Course Outline

NUT501 Sport and Exercise Nutrition Principles

Course Coordinator:Amy-Lee Bowler (abowler@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Nutrition and Dietetics

2026Trimester 2

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 supporting the health, physique, and performance goals of active individuals. In this course you will learn essential skills for collecting and interpreting dietary intake, body composition, hydration and physical activity data for formulating and evaluating evidenced-based nutritional guidance for healthy active individuals. 

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – A combination of Videos, readings and other self-directed activities. 2hrs Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Online, applied activities. 2hrs Week 1 10 times
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – In-person workshop in which skills will be practically applied. 2hrs Week 6 3 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 body composition management)

  • Exercise nutrition

  • Hydration (principles and assessment)

  • Sports supplements and sports foods 

What level is this course?

500 Level (Advanced)

Engaging with new discipline knowledge and skills at an advanced level or deepening existing knowledge and skills within a discipline. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

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 Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Dietitians Australia
1 Integrate advanced knowledge of sports nutrition topics and assessment methodologies into varying practice scenarios Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
2.1
2 Synthesise complex information about dietary intake, physical activity and hydration to create evidenced-based dietary and supplement recommendations for active individuals that support performance and health goals Creative and critical thinker
Engaged
2.1, 2.2
3 Communicate evaluations of the safety and effectiveness of dietary recommendations to key stakeholders Ethical
Engaged
1.1, 1.3, 2.2, 4.2

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Dietitians Australia
1.1 Professional Practice: Demonstrates safe practice
1.3 Professional Practice: Demonstrates leadership
2.1 Expert Practice: Adopts an evidence-based approach to dietetic practice
2.2 Expert Practice: Applies the nutrition care process based on the expectations and priorities of clients
4.2 Collaborative Practice: Builds capacity of and collaborates with others to improve nutrition and health outcomes

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

Enrolled in MC001

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

It is assumed that students will have prior knowledge basic nutrition principles and human physiology.

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 30%
60 minutes
Week 7 Online Test (Quiz)
All 2 Case Study Individual 30%
1500 words
Week 10 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Examination - Centrally Scheduled Individual 40%
2000 words
Exam Period Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Mid-Semester Quiz
Goal:
The goal of this task is to assess your knowledge of principles and theory related to sports nutrition, hydration and body composition.
Product: Quiz/zes
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Online test composed of calculations, short response, multiple choice and/or case-based questions due in week 7.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply knowledge of key macro- and micro-nutrients in common food sources to develop nutrition strategies to meet the needs of healthy active individuals
1
2
Select and apply common dietary assessment methodologies and demonstrate knowledge of their strengths and limitations
1 2
3
Demonstrate calculation of information including dietary intake, hydration, and physical activity and determine appropriate recommendations for active individuals.
1 2
Generic Skills:
Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Sports Nutrition Case Report
Goal:
The goal of this task is for you to apply knowledge and theory of dietary and physique assessment to various practice scenarios.
Product: Case Study
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Case-based report where the student will need to select and justify suitable physique and dietary collection and assessment methodologies for an example scenario.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Select and apply a relevant dietary assessment method and justify your selection for the scenario provided.
2 3
2
Synthesise nutrition, hydration and physique data to create effective and targeted plans for monitoring dietary intake and body composition in consultation with other stakeholders as required
2 3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Case Study Examination
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 synthesise and evaluate data about the individual in the case scenario to provide person-centred, evidenced-based, safe, and effective nutrition advice. Additionally, demonstrate communication of information evaluation to relevant stakeholders.
Product: Examination - Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format:
Online case study. Students will respond to short and long response questions for a case scenario where they will provide nutrition advice for an active individual.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Apply knowledge of dietary, body composition and hydration assessment methods in the case scenarios provided.
1
2
Synthesise data related to dietary and supplement intake, physical activity, and physique to make performance and health related goals.
2
3
Evaluate the safety and effectiveness of dietary and supplement recommendations and communicate these evaluations to relevant stakeholders related to the case scenario.
3
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: