NUTR29009 - This capstone placement unit supports students to transition to the workforce providing opportunities for networking and to showcase their potential to future employers. This unit provides 20 days of placement.
NUTR29012 - This unit provides students with the opportunity to attend 8 x 1/2 days at the CQUniversity Clinic to observe and participate in dietetic consultations.

Predicted Enrolments

Year Number of Students
First Year 25
Second year 30
Third Year 35
Inherent Requirements
There are currently no inherent requirements associated with this course.
Core Learning Outcomes
  • 1. Communicate effectively with diverse audiences using strengths-based language across multiple modes to build trust, support behaviour change and improve health and nutrition outcomes for individuals, communities and populations.
  • 2. Apply ethical principles to interpret, design, conduct and disseminate research to improve nutrition and dietetics outcomes.
  • 3. Critically implement the nutrition care process using evidenced based practice, clinical reasoning and a socioecological systems-based approach across the broad landscape of dietetic practice.
  • 4. Collaborate inclusively and equitably with key partners to provide relationship-focused services navigating the complexities of health and social systems.
  • 5. Strategically engage in professional activities demonstrating effective leadership and management capabilities, and safe, ethical and culturally responsive dietetic practice.
  • 6. Synthesise professional standards to effectively apply the five interconnected cultural capabilities described in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (2016).
  Course Learning Outcomes
Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors 1 2 3 4 5 6
1. KNOWLEDGE Have a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in a discipline and/or area of professional practice
2. KNOWLEDGE Have an understanding of research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning
3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and to reflect critically on theory and professional practice or scholarship
4. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories and to apply established theories to different bodies of knowledge or practice
5. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level
6. SKILLS Have communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences
7. SKILLS Have technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to professional practice or scholarship
8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning
9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use high level personal autonomy and accountability
10 APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship.
APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Communicate, interact and collaborate with others effectively in culturally or linguistically diverse contexts in a culturally respectful manner
Course Structure

In order to complete this course, you must:

  1. Complete the core structure
Number of units: 12 Total credit points: 96

Please note that CQUniversity has obtained Program Qualification status from the Australian Dietetics Council. However, graduates are only eligible to apply for registration status to become Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) from courses with full accreditation from the Dietitian and Nutritionist Regulatory Council (DNRC) of Dietitians Australia. CQUniversity is applying for full accreditation with accreditation documents due on the 1st April 2026.

 

The Master of Nutrition and Dietetics is offered as a mid-year entry, two years full-time, with part-time options available.

Students can commence the course online and study remotely. However, they must attend the North Rockhampton campus for intensive residential schools. Students will also be required to participate in hands-on learning experiences and professional placements in regional, rural, and remote settings, including hospitals, community organisations, and private practice settings. Where possible, these can be completed close to their home location. Information on residential schools and placements will be available in the Handbook.

This course also offers a Pathway to Doctorate entry, opening doors to advanced research training. The pathway includes completing three research-focused units and placements, as well as achieving a first-author publication in a high-quality peer-reviewed journal.

Available units
Students must complete the following compulsory units:
NUTR28002 Communication in Distance Health Care and Practice
NUTR28001 Food and Nutrition Services in Practice
MEDS21003 Medical Science Research Project 1
NURS28005 First Nations History and Health
NUTR29002 Medical Nutrition Therapy and Practice 1
NUTR29012 Dietetics Practice and Communication
NUTR29011 Public Health Nutrition in Practice
NUTR29004 Medical Nutrition Therapy and Practice 2
NUTR29006 Evidence in Nutrition Research and Practice
NUTR29013 Placement: Regional/Rural/Remote
NUTR29014 Assessment of Dietetic Competence

Students must pick one of the following two units:

Available units
Students must complete 1 from the following units:
NUTR29009 Sports Nutrition
MEDS21006 Medical Science Research Project 2
More Details
There is no additional information for this course.