Bachelor of Dietetics

To deliver graduates who are at least registered at the HPCSA as dieticians in line with the scope of practice (therapeutic nutrition, community nutrition and food service management) outlined in Act 56 (1974) and who can demonstrate in the contexts of institutions, private practice and communities the ability to:

• perform nutritional assessments in order to identify nutritional problems and needs
• analyse nutritional manifestations in order to determine the causes thereof
• plan, implement and evaluate nutrition intervention, education and programmes
• communicate effectively
• evaluate and perform research
• manage food and nutrition for individuals and groups

Matriculation certificate

First degree: B Dietetics

Other

Grade 12 with university exemption; having obtained at least 50% for Grade 12 Mathematics HG and Physical Science HG. Selection procedures exist.

Learning outcomes

Screening/Needs assessment/Situation analysis

• A demonstrable ability to screen and assess nutritional status and the concomitant health risk of clients/patients and groups in communities/institutions by applying socio-economic evaluation, anthropometrics evaluation, dietary evaluation, clinical evaluation and biochemical evaluation.
• A demonstrable ability to analyse and interpret demographic, socio-economic, anthropometrics, dietary, clinical and biochemical data to identify nutrition and related health risks and problems.
• A demonstrable ability based on the appropriate methods of nutrition assessment to predict, types and severity of nutrition and related health problems, which may occur in group(s) in communities/or public.
• A demonstrable ability to diagnose based on the appropriate methods of nutrition assessment, the type and severity of nutrition problems or special nutritional needs of individual patients/clients.
• A demonstrable ability for in-depth cause analysis of nutrition problems based on appropriate conceptual frameworks and scientific and contextual information.
• A demonstrable ability to assess patient/client/group food preferences.
• A demonstrable ability to determine needs for nutrition services, including nutrition health promotion.
• A demonstrable ability to assess the training needs of individuals and/or groups in communities/institutions involved in nutrition service delivery to ensure capacity building in this regard.

Planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation of nutrition service delivery

• A demonstrable ability to collaborate with all stakeholders in the selection, planning, implementation and evaluation of appropriate intervention strategies to address nutrition and related health problems of groups in communities and/or the public.
• A demonstrable ability to facilitate and monitor community or public participation in the selection, planning, implementation and evaluation of appropriate intervention strategies.
• A demonstrable ability to select, plan, implement, monitor, evaluate and document appropriate nutrition care and education (i.e. nutrition care plan) for individual patients/clients with specific disease conditions or special nutritional needs in different settings.
• A demonstrable ability to collaborate with the different members of the health care team to select, plan, implement and evaluate the nutrition care and education of individual patients/clients with specific disease conditions or special nutritional needs.
• A demonstrable ability to ensure and monitor patient/client compliance with the nutrition care plan.
• A demonstrable ability to compile appropriate menus to comply with patient/client and/or group nutritional needs and food preferences.
• A demonstrable ability to plan and control food procurement (i.e. food storage and issuing), production and distribution of the final product.
• A demonstrable ability to develop and standardize recipes for specific needs of patients/clients and /or groups in communities.
• A demonstrable ability to establish food quality standards as well as procedures to monitor these standards with reference to nutritional, sensory and microbiological aspects.
• A demonstrable ability to compile specifications for areas, space and equipment needed for optimal work flow and production based on the menu and purchasing and production policies.
• A demonstrable ability to compile food and nutritional product specifications.
• A demonstrable ability to integrate the food service system as part of the business and health care focus.
• A demonstrable ability to monitor patient/client/group satisfaction with service delivery.
• A demonstrable ability to adapt the intervention strategy/nutrition care plan/food service based on feedback from continuous monitoring of service delivery.

Communication

• A demonstrable ability to communicate effectively with individuals and groups at different levels with various cultural, social, educational, political and economic contexts using the oral, written and electronic media.
• A demonstrable ability to advocate for nutrition-related issues for various purposes.
• A demonstrable ability to conduct appropriate training according to the identified needs of groups in communities and/or the public.

Management

• A demonstrable ability to apply appropriate approaches and techniques to effectively manage human resources, finances and operational procedures.
• A demonstrable ability to compile, implement, monitor and evaluate a business plan/project.
• A demonstrable ability to comprehend and implement internal and external policy in management.
• A demonstrable ability to evaluate and recommend adjustments to nutrition service delivery regarding food procurement, production and distribution.
• A demonstrable ability to review, evaluate and recommend adjustments to nutrition service delivery regarding intervention strategies to address nutrition and related health problems of groups in communities and/or the public.
• A demonstrable ability to review, evaluate and recommend adjustments to nutrition service delivery regarding the nutrition care of individual patients/clients with specific disease conditions or special nutritional needs.

Research

• A demonstrable ability to assess, critically review and apply relevant scientific information.
• A demonstrable ability to participate in the formulation of a research problem, the design of an appropriate research project, the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data, the presentation of results, the writing of a research report and the identification and formulation of practical applications of the research results.

Intra-professional focus

• A demonstrable ability to apply standards of practice and professional ethics.
• A demonstrable ability to function constructively in a team or a group.

Critical cross-field outcomes

Within the scope of practice (therapeutic nutrition, community nutrition and food service management) and in the contexts of institutions, private practice and communities the following critical cross-field outcomes are indicated:

• Identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made;
• Working effectively with others as the member of a team, group, organisation, community;
• Organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsively and effectively;
• Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information;
• Communicating effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes or oral and/or written persuasion;
• Using science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others;
• Demonstrating and understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving context do not exist in isolation;
• Computer literacy;
• Contributing to the full personal development of each leaner and the social and economic development of the society at large, by making it the underlying intention of any programme of learning to make an individual aware of the importance of:
• Reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively;
• Participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities;
• Being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts;
• Exploring education and career opportunities
• Developing entrepreneurial opportunities.

These criteria are derived from the learning outcomes and provide evidence that the learner is able to demonstrate

• Knowledge (basic knowledge, insight, application, analysis, evaluation, synthesis)
• Skills
• Processes
• Values

During assessment, techniques are used in a formative and summative manner ranging from objective computer based testing to subjective real life situations.

Integrated assessment

Portfolios

Simulations

Work-place assessment

Written examinations

Oral examinations

Other

Objective structured assessment

Computer assisted assessment