Mission, Program Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

Program Mission

The Food and Nutrition program at Framingham State University will develop a course of study that enables graduates to actively participate in the changing food environment, in the nutrition education process, and in health care delivery systems according to the highest standards of client service and professional ethics.

The Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration (UFND) and Nutrition and Dietetics Education 4+1 Concentration (UNF4) (Didactic Program in Dietetics) offer an academic curriculum to prepare students to be accepted in an ACEND (Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics) accredited DI to become a registered dietitian nutritionist or into a graduate program, or to pursue a career in a food, nutrition or related field.

The mission of the Coordinated Program in Dietetics is to integrate an academic and supervised practice curriculum to prepare graduates to be entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. The Program meets the academic and experiential requirements which qualify graduates to take the National Registration Examination for Dietitians and to be a State-Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist where applicable. 

Program Goals: Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)

Goal #1 – Program graduates will become competent, entry level professionals who meet employment needs in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

  1. At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 6 years (150% of planned program length).
  2. At least 50 percent of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation.
  3. Of program graduates who apply to a supervised practice program, at least 50 percent are admitted within 12 months of graduation.
  4. 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%”.

 

Goal #2 – Program graduates will be prepared to work in a variety of nutrition and dietetics settings

  1. 80% of employers will respond 3 or higher on a five-point scale on the Employer Questionnaire when asked to rate graduates' preparation for entry-level dietetics position.
  2. 80% of Dietetic Internship Directors with respond 3 or higher on  the DI Director Questionnaire when asked to rate graduates' preparation for the DI.
  3. Within 12 months of program graduation, at least 80% of program graduates are employed in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

Six Learning Goals for Food and Nutrition Majors

1. Community: Students will be able to interpret and apply nutrition concepts to evaluate and improve the nutritional health of communities.
2. Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT): Students will be able to interpret and apply nutrition concepts to evaluate and improve the nutritional health of individuals with medical conditions
3. Food: Students will be able to identify and apply food principles to food and nutrition systems
4. Education/Communication: Students will be able to demonstrate a variety of communication strategies in nutrition and food education emphasizing information technology
5. Management: Students will be able to apply management principles to evaluate human, physical and fiscal resources in organizations
6. Professional Issues: Students will be able to integrate knowledge and skills in food and nutrition with professional issues affecting the nutrition and/or dietetics fields.

Learning Goals with Specific Learning Outcomes

1. Community: Students will be able to interpret and apply nutrition concepts to evaluate and improve the nutritional health of communities.

a. Determine and translate nutrient needs into menus for individuals and groups across the lifespan, in diverse cultures and religions, and for different income levels.
b. Plan a community intervention based upon a needs assessment
c. Advocate for a public policy related to nutrition programs or health care

2. Medical Nutrition Therapy: Students will be able to interpret and apply nutrition concepts to evaluate and improve the nutritional health of individuals with medical conditions

a. Apply biological, biochemical and physiologic scientific principles to nutrition practice
b. Interpret of medical terminology and laboratory parameters relating to nutrition
c. Interpret scientific research, apply it to nutrition practices, and document interventions
d. Calculate and/or define of diets for health conditions addressed by health promotion/disease prevention activities or uncomplicated instances of chronic disease of the general population
e. Collect pertinent information for comprehensive nutrition assessments
f. Determine medical nutrition therapy for a variety of advanced medical conditions. (CPD, DPD only)

3. Food: Students will be able to identify and apply food principles to food and nutrition systems

a. Calculate and interpret nutrient composition of foods
b. Apply scientific research, including microbiology, food science and food safety to functions of ingredients in food and process controls
c. Demonstrate basic food preparation, quantity food production, and food presentation skills
d. Modify recipes and recipe proportions for individual, group dietary and volume production
e. Summarize health promotion and disease prevention theories and guidelines and explain the role of food in promotion of a healthy lifestyle
f. Analyze foodservice operations using the foodservice systems approach

4. Education/Communications: Students will be able to demonstrate a variety of communication strategies in nutrition and food education emphasizing information technology

a. Produce oral and written communications for a group education session
b. Interview individuals for diet histories
c. Counsel individuals

5. Management: Students will be able to apply management principles to evaluate human, physical and fiscal resources in organizations

a. Apply principles and theories of management to the administration of human, physical and financial resource in food and nutrition services
b. Apply management concepts to personnel selection, training, evaluation, organizational behavior, governmental influences, labor management relations, marketing and budgeting through case studies and the development of a business plan.

6. Professional Issues - Students will be able to integrate knowledge and skills in food and nutrition with professional issues affecting the nutrition and/or dietetics fields

a. Develop a position on a public policy affecting nutrition and food issues and/or programs
b. Utilize outcomes based research and statistics to interpret a nutrition issue
c. Explain health care policy and systems as related to food and nutrition health
d. Describe issues related to third party reimbursement for nutrition care

Program learning outcomes data for both the Coordinated Program in Dietetics and the Didactic Program in Dietetics are available on request from the Department Chair and/or the Didactic Program Director or the Coordinated Program in Dietetics Director.