Master of Science in Dietetics

Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods to render a specialised professional service, in a specific aspect of nutrition and to do research under supervision.

• Responding to the needs of the community
• Responding to business and industry needs
• In life-long learning and the appreciation of the value of education and society.

Qualifiers will demonstrate knowledge, skills and applied competence in the field of study that provide opportunities for continued personal growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

Learners who register for this qualification can

• Learn from predominantly written material;
• Communicate what they have learnt comprehensively in the medium of instruction;
• Learn and take responsibility for their own progress.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The qualification recognises formal and non-formal prior learning (incorporating experiential learning) at a Higher Education and Training Certificate Level 7 in dietetic sciences or a functional equivalent.

The planned combination of learning outcomes are integrated with critical cross-field outcomes for this qualification

Practical Competency

The demonstrated ability/skill to achieve the major Skills/Applied Competency of the qualification.

Foundational Competency

The demonstrated understanding, by the Learner, of the embedded knowledge that underpins the end result/outcome.

Reflective competency

The demonstrated ability/skill to integrate or connect our performances and to reflect on, evaluate and adopt the above competencies.

To successfully complete the qualification the learner will have to demonstrate his/her learning via module specific learning outcomes as well as critical cross-field learning outcomes.

Module specific outcomes will include capabilities relating to module knowledge and the understanding thereof within a specific context, and capabilities relating to integrated knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines within the field.

Critical cross-field outcomes will include those specified in the learning outcomes for approved modules in the certificate and as appropriate to the learner's field of practice.

1. Conducting research under supervision in a specific field of dietetics/nutrition
2. Documenting and rationalising the research in an acceptable, scientific way
3. Identifying the problems in the field of dietetics/nutrition and offer solutions through scientific research to the benefit of the profession
4. Applying this knowledge to the benefit of the profession
5. Understanding the nutritional problems and needs of the country and the ability to bring forward solutions that would satisfy national and international standards of excellence.

The learner will be able to analyse and apply the basic principles relevant to the following

1. Draw up a complete protocol
2. Select and define a suitable research area
3. Document the research systematically and logically and report concisely
4. Use the research methods, techniques and procedures correctly
5. Use the relevant literature effectively
6. Rationalise the problem statement and conclusions
7. Solve the stated problem and achieve research goals
8. Make logic conclusions and generalisations
9. Present a technically well-produced dissertation of the research, make a contribution to the present knowledge in the relevant field of nutrition
10. Publish the results in an accredited Journal, apply the new knowledge in solving the identified problem(s).

A learner should provide evidence of learning competency (knowledge, skills and attitude) by means of the following

1. Formative evaluation - the process, developmental nature and end-product (outcome) are important
2. Theory and practice are integrated.

Integrated assessment

Competence is achieved, through continuous assessment by demonstrating the ability to achieve the outcomes of the Qualification

The learner should provide evidence of a specialised and high level of competencies, knowledge and attitudes in a specific area of nutrition/dietetics, through conducting a research project and writing a dissertation in a specialised field of study, according to the standards set by the university and professional board.

Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that

• They conform to the scope and context of the competency as stipulated in the qualification.
• They are constructed in such a way that the Assessor assesses the critical outcomes applied, during the Learner's activity performances, towards achieving an outcome.

Assessments are

• To include confirmation of the Embedded Knowledge component to ensure that the Foundational Competency is achieved.
• To be verified by Internal Verifiers to ensure valid, credible, true and fair results.