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Course Outline

NUT407 Dietetics Professional Practice

Course Coordinator:Corey Linton (clinton@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Nutrition and Dietetics

2025Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 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 usc.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 Work Integrated Learning (WIL) course is essential preparation for professional practice as a dietitian. You will demonstrate competencies by providing culturally safe, ethical and professional behaviour and skills in leadership, teamwork and business in two placements settings. Academic staff allocate placement, and you must complete equivalent of 25 days (190 hours) of full time placement. This contributes to 100 placement days required for professional accreditation with Dietitians Australia.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Placement – 190 hours of WIL, consisting of full-time placement and full-time, on-campus, group work (full-time). Academic staff allocate WIL placement. 190hrs Not applicable Once Only

Course Topics

Dietetic services within a clinic or private practice setting

Business planning

Entrepreneurialism

Leadership

Teamwork & Collaboration

Mentorship

What level is this course?

400 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?

24 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 Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Dietitians Australia
1 Applies organisational, business and management skills in the practice of nutrition and dietetics Empowered 
1.4.1, 4.2.4
2 Supports collaboration and communicates respectfully using negotiation and conflict resolution skills when required. Engaged 
1.3.1, 1.3.3, 4.3.2
3 Demonstrate safe, effective and culturally responsive professional practice in a nutrition and dietetic workplace setting Engaged 
1.1.1, 1.1.3, 1.1.4
4 Participates in mentoring processes with peers and demonstrates reflective practice showing commitment to lifelong learning. Engaged 
1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.3.4
5 Value safe, ethical and professional practice in accordance with the dietetic student placement code of conduct. Ethical 
1.1.4, 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.3.2

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Dietitians Australia
1.4.1 Demonstrates management: Applies organisational, business and management skills in the practice of nutrition and dietetics
1.3.1 Demonstrates leadership: Uses negotiation and conflict-resolution skills when required
1.3.3 Demonstrates leadership: Seeks, responds to and provides effective feedback
1.1.1 Demonstrates safe practice: Operates within the individual’s and the profession’s scope of practice, seeks assistance and refers to other services as necessary
1.1.3 Demonstrates safe practice: Consistently demonstrates reflective practice in collaboration with supervisors, peers and mentors
1.1.4 Demonstrates safe practice: Demonstrates professional conduct and accepts responsibility for own actions
1.1.2 Demonstrates safe practice: Shows a commitment to professional development and lifelong learning
1.3.4 Demonstrates leadership: Participates in supervision, teaching and mentoring processes with peers, students and colleagues
1.2.1 Demonstrates ethical and legal practice: Exercises professional duty of care in accordance with relevant codes of conduct, ethical requirements, and other accepted protocols
1.2.2 Demonstrates ethical and legal practice: Demonstrates integrity, honesty and fairness
1.3.2 Demonstrates leadership: Develops and maintains a credible professional role by commitment to excellence of practice
4.2.4 Builds capacity of and collaborates with others to improve nutrition and health outcomes: Applies the principles of marketing to promote healthy eating and influence dietary change
4.3.2 Collaborates within and across teams effectively: Participates in collaborative decision-making, shared responsibility, and shared vision within teams at an individual, organisational and systems level

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

NUT301 and NUT302 and NUT312 and NUT361 and NUT309 and enrolled in Program SC302 or SC406

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Limited Grading (PNP)

Pass (PU), Fail (UF). All assessment tasks are required to be passed for successful completion of the course.

