DIETETIC 707 : Professional Skills 1

Medical and Health Sciences

2025 Semester One (1253) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Evaluates professional communication, organisation and management skills that will enable students to work effectively as dietitians. Students will describe and appraise nutrition information, dietetic expertise, judgement and reasoning to the nutrition assessment, intervention and evaluation of nutrition and dietetic process plans. Introduces the principles of food service systems and public health to optimise nutrition, health and well-being.

Course Overview

This course supports the development of dietetic skills needed for preventing and treating nutrition-related disease. The principles of public health, food systems and food service management are also explored, with a focus on optimising nutrition, health, and well-being at both individual and population levels. Students will conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments; design tailored interventions and evaluate outcomes using evidence-based nutrition knowledge, the Nutrition Care Process and critical reasoning. 

DIETETIC 707 is a core course in the Master of Health Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. 

Course Requirements

Restriction: DIETETIC 704

Course Contacts

Course Director: Dr Sue MacDonell; sue.macdonell@auckland.ac.nz 

Gavrila Chandra; gavrila.chandra@auckland.ac.nz 

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Health Sciences

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Use evidence based nutrition knowledge and dietetic expertise, reasoning and judgement to optimise nutrition, health and wellbeing in diverse populations (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1)
  2. Describe, apply and document the nutrition care process that underpins the delivery of effective nutrition care. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 3.1 and 3.2)
  3. Develop and critically justify nutrition-related decisions to ensure the effective delivery of nutrition interventions (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 6.1 and 8.1)
  4. Evaluate food systems and services to ensure safe, suitable, nutritionally adequate, culturally acceptable, practical, affordable and accessible food for individuals and communities (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 8.1)
  5. Identify and describe the diverse roles of nutrition experts in supporting and optimising the health and well-being of communities and population groups. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1 and 8.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignment 1 25% Individual Coursework
Assignment 2 15% Individual Coursework
Assignment 3 10% Group Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Final Exam

Plussage will apply for assignment 2 only – there will be 5 tasks of 5% each available across the semester – students can choose how many they complete, the top 3 marks will contribute their final assignment 2 grade.

In addition to the summative assessment of this course, enrolled students are required to spend time in placements across the three domains of dietetic practice (Medical Nutrition Therapy, Food Service Systems and Public Health).  Students must satisfactorily complete all required formative assessment within these placements to the standard that the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences requires. 

Where standards are not met in a component of this course, students may be required to undertake appropriate remediation course(s) in addition to the requirements of the programme.  

A minimum 50% grade is required in the final exam.

Workload Expectations

This course is a 30-point course spread over semester one where students develop professional skills in dietetics through practical placements and assessment to work towards the Professional Standards and Competencies for Dietitians.  It is made up of:

  • Lectures and workshops: 110 hours 
  • Reading, preparing for/completing assessments and self-directed learning:   200 hours
  • Placement hours (medical nutrition therapy, public health and food service systems):  160 hours

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance on-campus or at the student's respective placement location is required at all scheduled activities including lectures, placements and workshops in order to complete all required components of the course and meet the requirements of the NZ Dietitians Board.  

Lectures will be available as recordings; other learning activities including workshops will not be available as recordings.  The course may include live online events including group discussions and workshops. 

Attendance on campus is required for the exam.  

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable available on Canvas.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Students will be given access to Nutrition and Dietetic related databases and relevant reading via the Talis Reading page.  PowerPoint and other relevant les used for delivery of tutorials, workshops and simulation will be available through CANVAS. These may be abridged at the discretion of the lecturer.

Canvas includes relevant information required for all placements including medical nutrition therapy placements in both the Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand and clinic environment, public health and food service systems.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Throughout the year, the class representatives have the opportunity to meet with the Course Director to discuss any feedback received. This is in addition to feedback received via the SET tool. All feedback is considered by the teaching team and actions taken accordingly.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Students in the Nutrition and Dietetics specialisation must meet the applicable tness to practise requirements, as outlined in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences’ Fitness to Practice Policy. In addition, there is a Code of Professional Conduct for Student Dietitians that all students must follow. In Year 1 of the MHSc (Nutrition & Dietetics) students will need to read and agreed to adhere to both of these.

This course develops student's professional skills in their training to become a dietitian. Student dietitians need to adhere to the Dietitians Board Code of Ethics and Conduct: https://www.dietitiansboard.org.nz/Policy-Guidelines/.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 07/11/2024 09:33 a.m.