Master of Dietetics

[Dino]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone on here has done a masters in dietetics? Do I need to do human nutrition for my undergraduate in order to be accepted into this program? How competitive is it? I just completed my first year in biomedical sciences at the University of Auckland but I want to change my degree plan. Has anyone on here been accepted into Dietetics masters program with another science degree? Thanks

 

[trixg]

Y0u need a degree in Human Nutrition. Auckland's dietetics admission requirements are posted online and it is relatively simple when you're applying from the Auckland Uni undergraduate Nutrition program. If you wanted to apply to Massey, Otago or an Australian dietetics program, your best bet is to email the departments directly and ask for the required prerequisites and match it up with the nutrition undergraduate courses offered at Auckland.

 

[better_late_than_never]

Just stumbled across this thread. I know this is ~2 years after it was posted but thought I'd share a bit of info for any of those who are thinking of going down the Dietetics path because there is little to no inside information available on the internet about it in NZ and I wish I had someone to talk to before I did it. I'm completing my Dietetics Masters qualification in a months time in Otago - overall I found it an interesting course, HOWEVER, I wouldn't recommend anyone to do it unless you were 100% passionate about food. Basically the job market for Dietitians is COMPLETELY saturated. Ever since Auckland and Massey started Dietetic courses there has become way too many graduates for job positions and it is extremely difficult to get jobs - in the cohort above me, I think like a 1/4 of graduates got jobs, and many tried to start their own private practices but the problem with that is there are way too many already. Unlike nurses and doctors, dietitians do not come under HWNZ (Health Workforce NZ) and therefore, the number of graduates aren't regulated so universities can pump out as many graduates as they want to get $$ - great for the university but bad for the students. If the pay was a lot better and Dietitians had more respect in the work place from other health professionals and the public (the public doesn't know the difference between a Dietitian who has done their masters and a nutritionist who has done a 2 week online course or a PT) then it would potentially be worth it, even if job prospects were poor - who wants to spend the rest of their career battling for 0.6 FTE jobs in cities and towns they don't want to move to just to get a job? Not me. When I say these things, I speak on behalf of pretty much my whole Dietetics class. I know this sounds negative but it's the truth - I guess I am just trying to provide some transparency on the Dietetics courses in NZ (Aus is similar if not worse) as there seems to be very little information anywhere except for careers.govt.nz. If anyone has any questions about Dietetics please feel free to message me, I would love to help those out who are interested in it but have little information to go by - I know I would've loved someone to talk to back before I started!

 

[Nece]

Just stumbled across this thread. I know this is ~2 years after it was posted but thought I'd share a bit of info for any of those who are thinking of going down the Dietetics path because there is little to no inside information available on the internet about it in NZ and I wish I had someone to talk to before I did it. I'm completing my Dietetics Masters qualification in a months time in Otago - overall I found it an interesting course, HOWEVER, I wouldn't recommend anyone to do it unless you were 100% passionate about food. Basically the job market for Dietitians is COMPLETELY saturated. Ever since Auckland and Massey started Dietetic courses there has become way too many graduates for job positions and it is extremely difficult to get jobs - in the cohort above me, I think like a 1/4 of graduates got jobs, and many tried to start their own private practices but the problem with that is there are way too many already. Unlike nurses and doctors, dietitians do not come under HWNZ (Health Workforce NZ) and therefore, the number of graduates aren't regulated so universities can pump out as many graduates as they want to get $$ - great for the university but bad for the students. If the pay was a lot better and Dietitians had more respect in the work place from other health professionals and the public (the public doesn't know the difference between a Dietitian who has done their masters and a nutritionist who has done a 2 week online course or a PT) then it would potentially be worth it, even if job prospects were poor - who wants to spend the rest of their career battling for 0.6 FTE jobs in cities and towns they don't want to move to just to get a job? Not me. When I say these things, I speak on behalf of pretty much my whole Dietetics class. I know this sounds negative but it's the truth - I guess I am just trying to provide some transparency on the Dietetics courses in NZ (Aus is similar if not worse) as there seems to be very little information anywhere except for careers.govt.nz. If anyone has any questions about Dietetics please feel free to message me, I would love to help those out who are interested in it but have little information to go by - I know I would've loved someone to talk to back before I started!

 

[Nece]

I plan to get my bachelors degree in Exercise science with an emphasis on health and then get my masters in nutrition, do you think I will qualify to be a dietitian with that?

 

[better_late_than_never]

I plan to get my bachelors degree in Exercise science with an emphasis on health and then get my masters in nutrition, do you think I will qualify to be a dietitian with that?

Hi, if you went the exercise science route you wouldn't be able to go into dietetics in auckland nor otago as you have to complete a BSc in human nutrition. At massey I'm not sure - you might be able to get in with a non nutrition degree if you do postgraduate nutrition study - I think they're a bit different.
Just to be clear, a masters in dietetics is different to a masters in nutrition. Dietetics is clinical and sets you up for being a dietitian whereas the MSc is more for setup for a career in research (unless you wanted to be a nutritionist)

Hope that helps