The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics is to promote understanding of the scientific underpinnings of nutrition and their translation to effective, evidence-based practice, thereby preparing graduates for supervised dietetics practice programs leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become registered dietitian nutritionists, and to build future leaders in dietetics and nutrition to optimize the nutritional health of individuals, families, and communities within state, national, and global populations. 

Program Goal #1: The program curriculum will prepare graduates effectively for supervised practice programs leading to CDR credentialing as Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. 

• Objective 1.1: At least 80% of program students complete program/degree requirements within three years (150% of the program length). 
• Objective 1.2: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%. 
• Objective 1.3: At least 40% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation. 
• Objective 1.4: At least 35% of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation. 
• Objective 1.5: At least 80% of program graduates who apply for admission to a supervised practice program within four years of graduation will be admitted. 
• Objective 1.6: On average, supervised practice program directors will rate preparation of graduates in specific knowledge areas as “satisfactory” or better on program director surveys. 
• Objective 1.7: On average, program graduates will rate how well the program prepared them in specific knowledge areas as “satisfactory” or better on program graduate surveys. 

Program Goal #2: The program will prepare graduates to practice at the highest level by emphasizing ability to read and appropriately apply nutrition research findings and evidence-based guidelines to practice and providing opportunities to participate in research. 

• Objective 2.1: At least 35% of program graduates, by the time of program completion, will have participated in research. 
• Objective 2.2: At least 15% of program graduates, by the time of program completion, will have presented research at the Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement or state or national meeting. 
• Objective 2.3: On average, program graduates will rate how well the program helped them build knowledge and skills in their “ability to locate, interpret, evaluate and incorporate information from research literature and evidence-based guidelines into evidence-based practice.” as “satisfactory” (2) or better on program graduate surveys. 
• Objective 2.4: On average, supervised practice program directors will rate preparation of graduates compared to other students in their program in their “ability to locate, interpret, evaluate and incorporate information from research literature and evidence-base guidelines into evidence-based practice” as “above average” or better on program director surveys. 

Program Goal #3: The program will prepare graduates for leadership roles in nutrition and dietetics. 

• Objective 3.1: At least 20% of program graduates who attain the RDN credential will hold professional leadership roles in nutrition and dietetics within five years of program completion. 
• Objective 3.2: On average, program graduates will rate how well the program helped them build “leadership skills” as “satisfactory” (2) or better on program graduate surveys. 
• Objective 3.3: On average, supervised practice program directors will rate “leadership skills” of graduates compared to other students in their program as “above average” or better on program director surveys. 

Program outcomes data are available upon request by contacting the program director.