Dietetics: Mission, Goals & Objectives
The
specific mission of the food and nutrition program, which includes the Didactic
Program in Dietetics (DPD) is to provide high quality learning opportunities to
educate nutrition and dietetics professionals for placement in the national
market, and to assist the UWSP community in understanding the role of nutrition
in health promotion.
It is
our intent to provide a high quality knowledge base for students to
successfully pursue their career goals as registered dietitians (RD) or
dietetic technicians, registered (DTR). The DPD is a professional degree
program that meets the accreditation standards of the Accreditation Council for
Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), formerly known as the Commission
on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE), the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics' accrediting agency for education programs. Becoming an RD or DTR
requires these steps: meeting the competencies of the dietetics program and
receiving a verification statement (RD & DTR); passing the national DTR
exam (DTR) or completing a dietetic internship to become an RD (RD); and
passing the national RD exam (RD).
A registered
dietitian and dietetic technician are highly qualified health professionals
recognized as the food and nutrition experts. This mission of the dietetics
program will be accomplished by the following goals and objectives:
1. Attract and mentor academically capable and responsible students
who are committed to becoming competent and contributing members of the
nutrition profession.
Objective: Students will meet high standards of entry-level
professionals.
Objective: Encourage professional development of dietetic
students through advising the dietetics club and facilitating attendance at
professional meetings.
2. Maintain high quality, current, research-based learning
opportunities in nutrition and dietetics for the UWSP community.
Objective: Students will have increased opportunities for
research involvement.
Objective: Students will have increased opportunities for
learning in the following emphasis areas: critical thinking, diversity/global
citizenry, sustainability.
We practice continuous improvement through an ongoing assessment
of our goals and objectives. We obtain feedback from current students, practicum
preceptors, alumni and internship directors; monitor student progress through
learning assessment; support student involvement in organizations and
conferences; encourage involvement in communities both local and international;
and report internship placements and pass rates on national exams.
Our students compete nationally for post-graduation placement in
internships that are required to be eligible for the RD exam. In 2011, 86%
percent of our students who applied for internships were placed nationally. Our
5 year placement rate, 2007-2011 is 55% (National average: 50%). Our students
are highly successful in completing their internships and becoming Registered
Dietitians. Within the past four years, 100% of our students who have taken the
national exam that is required to become an RD have passed the first time.
For more information about the Dietetics Program, please contact
Jasia (Jayne)
Steinmetz, RD, CD
Professor of Food and
Nutrition
Director, Didactic
Program in Dietetics
202 College of
Professional Studies
University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-346-4087 Fax: 715-346-2720
For more information about accreditation, please contact
Accreditation
Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000,
Chicago, Ill, 60606-6995,