Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma programs in Nutrition Medicine


Program Aims

The Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Nutrition Medicine programs are designed to provide health practitioners with the opportunity to expand their scientific knowledge and clinical expertise in Nutrition Medicine and enhance their management of patients' nutritional health problems in a comprehensive and integrated manner, consistent with the current evidence of medical and nutritional research.

This requires the knowledge and the ability to:

1.Perform a comprehensive assessment of patients' nutritional requirements and
2.Formulate and implement scientifically based and effective dietary / nutritional regimens in the treatment of common diseases

Entrance Requirements

Applicants must be registered health-care practitioners who:

  • hold an undergraduate university degree relevant to the award or
  • is an experienced primary health practitioner who can demonstrate other qualifications and/or relevant experience that adequately prepares them for candidature.

Primary healthcare practitioners with diploma-level healthcare qualifications from professionally accredited private education colleges and a minimum of five (5) years in active clinical practice may also be eligible for entry into the program, subject to approval by a duly constituted Program Admissions Committee.

NB: the Graduate Certificate in Nutrition Medicine is the prerequisite for the Graduate Diploma in Nutrition Medicine, which is the pre-requisite for entry into the Master of Nutrition Medicine degree program.

CLICK HERE  for information about the Master of Nutrition Medicine degree program

Graduates with other qualifications may also be eligible for admission to this program subject to completion of appropriate bridging courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Biochemistry and Disease States. Examples of such qualifications are:

  1. Bachelor of Food Science or its equivalent
  2. Bachelor of Veterinary Science
  3. Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
  4. Bachelor of Psychology

CLICK HERE for information about bridging courses in basic sciences, suitable for graduates from non-clinical disciplines, who wish to pursue training in Nutrition Medicine

What you need to do to gain the Graduate Certificate in Nutrition Medicine award
Pass the four courses scheduled as belonging to the graduate certificate program. Attend a minimum of one Residential School for subjects 1-4 and a minimum of 10 online tutorials per year.

 

Time needed to complete the Graduate Certificate
Progessive Enrolment - a self paced schedule suited to the busy practitioner with a minium completion time of 32 weeks.

 

What you need to do to gain the Graduate Diploma in Nutrition Medicine award
Pass the eight courses scheduled as belonging to the graduate diploma program. Attend a minimum of one Residential School for subjects 5-8 and a minimum of 10 online tutorials per year.

 

Time needed to complete the Graduate Diploma
But minimum completetion in 64 weeks.

NB: Students in differing time zones must download tutorials and contribute via the Discussion Board.

 

The Graduate Certificate in Nutrition Medicine program:

Course 1: OHTH2088 consists of 5 distinct modules plus compulsory attendance at Residential School 1. The first module explores the historical precepts and practice of nutrition and defines the foundations of a new, evolving nutritional paradigm of disease management. The other modules concentrate on the study of macronutrient function and utilisation, providing the basic nutritional knowledge that underpins effective clinical practice.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Understand the role of diet and nutrient status in the maintenance of disease management and the varied levels at which clinical nutrition can be effectively applied
  2. Understand the meaning, application and limitations of the Recommended Dietary Allowances and the Australian Dietary Guidelines
  3. Understand the absorption, metabolism and function of the dietary macronutrients: carbohydrates, fibre, protein, amino acids and lipids
  4. Identify the major food sources of macronutrient intake and their presence in the diet
  5. Appreciate the ethnic and cultural diversity of food availability, selection and preparation

Course 2: OHTH2089 consists of five modules plus compulsory attendance at Residential School 2. It focuses on the function, metabolism and utilisation of the micronutrients, vitamins and minerals; contingent nutrients; accessory food factors; eicosanoids and other inflammatory mediators. This unit adds to the basic nutritional knowledge required for effective clinical practice.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Appreciate the role of vitamin and mineral status in the maintenance of health and management of disease
  2. Understand the chemistry, function and requirements of the different types of vitamins, macrominerals, microminerals, and trace minerals and identify their major food sources
  3. Identify the clinical signs of vitamin and mineral deficiency and be aware of the interactions and interdependencies of vitamins and minerals
  4. Identify the metabolism and functional role of the contingent nutrients and accessory food factors
  5.  Identify specific health conditions associated with inadequate supply of contingent nutrients and increased demand for accessory food factors
  6. Understand the synthesis and metabolism of eicosanoids and other inflammatory mediators and the dietary and nutritional factors that affect their function

Course 3: OHTH2090 consists of five distinct modules plus compulsory attendance at Residential School 1 and prepares the student for clinical practice. The first 2 modules examine the regulatory mechanisms of energy production and biochemical function in relation to health and disease and explore the role of biochemical dysfunction in disease. The other 3 modules demonstrate how to perform a thorough nutritional assessment, collect and analyse dietary intake and formulate an effective, therapeutic diet/nutrient program to remediate disease. This unit completes the core nutrition information required for responsible and effective Nutrition Medicine practice.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Identify how biochemical dysfunction and impaired regulation of energy metabolism relates to development of disease and understand how to improve nutrient status to correct these biochemical disturbance
  2. Understand the basic composition of food, define the nutrient contribution of the major food groups and collect, collate and analyse data on food intake
  3. Perform a comprehensive clinical nutritional assessment, including dietary history and evaluation, clinical examination for nutrient insufficiency and anthropometric assessment
  4. Understand the rationales and usage of therapeutic diets and nutrient supplements
  5. Formulate balanced and integrated dietary/nutrient programs to correct biochemical dysfunction and use these in abalanced and responsible manner consistent with ethical clinical practice

