Bachelor of Science (Nutrition and Food Science), Bachelor of Innovation

This double degree pairs nutrition and food science with innovation, so you graduate with two sets of skills: the science of food and health, and the ability to turn ideas into products, services or businesses. It runs four years full time. You study units of study across semesters, with each unit carrying credit points, and you need to complete the required total to graduate. The nutrition and food science side covers human nutrition, food chemistry, food microbiology, food processing and safety, and how diet relates to health and disease. The innovation side covers creative thinking, entrepreneurship, project management and how to take a concept through to a real outcome.

What you actually study

Early units build your science base: chemistry, biology, biochemistry and statistics, plus an introduction to food systems. Later units go deeper into nutritional biochemistry, food product development, food regulation and quality assurance. You also study innovation units that teach you how to identify problems, test ideas and work in teams to develop solutions. The course includes a capstone project in your final year, where you bring nutrition and food science together with innovation to tackle a real issue, maybe a new food product, a public health campaign or a service for a community group. Some students do this with an industry partner.

Work-integrated learning is part of the degree. You may take a placement or industry project in a food company, a health organisation, a government agency or a community group. That gives you experience in places where nutrition and food science graduates actually work, and it counts towards your degree. The exact placement options depend on availability and your chosen stream, so check with Curtin.

Skills you gain

You learn to analyse food and diet data, understand food composition and safety, communicate nutrition information clearly, and manage projects from start to finish. On the innovation side, you practise creative problem solving, business planning and working with people from different backgrounds. By the end, you can move between a lab, a kitchen, a boardroom and a community setting. You also build the kind of practical judgement that employers look for: how to test an idea, how to meet food standards, and how to explain science to non-scientists.

Who it suits

This degree suits you if you are interested in food, health and science, but you do not want to be limited to a lab bench. Maybe you want to create new food products, improve what people eat, or start your own food business. It also works if you are unsure whether you want a career in nutrition, food technology or entrepreneurship, the double degree keeps several doors open. You need to be comfortable with chemistry and biology, and willing to work in teams. If you are an international student, you will need to meet English requirements: IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common standard for undergraduate courses, though some courses ask for higher. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and Curtin's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. While you study, your visa usually allows you to work up to 48 hours per fortnight. After you finish, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period. Confirm all details, including tuition and English requirements, on the official Curtin page and the CRICOS register (course code 116202D).

• Food technologist or product developer, food manufacturing companies, including large processors and smaller specialty producers.
• Nutrition assistant or community nutrition worker, public health units, local councils, non-profits and community health organisations.
• Quality assurance officer, food companies, where you check products meet safety and labelling standards.
• Food safety auditor or compliance officer, government agencies and certification bodies.
• Innovation consultant or project officer, firms that help food and health organisations develop new products or services.
• Research assistant, universities, CSIRO or food research institutes.
• Start-up founder, your own food or health-related business.

Nutrition and food science graduates work across agriculture, food processing, retail, health care, education and government. The innovation half of the degree is useful anywhere employers need people who can think creatively and manage projects. Some roles may require further study or registration, so check with the relevant professional body.