Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences
Degree Level Undergraduate
Year 2024
You're viewing degree information for Australian students
You're considered an Australian student if you are any of the following:
- Australian or New Zealand Citizen
- Australian Permanent Resident (including Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders)
Program Code
IBNF
SATAC Code
414291 (Internal)
Study as
Full-time
or part-time
Entry Scores
2024 Guaranteed Entry
Year 12 (ATAR-based): 72.00
Year 12 (Grades-based): B,B,B
TAFE/RTO: DIP
View Guaranteed Entry Info
2023 Cut-Offs
Year 12 (ATAR-based):
- Internal: 72.00
TAFE/RTO: Dip
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Entry requirements
Admission criteria
The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.
Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.
Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:
Recent secondary education
Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent
AND- Qualify for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), and achieved a competitive Selection Rank (ATAR), or
- Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or
- Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points
Applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on the grades of their year 12 subjects.
OR
Higher education study- Complete or partly complete a recognised higher education program at a recognised higher education institution, or
- Complete at least four Open Universities Australia (OUA) courses at undergraduate level or above
OR
Vocational Education and Training (VET)- Complete an award from a registered training organisation at Certificate IV level or above
OR
Work and life experience- Qualify for Special Entry, or
- Complete a 12-month UniSA Foundation Studies program or equivalent, or
- Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past
Essential requirements for admission
Prerequisites
NoneAssumed Knowledge
None
Students commencing in July will require additional time to complete the degree due to course scheduling and degree structure. Students may be limited to studying at a maximum of 75% of the required courses per semester in their first two years. SP5 intake is not available for international students.
Degree overview
- Be at the forefront of innovation in the food and nutrition industries, with opportunities to go into scientific and advisory roles.
- Study at the No.1 university in South Australia for graduate careers in health.1
- Study both food science and nutrition and then choose your specialisation.
- Learn from a university with well above world-class research in nutrition and dietetics.2
- Learn from industry experts in our dedicated on-campus nutrition and food science hub.
- Benefit from UniSA’s strong links with the food and nutrition industry.
- Build industry connections while you study, with industry placements and field trips to the state’s major nutrition and food providers.
- Graduate career ready when you complete practical workplace experience.
- UniSA is an unstoppable university for unstoppable people.3 As one of the World’s Top Young Universities4, we’ll ensure you get the experience your future profession demands so it’ll feel like you’re studying one minute and in a career the next.
1ComparED (QILT) Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020-22, Health Services and Support – Overall Employment Indicator (Domestic Undergraduate). SA public universities. 22018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). 3UNSTOPPABLE® is a Kellogg Company trade mark used under licence. 4Ranked #52, 2023 THE Young University Rankings.
Snapshot
Start your unstoppable career in the health and food industry, where you can drive innovation and change in sustainable food product development, and community health.
With this degree, you’ll be actively involved in developing innovative foods; promoting and managing diets and lifestyles; and conducting research for enhanced wellbeing. You'll be ready to make an immediate impact on healthy eating habits across the greater community.
You can also grow your knowledge and increase your career opportunities by studying for a double degree in Human Movement or Exercise and Sport Science.
What you'll need
Nutrition and food science experts require an enthusiasm for food and its effect on health. You should also possess a variety of personal skills such as problem-solving attributes, creative thinking and the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, child related employment clearance and immunisation requirements.
Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.
What you'll learn
This unique degree offers practice-based and theoretical learning to ensure you’re primed for a healthy career.
During the first two years you’ll explore both nutrition and food science topics, gaining a strong understanding of the key elements of each. You’ll complete group work and research on topics, including environmentally sustainable food practice, in the sensory lab. You’ll get to analyse micro-organisms and explore key topics like food contamination in the microbiology lab.
Your knowledge will be developed in:
- biology
- chemistry
- health in our society
- human and lifespan nutrition
- biochemistry
- physiology
- the chemistry of food
- food quality and safety
- relationships between food bioactives and health
- consumer education
- influences of the senses on consumer food choice
- food sustainability
In your third year you’ll specialise in either a nutrition or food science stream.
If you choose nutrition, you’ll get to develop:
- essential communication skills across a variety of platforms
- skills to promote good health through food and nutrition in the community
- dietary and exercise plans to manage weight
- nutrition for sports, exercise and activity
- sustainable nutrition choices
If you choose food science, you’ll focus on:
- food microbiology
- quality assurance in food processing and manufacturing
- developing safe, nutritionally and environmentally sound foods for the marketplace
- food and beverage fermentation
You can gain an extra qualification and broaden your career prospects by completing a Diploma in Languages.
Study hours
For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for various classes such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects, as well as to contribute to online discussion forums (independent study). So as a general rule, if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12–26 hours of study when at university and 14–28 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment
Your studies will incorporate practical, professionally focused and research-based learning, so assessment types will vary. You can expect them to include:
- quizzes
- practicals
- reports
- assignments
- projects designing health promotion activities and nutrition information
- placements
- research reports
- examinations
In your last year of study, the assessment tasks will reflect the type of work you will be doing in your career.