Course 4: OHTH2091 consists of 2 modules plus compulsory attendance at Residential School 2 and initiates the study of Nutrition Medicine in specific disease management. The first module examines the nutritional factors involved in the development of insulin resistance, the pathways by which this leads to obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes and looks at the Nutrition Medicine interventions used to retard or remediate this problem. The second module more closely examines the role of nutrient status in cardiovascular disease and the dietary/nutrient interventions shown to be beneficial in management of cardiovascular disease.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Understand how dietary and nutritional factors are involved in the development of insulin resistance, obesity and Syndrome X and
  2. Appreciate how genetic and nutritional factors are involved in  the development of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus and the nutrient demands imposed by the metabolic disturbances induced by diabetes
  3. Formulate and utilise responsible Nutrition Medicine protocols to retard and/or remediate the process of insulin resistance, in the management of obesity and diabetes
  4. Understand how dietary and nutritional factors are involved in the development and progression of common cardiovascular disorders
  5. Appreciate how common cardiovascular disorders affect cellular and tissue metabolism and nutrient demand
  6. Understand the rationales behind the clinical use of dietary and nutrient interventions to modulate the disease processes that occur in cardiovascular disease
  7. Formulate and utilise ethical and responsible Nutrition Medicine protocols in the management of cardiovascular disease

CLICK HERE  for information about Entry Requirements 
CLICK HERE to apply for the program

The Graduate Diploma in Nutrition Medicine program

Prerequisite is satisfactory completion of Graduate Diploma of Nutrition MedicineCourses 1 - 4: OHTH2088, OHTH2089, OHTH2090, OHTH2091 Course 5: OHTH2092 consists of 2 modules and a compulsory Residential School 2 and commences the study of Nutrition Medicine in disease management. The first module studies the inter-relationship between nutrient status and digestive system dysfunction and disease. The second module examines the role of nutrient status in immune system dysfunction and inflammatory disease.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Identify how impaired nutrient status affects immunity, inflammation and digestive function and how it relates to the development of immunological and gastro-enteric disease
  2. Discuss how inflammation, immune disease and gastro-enteric dysfunction affect cellular metabolism and nutrient demand
  3. Understand the rationales behind the use of dietary and nutrient interventions to modulate the disease process in inflammatory and immunological disorders and gastro-enteric disease
  4. Formulate and utilise balanced, effective and integrated dietary/nutrient programs in a responsible manner consistent with best ethical clinical practice

Course 6: OHTH2093 consists of 2 modules and compulsory Residential School 2 and continues the study of Nutrition Medicine in disease management. The first module examines the role of nutritional factors and mechanisms involved in common disorders of the respiratory system and the dietary/nutrient interventions shown to be beneficial in disease management. The second module studies the role of nutrition in the development and treatment of common endocrine disorders.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Understand how dietary and nutritional factors are involved in the development and progression of common respiratory disease conditions
  2. Appreciate how common respiratory disease states affect cellular and tissue metabolism and nutrient demand
  3. Understand the rationales behind the use of dietary and nutrient interventions to prevent and/or modulate the disease processes that occur in respiratory disease conditions
  4. Formulate and utilise balanced, effective and integrated dietary/nutrient programs in a responsible manner consistent with best ethical clinical practice
  5. Understand the role of nutrition in the development and treatment of common endocrine disorders
  6. Understand the rationales behind the use of dietary and nutrient interventions to prevent and/or modulate the dysfunctional processes that occur in endocrine disease
  7. Formulate and utilise balanced, effective and integrated dietary/nutrient programs in a responsible manner consistent with best ethical clinical practice

Course 7: OHTH2094  comprised of two modules and a compulsory Block Residential School, continues the study of Nutrition Medicine practice in disease management. The first module examines the role of nutritional factors in the development of neurological disease and looks at the Nutrition Medicine interventions used to retard or remediate this problem. The other module examines the role of nutrition in the development and treatment of common disease conditions of the musculo-skeletal system.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Understand how dietary and nutritional factors are involved in the development and maintenance of neurological degeneration and disease
  2. Formulate and utilise ethical and responsible Nutrition Medicine protocols to retard and/or remediate the degenerative processes of neurological disease
  3. Understand the involvement of nutritional factors in the development of musculo-skeletal disorders
  4. Formulate and utilise ethical and responsible Nutrition Medicine protocols in the management of musculo-skeletal disease
  5. Formulate and utilise balanced, effective and integrated dietary/nutrient programs in a responsible manner, consistent with best ethical clinical practice

Course 8: OHTH2095 comprised of two modules and a compulsory Block Residential School, continues the study of Nutrition Medicine practice in disease management. The first module examines the role of nutritional factors in the development and maintenance of renal and reproductive organ disease and looks at the Nutrition Medicine interventions used to retard or remediate the disease process. The second module examines the role of nutrition in the development and treatment of common disease conditions of the skin and blood cells.

Objectives: on completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Understand how dietary and nutritional factors are involved in the development and progression of renal disease and disorders of the reproductive system and how to formulate and utilise responsible Nutrition Medicine protocols to retard and/or remediate the dysfunctional processes of renal and urogenital
    disease.
  2. Understand the involvement of nutritional factors in the development of skin disorders and formulate and utilise responsible Nutrition Medicine protocols in the management of dermatological disease
  3. Understand the involvement of nutritional factors in the development of haematological disorders and formulate and utilise responsible Nutrition Medicine protocols in the management of haematological disease
  4. Formulate and utilise balanced, effective and integrated dietary/nutrient programs in a responsible manner, consistent with best ethical clinical practice

Click here for ENTRY REQUIREMENTS or to APPLY for the course