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Course Outline

NUT300 Nutrition for Health and Exercise

Course Coordinator:Jeffrey So (jso@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Nutrition and Dietetics

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Nutrition plays an important role in healthy, active lifestyles. This course covers key concepts for providing individual nutrition advice to healthy active individuals. You will learn how to collect and evaluate habitual dietary intake, measure body composition, and learn about the relationship of diet to health and athletic performance. Nutrition support for sport and exercise, supplementation, and scope of professional practice will also be covered.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Videos, readings and other self-directed activities provided as content completed in preparation for classes and content after classes to consolidate learning. 2.5hrs Week 1 11 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Applied activities 2hrs Week 1 11 times
Information session – Information sessions on course material and assessment tasks for the self-directed study weeks near assessment due dates and where public holidays impact on timetabling. 1hr Week 4 2 times

Course Topics

  • Nutrition for active people (scope of practice and professional relevance)

  • Energy expenditure and calculating requirements

  • Dietary measurement methods (application, strengths and limitations);

  • Dietary analysis (quantitative, quantitative and with using a ready reckoner);

  • Measuring and interpreting body composition (application, strengths and limitations);

  • Diet planning and SMART goals (for weight maintenance and for changing body composition);

  • Exercise nutrition (basics);

  • Hydration (principles and assessment);

  • Sports supplements and sports foods

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Evaluate common dietary assessment methodologies including their strengths and limitations Knowledgeable
Empowered
2 Calculate dietary intake data using dietary assessment methods Knowledgeable
Empowered
3 Assess and evaluate habitual dietary intake, physical activity and body composition in active individuals Knowledgeable
Empowered
4 Create evidence-based dietary recommendations for healthy, active individuals within scope of professional practice Creative and critical thinker
Engaged
5 Formulate and justify appropriate plans to monitor dietary intake and body composition in active individuals with other stakeholders as required Engaged

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

NUT212 or SPX211

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

NUT203

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Students will receive continuous, ongoing formative feedback from the activities that occur throughout the weekly classes in preparation for assessment tasks.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Quiz/zes Individual 20% 
60 minutes
 Week 5 Online Test (Quiz)
All 2 Case Study Group 30% 
1500 words
 Week 10 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Examination - Centrally Scheduled Individual 50% 
2000 words
 Exam Period Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Online quiz
Goal: 
To demonstrate your knowledge of nutrition concepts and calculations taught in weeks 1-4 inclusive.
Product: Quiz/zes
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Online test composed of calculations, short response, multiple choice, true or false and matching type questions.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Definition of macronutrients and key micronutrients in common food sources required for healthy active individuals
2 
Explanation of common dietary assessment methodologies including their strengths and limitations
 1
3 
Calculation of dietary intake data using dietary assessment method/s
 2
Generic Skills: 
Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Case Scenario
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to collaborate as a group to select and justify suitable data collection and assessment methodologies for understanding dietary intake and body composition.
Product: Case Study
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
In small groups you will formulate and communicate the methods you propose for assessing dietary intake and body composition. Using a provided template your group will detail the methods and justify the suitability to the case scenario.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Depth of knowledge on dietary collection and analysis methodologies
 1 3 5
2 
Depth of knowledge on physique measurement methodologies
 3 5
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Open Book Case Study
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to apply knowledge from the trimester to a case scenario. Key concepts assessed will include the ability to classify and interpret data about the individual in the case scenario to provide person-centered, evidenced-based nutrition advice while remaining within scope of professional practice.
Product: Examination - Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Online open-book exam containing calculation, short and long written response types of questions relating to a case scenario (2-3 case scenarios).
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Calculate dietary intake data using dietary assessment methods
 2
2 
Assess and evaluate habitual dietary intake, physical activity and body composition in active individuals
 3
3 
Create evidence-based dietary recommendations for healthy, active individuals within scope of professional practice
 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Regina Belski, Adrienne Forsyth, Evangeline Mantzioris 2019 Nutrition for Sport, Exercise and Performance: a practical guide for students, sports enthusiasts and professionals n/a Allen & Unwin

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: 

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