Global opportunities
Enrich your studies and your life – make overseas study part of your qualification. You may have the option to undertake an exchange, short-term program or study tour overseas while you study. We have links with universities worldwide, as well as a range of travel grants available to make going overseas much more accessible.
You can choose short-term or semester-long study from a range of universities and countries depending on your area of study and cultural interests.
Take a look at the global opportunities available.
Why Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences
The growing awareness of nutrition and food quality as determinants of human wellbeing requires highly competent and skilled graduates. With UniSA, you'll develop your knowledge and skills in the scientific basis of food and nutrition, which will prepare you to work in multidisciplinary teams in a range of health and industry settings.
You’ll learn from award-winning academics and industry experts in UniSA’s on-campus state-of-the-art facilities, with a dedicated nutrition and food science hub, which is home to a $1 million commercial kitchen, sensory laboratory (one of only a few in Australia) and microbiology laboratory. You’ll study a curriculum informed by well above world-class research in nutrition and dietetics.1
The commercial kitchen is where interactive food preparation and cooking activities take place. Get involved in cheese making, plant-based substitutes for meat, adapting recipes to make them nutritionally sound for different life stages, texture modification of foods for the elderly, designing food quality assurance plans (in line with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and food and beverage fermentation.
Graduates are eligible to apply for professional membership with the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST), can start their registration pathway towards becoming a Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) with the Nutrition Society of Australia.
12018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)
Your career
Nutrition is high on Australia’s health and wellness agenda. In Australia, the nutrition profession is expected to grow over the next five years.1 Your job will impact all members of society. Through scientific advancements in food and nutrition, you’ll have a positive impact on the whole community – from children, teens and parents, to adults of all ages and abilities.
You could gain employment as a:
- Community nutritionist: change attitudes toward food and health; provide advice, guidance, and support to people.
- Health promotion officer: use social and environmental interventions to improve health.
- Sports, exercise and fitness nutritionist: optimise the performance of athletes and physically active people.
- Food scientist: use chemistry and biology to look at the microbiological, chemical and physical properties of food and ingredients.
- Product development manager: develop innovative products and solutions to meet strategic business objectives.
- Microbiology specialist: work in food manufacturing or government to research microorganisms to prevent food-borne diseases.
- Food policy advisor: offer qualified health and nutrition advice to the public.
- Food safety advisor: conduct food and safety reviews and monitor procedures to ensure standards are met.
- Quality assurance officer: conduct assurance audits of production facilities to oversee quality, efficiency and production issues.
- Research scientist: conduct lab-based investigations, experiments and trials to broaden scientific understanding; as well as non-lab-based field research and clinical human trials.
- Food technician: conduct research and experiments on food products involved in the production process.
- Flavour technologist: sample products and conduct experiments to alter the ingredients in food and beverages to make it taste better, replicate a taste, or develop a new taste.
1Australian Government National Skills Commission Employment Projections 2021
Professional accreditation and recognition
Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for professional membership of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST).
Graduates of the program are initially eligible to apply to the Nutrition Society of Australia for registration as an Associate Nutritionist (ANutr), leading to Registered Nutritionist (RNutr), usually after three years of experience.
Industry facts
Applying to study with us:
- go to the top of this page and make note of the SATAC code, then click Apply
- you will be redirected through to the SATAC website to continue your application
Alternative Pathways
Australian
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
- UniSA College Diploma in Health (Biomedical Science)
- UniSA College Undergraduate Certificate in University Studies (Health)
- SAIBT Diploma of Health Science
International
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
Deferment
This degree is available for deferment. This option is made available by responding to your offer during the application process via the SATAC website. Applicants who receive an offer into a midyear degree are eligible to defer for six months.
Scholarships
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
UniSA Excellence Scholarships
$5,000 scholarship for South Australian students with an ATAR of 99 who enrol to study a UniSA undergraduate degree.
UniSA Outstanding Achievement Scholarship
Up to $10,000 per annum (full time) for South Australian students who obtain an ATAR of 99.95 or IB equivalent and enrol to study at UniSA.
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UniSA Online – 100% online degrees designed specifically for online learning.
Your study experience and support
Our campuses are home to fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops and laboratories, as well as spaces that simulate real work environments. But you’ll also discover that your journey at UniSA is about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. You’ll find student sports and fitness facilities, community clinics, tech zones and chill-out spaces. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and loads more.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
Student services
Our student services provide you with all the support you need at university. We want you to succeed, and if you need help, we're here to assist. You can access a full range of support services, including:
- academic counselling
- personal counselling
- social support services, including family support and nearby childcare
- common rooms
- prayer rooms
- security officers
- career services and mentoring
- Wirringka Student Services, offering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students a supportive place to study
- as well as services offered through our student association, USASA.
When you become a UniSA student, you can also contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and more.
24/7 digital environment
Our learnonline facilities include a personal learning environment with virtual classrooms, lecture recordings, emails, learning support, administration, library access and results. The environment is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can tailor your learning to your life. We are continually investing in innovative digital technologies for a high-quality student learning experience.
