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.
Graduates from this course are eligible for registration as Accredited Practising Dietitian with Dietitians Australia.
| 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
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Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
Not Applicable |
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International Students CRICOS Codes |
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:
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:
For further information, please refer to the Semi-Structured Interview Panel details on the course page.
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:
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:
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.
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.
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.
| Interim Awards | Not applicable |
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| Exit Awards | CL89 - Graduate Diploma of Nutrition |
| Accreditation |
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| Compulsory Residential School | The following units have compulsory residential schools: NUTR28002 (3 days) NUTR29012 (2 weeks) |
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| Click here to view all Residential Schools | |
| 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. |
| Year | Number of Students |
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| First Year | 25 |
| Second year | 30 |
| Third Year | 35 |
| Course Learning Outcomes | ||||||
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| 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 | ||||||
| Number of units: 12 | Total credit points: 96 |
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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.
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 | |