Mission Statement, Program Goals and Objectives

Mission Statement: Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)

The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics at Cal Poly is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to gather data, assess information, plan interventions, and evaluate outcomes appropriately to implement the nutrition care process in preparation for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist.

Program Goal #1:

To provide education in a learning environment that prepares graduates to demonstrate knowledge and skills producing the competencies needed to become entry-level dietitians.

Objectives:

• Over a seven-year period, the pass rate for program graduates taking the registration examination for the first time will be at least 80%.
• 60% of DPD graduates who apply to supervised practice programs during their final year of DPD enrollment will be accepted/matched.
• Within the 5-year period after DPD program completion, 80% of DPD graduates who apply to supervised practice programs will be accepted/matched to a dietetic internship
• Over a 7-year period, 50% of DPD graduates will apply to supervised practice programs within 12 months of graduation.
• 90% of applied nutrition (DPD) students will ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’  on a survey scale specific to preparation to meet program objectives.
• Directors of dietetic internships rate at least 90% of our graduates as ‘Met expectations’ or better on preparation in foundation knowledge and practice readiness.
• > 70% of Senior Projects are ranked acceptable or exemplary (3 or 4 on a 4-point scale).
• 80% of the students in the Applied Nutrition concentration will complete the coursework for graduation within 150% of 5 academic quarters (23 months) after completion of FSN 328 Nutrient Metabolism 1 or FSN 331: Macronutrient Metabolism.

Program Goal #2:

Program graduates demonstrate the knowledge, ethics, and technical skills needed for a successful career continuum in dietetics or in other professional fields.

Objectives:

• 60% of the program graduates who do not apply, or are not accepted to, supervised practice programs and who go to graduate school or seek employment in other fields will ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree ‘on a scale assessing satisfaction with career preparation one year after graduation.
• 50% of the program graduates who respond to the alumni survey and did not apply or were not accepted to a supervised practice program will be accepted to a graduate program, pass the DTR exam, enter the Peace Corps/AmeriCorps or obtain employment in a nutrition, health or science-related profession within one year of graduation.
• 50% of program graduates who are matched/accepted into a supervised practice program express an interest in serving as a preceptor for dietetic interns once they have earned their credentials and entered practice.

*Results of program assessment are available upon request.