Your study spaces
You’ll have access to some of UniSA’s state-of-the-art nutrition facilities, such as the:
- commercial kitchen
- sensory laboratory
- microbiology laboratory
- physiology laboratory
- biology laboratory
- chemistry laboratory
You’ll also have access to a range of on-campus spaces including modern lecture theatres, collaborative teaching rooms and relaxed student lounges.
Your program director
In this degree, we have a team of passionate teachers and researchers who strive to provide graduates with expert knowledge and a practical background in nutrition and food sciences. Our graduates are able to enter the workforce with expert knowledge and practical skills to begin their career in this rewarding field.
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How do I apply?
There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
Applications for admission into the University of South Australia’s undergraduate and most postgraduate degrees are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Visit satac.edu.au and follow the links.
For the MBA degrees please apply through the UniSA MBA Application Portal. Applications for a small number of degrees are submitted direct to UniSA through our Apply Online portal. It will be noted on the degree page if you need to apply via Apply Online.
Postgraduate study by research
For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Master of Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit unisa.edu.au/resdegrees. -
Is there a closing date for applications?
Undergraduate
Yes. The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be given equal consideration is in early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers (mid January). Some degrees will not make any offers after the main offer round. Please click here find all of the key dates for applications here.Postgraduate
Most postgraduate degrees do not have a closing date for applications. However, there are exceptions, so it is best to check – either on the SATAC website, Apply Online or the degree homepage. Postgraduate offers are normally ‘rolling’, meaning they may be sent out at any time up until the program starts. This also means that applications may close at any time without warning, if the quota is filled earlier. For this reason, postgraduate applications should be submitted without delay. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquiries team on (08) 8302 2376 or via the online enquiry form. -
What credit can I receive for previous studies?
Credit transfer or advanced standing
You may be eligible to receive a credit transfer or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving a credit transfer will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.
Recognised prior learning
If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning for this experience. Receiving recognised prior learning will normally reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and can reduce the duration of the degree.
How do I get credit?
Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director who will discuss your prior learning and experience with you to ascertain what credit you may be eligible for.
Many of our credit transfer arrangements are listed on our online Credit Assessor.
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Can I speak to someone regarding my study options?
UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.
Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.
If you are interested in studying an MBA please contact admissions@unisa.edu.au and our Future Student Enquiries team will contact you regarding your enquiry.
Alternatively, you can complete a MyCareerMatch career profile. MyCareerMatch is an online career profiling tool that you can use free-of-charge through UniSA. MyCareerMatch specialises in career profiles and provides you with a personalised career report outlining information about your personality style and a list of career options, which are complementary to your natural strengths and talents.
We have many events throughout the year where you can speak with a lecturer or tutor about your degrees of interest. You can find out what is happening at UniSA by visiting our events page or by signing up to our mailing list, so you're the first to know about careers events, information sessions, degree requirements, scholarships and more!
There are also many career counsellors external to the University that you can discuss your career options with. If you are unsure where to start your search, you can contact the Government's Work Ready team (formally Skills for All). Visit skills.sa.gov.au or call 1800 506 266.
You may also find Job Outlook a helpful resource in your decision-making.
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Where can I get further information?
It can be difficult to decide what degree you would like to do and where. You might find information from government organisations will help to weigh up your degree and provider options.
Find a course or a provider
TEQSA is a regulatory body for higher education providers. Use the TEQSA national register of higher education providers to search for a course or a provider. Compare courses and providers for undergraduates and postgraduates using the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) online comparison tool.
More information on university admission
Visit the SATAC website to find out important news, events and information on applying to university in South Australia. Visit Study with Us to find out everything you need to know about studying at UniSA, admissions and the application process.
Questions about your application
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application you should contact the Future Students Enquiries team in the first instance.
What others are saying
While studying I attended many industry visits including: Golden North Ice-cream, Ingham’s, National Foods, and The West End Brewery. As well as these industry visits I was able to do a work placement at Rymill Winery in Coonawarra. The experiences were vital for showing us how an actual production plant works and is operated.
Scott Woollett
Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences
Microbiology Specialist | Lion Australia and New Zealand
I chose to study nutrition and food sciences as I wanted to combine my love of food with my interest in health and how food is used to nourish the body.
Rhiannon Dick
Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences
While studying I undertook a valuable week-long field trip to Port Augusta, working with Aboriginal communities and school children. We worked with families and children to promote healthy eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and volunteered for a local community festival.
Sophie Cheesman
Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences
Academics, staff and students at UniSA were very supportive. I also benefited from the diverse facilities and practical experience the degree provided, including an 8-week summer scholarship program, where I was exposed to health-orientated research and gained first-hand experience in data collection, entry and analysis.
Weike Zhang
Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences
I arrived at UniSA wanting to make a difference back home in Kenya. Whilst studying, I learned that one in four children in Kenya had stunted development because of poor nutrition. This formed the basis of my work with Food for Education, which I founded through community fundraising. Since 2012, the organisation has provided over 120,000 school meals which have contributed to improved nutrition status, school attendance and performance.
Wawira Njiru
Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences
Founder and Executive Director | Food for Education
.jpg "Sophie Cheesman, Nutrition and Food Sciences graduate")
