The programme BSc in Dietetics aims to produce dietitians who have the scientific knowledge, skills and attitudes to function independently in the areas of therapeutic nutrition, community nutrition and foodservice management.

The training of dietitians

As a student of this programme, your studies will span four years, and you will be trained on the Tygerberg Campus from the first year. See our Calendar for the curriculum.

First-year: Chemistry for Health Sciences, Life-forms and Functions of Clinical Importance, Anatomy, Nutrition, Foods, Medical Microbiology, Physiological Biochemistry, Anatomy and Health in Context.

Second-year: Physiology, Anatomy, Food Production and Systems, Applied Food Science, Therapeutic Nutrition, Nutrition during the Life Cycle, Psychology for Health Sciences, Community Nutrition, Ethics and Human Rights, Nutritional Status Assessment, and Practical Training.

Third-year: Therapeutic Nutrition, Community Nutrition, Management Principles, Research Methodology, Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Ethics and Human Rights, and Practical Training.

Fourth-year: Food Service Management, Therapeutic Nutrition, Community Nutrition, 34-week internship (which includes a minimum of six weeks at the Ukwanda Rural Clinical School) and a research project.

Upon completion of this four-year programme you are required to do a year of community service, after which you will be eligible for registration as a dietitian with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

On graduation, you will have a wide spectrum of career choices in areas such as therapeutic dietetics, community nutrition, and the food and pharmaceutical industry. You may also work as a researcher, a lecturer in academia or a nutrition consultant in private practice. For more information about career fields within Dietetics, visit the website of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA).

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