Nutrition courses

Nutrition is an interdisciplinary field that combines biology, biochemistry and dietetics.

A nutrition course will teach you how to help people forge better relationships with food. You’ll do this by studying food at a systems level, examining how it impacts the whole of the human body, and at a molecular level. For example, you might explore how certain fats affect the liver and liver disease.

Food and nutrition courses are critical in the digital age. Misinformation about health and diets is easily spread via social media and online outlets, so it’s more important than ever that there are individuals with the science-backed knowledge to set the record straight.

Studying nutrition helps you understand how food affects our bodies and health. It gives you the knowledge to make better food choices and helps others do the same. Nutrition plays a key role in managing health problems, improving fitness, and supporting overall wellbeing. If you are passionate about health, wellness, or helping others, nutrition is a great field to explore.

Unsure if nutrition is the right path for you? Other health related areas you might like to explore include public health, health management, aged care, and sports.

Studying nutrition online is a great way to break into a career in this exciting and dynamic field. Online study is flexible, which means you can choose how many subjects you take at once and fit your coursework around existing commitments like work and family.

Through Open Universities Australia, you can also study the only fully online undergraduate nutrition degree in Australia. The Bachelor of Food and Nutrition with La Trobe University is among the most popular courses on our marketplace, and qualifies you for further study in dietetics if your goal is to become a dietician. You don’t even need access to an industrial kitchen—you can complete all of the practical cooking tasks in the comfort of your own home.

The best course for you depends on your interests and career goals.

If you're just starting out, consider an undergraduate course like a Bachelor of Food and Nutrition, which will build your expertise across a range of topics, and set you up for further study in dietetics.

If you're already in a health-related job, you might like to take a short course to specialise further.

If you're unsure, a student advisor can help guide you to the right course for your needs.

In a nutrition course, you'll learn how food impacts health and how to make informed decisions about what we eat. You'll study areas like food science, nutrition principles, health promotion, and diet planning. You'll also learn about how good nutrition helps prevent and manage health issues, as well as how to support people in making healthier food choices.

It depends on the course and whether you choose something short or long-term. Here’s a general guide: 

If you study a degree in nutrition through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.

Once you’ve completed your nutrition course, you can look forward to a career in the following fields:

• Nutrition

• Food science

• Health promotion

• Nutrition policy or health marketing

• Nutrition community education

• Food regulation

• Research

• Food manufacturing

To become a dietician, you will need to complete further postgraduate study such as a Master of Dietetics.

Nutrition experts are employed in a wide range of settings. You might work in a private clinic as a nutritionist, advising patients on what diet would work best for their circumstances. You might work in local, state or federal government to develop food safety and access policies.

Some nutritionists work in labs to explore foods at the molecular level or in aged-care settings, supporting older people through food. Your strengths and interests are important when deciding which of the fascinating careers available to nutrition graduates is best for you.

Enrolling online is simple. Here’s how it works:

1. Find your course

• Browse the options on this page.

• Use our comparison tool to explore the different choices.

• Need help? Book a free phone consultation with a student advisor for personalised guidance.

2. Start your enrolment

• When you’re ready, click ‘Start studying now’ on the course page.

• Follow the prompts to begin your enrolment.

• You’ll need to provide supporting documents, such as:

  • Proof of identity

  • Your tax file number

  • A Unique Student Identifier (USI)

3. Wait for confirmation

Your chosen university will email you to confirm if your enrolment has been successful.

Note: Some courses have enquiries and applications handled directly by the university. If this applies, it will be clearly stated on the course listing page.

For more details, check our online self-service enrolment guide. And if you need help at any stage, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.