School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Public Health Nutrition
  • Unit Code

    NUT5114
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Mrs Gemma JENKINS

Description

This unit places the study of nutrition issues and food habits within the social, economic, cultural and political environment in which groups of people function and develop. The major nutrition-related health issues that exist in local, Australian and global contexts are examined, using a socio-ecological approach that recognises the complex determinants that influence public health nutrition. Contemporary evidence is used to evaluate the food and nutrition system and existing public health nutrition policy and practice in terms of addressing these issues. The knowledge and skills required for comprehensive and collaborative public health nutrition planning, implementation and evaluation are also developed and applied. This includes a focus on culturally safe and responsive public health nutrition practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded NUT4444

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Prioritise nutrition problems and determinants for diverse populations in Australia, using a socio-ecological approach.
  2. Plan implementation and evaluation of public health nutrition interventions for specific populations in Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, using evidence- and strengths-based principles and frameworks.
  3. Evaluate existing public health nutrition policy, practice and food and nutrition systems within Australian and global contexts.
  4. Collaborate with key stakeholders to inform culturally safe and responsive public health nutrition practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

Unit Content

  1. Public health nutrition principles, theories and frameworks
  2. Priority nutrition-related issues in diverse population groups
  3. Socio-ecological determinants of health and nutrition
  4. Evidence-based public health nutrition practice
  5. Strengths-based public health nutrition practice
  6. Food and nutrition systems
  7. Planning, implementation and evaluation of public health nutrition interventions
  8. Professional and ethical public health nutrition practice

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Trimstr 111 x 4 hour seminarNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

WIL - Project

Students will undertake, and be assessed on, authentic activities through engagement with industry and community partners.

Students undertake an activity in collaboration or consultation with an industry partner but do not spend any time or only a very small amount of time  (e.g. 1-2 short visits) in an actual workplace.

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit will be delivered using technology enhanced learning, integrating face-to-face and digital experiences. Students will be required to access and use a variety of digital learning materials to prepare for their in-class activities. The use of cases will enhance student critical analysis and problem-solving abilities. Practical sessions will allow students to collaborate, to synthesise and analyse information and address complex public health nutrition problems. Guest speakers are invited to engage students with real world dietetic practice. In assessment one students will engage with public health practitioners to evaluate and reflect on culturally safe and responsive practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. In assessment 2 students will apply their reflections from assessment one together with the knowledge and skills developed in this unit to plan implementation and evaluation of a public health nutrition intervention for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ReviewCultural Safety and Responsiveness in Public Health Nutrition Practice40%
AssignmentPublic Health Nutrition Intervention Plan60%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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