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Course Outline

NUT307 Nutrition Education

Course Coordinator:Sarah Burkhart (sburkhar@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Nutrition and Dietetics

2026Session 3

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

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

This course will introduce you to methods for dietary assessment of healthy individuals and populations. You will develop your ability to build therapeutic relationships and follow a dietary interview process, as well as skills and knowledge related to individual behaviour change, adult learning theories and communication techniques. You will integrate theories into practice to develop your nutrition education skills for application in individual or small group settings.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Online
Learning materials – A combination of pre-recorded videos, readings and associated activities. 3hrs Week 1 7 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Workshop 3hrs Week 1 7 times

Course Topics

  • Methods for dietary assessment 
  • The dietary interview 
  • Person-centred nutrition education 
  • Behaviour modification theory 
  • Adult learning theories 

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?

6 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 and apply methods for dietary assessment of individuals and populations Creative and critical thinker
2 Apply principles of behaviour modification theory and adult learning theories when providing nutrition education to clients and groups Engaged
3 Communicate professionally and in a culturally safe manner, encompassing the needs, preferences and perspectives of others 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

NUT306 and enrolled in Program SC354

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

It is assumed students will have sound knowledge of food and nutrition science.

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

Feedback will be provided in workshops for both 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 Written Piece Individual 50% 
1500 words
 Week 4 Online Submission
All 2 Oral Individual and Group 50% 
25 minutes
 Week 7 In Class
All - Assessment Task 1:Dietary assessment protocol
Goal: 
You will demonstrate your ability to correctly identify appropriate measures and analysis for assessing dietary intake, and be able to clearly justify your methods using evidence.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Using a scenario chosen from a pre-defined list, you will produce a protocol (a detailed list of instructions) that can be used to assess the dietary intake of a group.  

Your protocol will include accurate instructions for  dietary assessment within the chosen population. You will include information on the data collection method (including appropriate tool(s)), considerations for the chosen scenario, how to undertake data analysis and how data would be presented. You will also provide a rationale for the methods chosen.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Identify appropriate methods for dietary assessment of individuals and populations
 1 3
2 
Understand the evidence and practicality of dietary assessment methods for individuals and groups
 1
3 
Clearly justify use of dietary assessment methods
 1 3
4 
Develop a clear, logical and complete protocol for dietary assessment
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving
All - Assessment Task 2:Workshop
Goal: 
Communicating science is a key skill for nutritionists and this workshop task will enable you to develop and demonstrate this. In this task you will pull together your research skills, knowledge of adult education theories, and principles of education in order to disseminate information to a small group of adults.
Product: Oral
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
In a group you will develop a nutrition-related workshop as part of a Workplace Health initiative. The workshop will be for a small group of adults and 25 minutes in duration. 

In preparation for the workshop, your group will submit a one-page document that outlines your learning objectives and plan for the workshop. You will be provided with formative (ungraded feedback) on this.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Application of principles of adult learning theories
 2
2 
Clear and professional communication
 3
3 
Employ creativity and use of appropriate technologies to communicate clear and appropriate messages to a variety of stakeholders
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation

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 Isobel R. Contento,Pamela A Koch 2020 Nutrition Education: Linking Research, Theory, and Practice n/a Jones & Bartlett Learning

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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