Details of early feedback on progress

Formative Feedback will be provided by the Course Coordinator on the progression of professional competencies, from artefacts and tasks uploaded and completed in the e-portfolio and through collaboration with the Placement Workplace Supervisor.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Placement performance Individual 
Over a five-week full-time placement you will undertake two weeks in a private practice environment and three weeks working on a group project and portfolio artefacts. Placement dates may vary between students.
 Refer to Format Online ePortfolio Submission
All 1a Portfolio Individual 
Five weeks. Various artefacts are required at different times throughout the placement.
 Refer to Format Online ePortfolio Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Placement professional competencies
Goal: 
The purpose of this course is for you to develop and demonstrate professional competency as a dietitian. To do this you will undertake supervised Work Integrated Learning and perform the tasks of a dietitian working in a dietetic private practice and business setting. A key element of this assessment is to demonstrate competency working professionally using dietetic and business theory in a professional practice setting.
Product: Placement performance
Format: 
You will be assessed on your professional competencies at the end of the placement by the Course Coordinator and Placement Academic Supervisor. These are based on the Dietitians Australia National Competency Standards. You will receive feedback on your progression of competencies during placement. The assessment will take into account a range of evidence as described in tasks 1a & 1b. The strategies used as evidence will be described in the assessment instructions on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate reflective practice, mentoring processes and a commitment to lifelong learning.
 4
2 
Collaboratively applies the principles of marketing, business and management to promote healthy eating and influence dietary change.
 1 2
3 
Collaborates within and across teams effectively and uses negotiation and conflict resolution skills when required.
 2
4 
Communicates and collaborates appropriately and in a culturally safe manner with individuals, groups, organisations and communities to improve nutrition and health outcomes.
 3
5 
Safe, effective and culturally responsive dietetic practice
 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies
All - Assessment Task 1a:Placement professional competencies evidence- Portfolio
Goal: 
The purpose is to contribute evidence towards the final assessment of your professional competencies (Task 1). You will receive feedback on progression of your competencies during placement. The e-portfolio will contribute towards the global assessment of competencies in the Bachelor of Dietetics Honors.
Product: Portfolio
Format: 
You will complete the learning e-portfolio during placement and upload; clinic activities, business artefacts, teamwork and collaboration activities and self-reflections.

 The portfolio tasks will be determined by the placement setting and will align with the relevant DA competencies.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Participates in reflective practice and mentoring processes demonstrating commitment to lifelong learning.
 4
2 
Collaboratively applies the principles of marketing, business and management to promote healthy eating and influence dietary change.
 1 2
3 
Collaborates within and across teams effectively and uses negotiation and conflict resolution skills when required.
 2
4 
Communicates and collaborates appropriately and in a culturally safe manner with individuals, groups, organisations and communities to improve nutrition and health outcomes.
 3
5 
Engages in safe, effective and culturally responsive dietetic practice.
 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
National Competency Standards for Dietitians in Australia (2021)
All delivery modes Code of Conduct Student Code of Conduct 1.1.1 Assessed
1.1.4 Assessed
1.2.1 Assessed
1.2.2 Assessed
1.3.2 Assessed
Oral Placement professional competencies evidence-Placement interview 1.1.1 Assessed
1.1.2 Assessed
1.1.3 Assessed
1.1.4 Assessed
1.2.1 Assessed
1.2.2 Assessed
1.3.1 Assessed
1.3.2 Assessed
1.3.3 Assessed
1.3.4 Assessed
4.3.2 Assessed
Placement performance Placement professional competencies 1.1.1 Assessed
1.1.2 Assessed
1.1.3 Assessed
1.1.4 Assessed
1.2.1 Assessed
1.2.2 Assessed
1.3.1 Assessed
1.3.2 Assessed
1.3.3 Assessed
1.3.4 Assessed
4.3.2 Assessed
Portfolio Placement professional competencies evidence- Portfolio 1.1.1 Assessed
1.1.2 Assessed
1.1.3 Assessed
1.1.4 Assessed
1.2.1 Assessed
1.2.2 Assessed
1.3.1 Assessed
1.3.2 Assessed
1.3.3 Assessed
1.3.4 Assessed
4.3.2 Assessed

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

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Donald F. Kuratko 0 Entrepreneurship 12th Cengage Learning

Specific requirements

Students are expected to familiarise themselves with the timing and length of WIL courses in the program and plan for these accordingly. 
Students are required to comply with all mandatory requirements to be eligible for WIL placements.
Prior to the semester commencing, students will be required to complete online placement preparation modules and an on-campus workshop. The dates for these activities will be communicated to students by December the year prior to placement commencing.

How are risks managed in this course?

Risk assessments have been performed for all field activities and a low level of health and safety risk exists. Some risks concerns may include working in an unknown environment as well as slip and trip hazards. 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

This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 5.1.1.3 and 5.1.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Academic Policy.
In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.

Assessment: Submission penalties

You must contact your Course Coordinator and provide the required documentation if you require an extension or alternate assessment.
Refer to the Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs – Procedures.

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

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

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
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