Universities and Online Degrees Guide

Stellenbosch University

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics

The Bachelor of Science in Dietetics in Health Professions is offered by Stellenbosch University.

Program Length: 4 YEARS.

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics offered by the Stellenbosch University at the Faculty of Medicine

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 food service 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.

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.