Dietitian (SA)

Education and Training:

To become a dietitian you usually have to study nutrition or dietetics at a university accredited by the Dietitians Association of Australia. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your SACE. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English, mathematics and chemistry are normally required. A number of universities in Australia offer degrees in nutrition and dietetics. Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements. Contact the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

Additional Information:

Some qualified dietitians may choose to refer to themselves as nutritionists. However, not all 'nutritionists' are dietitians. Only a practitioner who has completed a university course accredited by the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) is eligible to apply for the Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) credential. Check the Association's website for a list of accredited courses. APD status is often a prerequisite for employment in this field. See also the separate entry for Nutritionist.

Graduates of DAA-accredited courses are eligible for membership of the Dietitians Association of Australia.

Related Courses:

While the following courses are related to this occupation, they may not necessarily lead directly to employment, nor provide the most direct pathway to the occupation. Courses which provide preliminary or informal training, as well as those which provide additional job skills following initial qualifications may also be listed.

*Course is offered by more than one institution. Click link for details.

Employment Opportunities:

Nutrition is a rapidly expanding field and graduates find employment in a wide variety of roles and settings such as patient care and education in hospitals, nutrition and health education in community health centres, public health nutrition and food and nutrition policy in government departments, private practice and consultancy, education and training, food industries, health promotion and nutrition research. Relatively new areas include the fields of sports nutrition, publishing and the media. Some dietitians work on a part-time basis.

Opportunities for dietitians depend upon a range of factors including government health funding and the recognition of nutrition by the community as a means of preventing and treating diet-related diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Demand for dietitians depends on the level of public and professional awareness, and acceptance of the services they provide. Private health rebate schemes also affect demand for dietitians.