Human nutrition

The scope of human nutrition extends far beyond the classical study of the physiological and biochemical processes involved in nourishment, i.e. how substances in food are converted into energy and body tissues. Human nutrition has come to involve all the effects on humans of any component found in food; these include most chronic degenerative diseases (dental decay, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, some cancers, etc), which are now major targets of research activity. The scope of nutrition extends to the effects of food on human function, e.g. mental function, athletic performance, resistance to infection, and foetal health and development. The strong practical emphasis within our nutrition teaching includes laboratory classes, teaching clinics and placements.


Human nutrition is studied within selected specialised degrees only. Depending on your background, you may choose between an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree.

N.B. - The Bachelor of Science (Nutrition) will not be offered to new students from 2010. This new double degree, called the Bachelor of Science/Master of Nutrition and Dietetics, will be introduced for 2010 entry (subject to final approval).

Some general information about the new combined degree and nutrition as an area of study is available below. More details about this new degree will be posted on this website as soon as they are finalised.

The scope of human nutrition extends far beyond the classical study of the physiological and biochemical processes involved in nourishment; that is, how substances in food are converted into energy and body tissues.

Human nutrition has come to involve all the effects on humans of any component found in food; these include most chronic degenerative diseases (for example coronary heart disease), which are now major targets of research activity. The scope of nutrition encompasses the effects of food on human function - for example, mental function, athletic performance, resistance to infection, and foetal health and development.

Nutrition also considers why people choose to eat the foods they do, even after they have been advised that doing so may be unhealthy. The study of food habits and people’s attitudes, beliefs, likes and dislikes overlaps with the social sciences of psychology, anthropology, sociology and economics. Dietetics is the application of nutrition in the health services.

It is assumed that students wishing to study the Bachelor of Science / Master of Nutrition and Dietetics will have HSC 2 unit Biology, 2 unit Chemistry and Mathematics.

More about the Bachelor of Science / Master of Nutrition and Dietetics

The Master of Nutrition and Dietetics is for students who already have a degree from a recognised tertiary institution and have completed two semesters of study in Biochemistry and two semesters in Human Physiology. Offers of places are dependent upon the ranking of applicants and competition for places.

More about the Master of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Following the DAA site visit on 1-2 November 2007, both the Bachelor of Science (Nutrition) Honours in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Master of Nutrition and Dietetics programs have received full 5-year accreditation until 2012. The combined degree of Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science)/Bachelor of Science (Nutrition) Honours was subsequently granted provisional accreditation until 2010. (All new courses must apply initially for provisional accreditation). Please click here to view details on the DAA website.