Nutrition and Dietetics

The programme is delivered over three years (a minimum of six semesters and a maximum of twelve), on a full-time basis, and includes 30 weeks of practical training.

Successful completion of both theoretical and practical modules leads to the award of 180 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).

Upon graduation, students are awarded the title of Bachelor of Science HES-SO in Nutrition and Dietetics.

As lifestyles and eating habits evolve, and with current health and ageing challenges, the scope of practice is expanding.This generalist Bachelor's degree enables graduates to work independently across all areas of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Following graduation, students may either enter the workforce directly or pursue further academic studies at Master’s level.

Social and healthcare institutions, outpatient consultations, community health, home care services, healthcare networks, independent practice, education, occupational health, research, public health, collective catering services, out-of-home catering, the agri-food and pharmaceutical industries, sports centres, organisations, associations, and universities of applied sciences.

Client/patient groups include: children, adolescents, adults, older people, organisations, communities and groups.

• Courses
• Seminars
• Independent study
• Clinical skills workshops
• Simulation workshops for professional interventions and communication
• Interprofessional week
• Professional practice in clinical placements
• Nutrition Counselling Centre – dietetic consultations and community health project management

• 25 theoretical modules (124 ECTS credits)
• 1 Bachelor thesis module (15 ECTS credits)
• 4 practical modules (41 ECTS credits)

The Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics trains generalist dietitians through a curriculum that includes the following disciplines and themes:

• Health sciences: nutrition physiology, metabolism, human nutrition, medical and surgical pathophysiology, clinical nutrition, therapeutic dietetics, etc.
• Therapeutic interventions and evidence-based practice: nutritional assessment, nutritional intervention and monitoring in acute and chronic contexts, clinical reasoning, therapeutic education, therapeutic relationship, dietetic consultation, ethics
• Health promotion and prevention: public health, intervention models, food education, nutritional epidemiology
• Food sciences: food composition, food technology, toxicology, culinary technology, food legislation, food labelling, advertising
• Out-of-home catering: collective catering, quality standards, quality assurance, food safety
• Food behaviour studies: socio-cultural dimensions of eating, food representations and taboos, eating disorders
• Nutritional responses to social issues: sociodemographic ageing, home-based practices, food insecurity
• Methodological training: dietary intake assessment, introduction to clinical and social science research, statistics, project management, pedagogy and teaching methods
• Professional practice and interprofessional collaboration: health and social care system, ethics and professional conduct, professional policy, independent practice, entrepreneurship, leadership
• Nutrition Counselling Centre: supervised dietetic consultations and implementation of health promotion/prevention projects in the community

The themes are studied/addressed in theoretical and practical modules:

Practical training in professional settings is an integral part of the work-study structure in the field of Health.

Supervised by clinical instructors, students are quickly exposed to patients and confronted with a wide range of situations. The range of placements covers all areas of dietitians’ professional practice.

The programme includes four practical training periods starting from the second semester. Over the three years of study, 30 weeks are dedicated to practical training.

Further information about this training component is available on the HES-SO website.