Department Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Human Nutrition is to prepare future dietitians and nutrition professionals to impact health through evidence-based practice.

Didactic Program in Dietetics

Nutrition and Health Promotion

Dietetic Internship

Master of Science in Human Nutrition

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Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) Mission Statement

The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics in the Department of Human Nutrition is to prepare our graduates as future dietitians and nutrition professionals for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the CDR credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. Graduates will embrace lifelong learning and service to the profession.

DPD Program Goals and Objectives

Program Goal 1: The BS/MS DPD program will prepare Human Nutrition students for supervised practice experiences to become entry level registered dietitian nutritionists by successfully completing the CDR credentialing exam.

Objectives:

• 80% of Juniors and Graduate Students entering the program will complete the program in 3 years.
• 80% of graduates will apply to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation.
• 70% of program graduates will be admitted to supervised practice programs within 12 months of graduation.
• 75% of the DI Directors responding to a program survey will rate WU DPD graduates a minimum of 3 on a 4-point scale where 1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good and 4 = excellent.

Program Goal 2:  The program will prepare competent, diverse, registered dietitian nutritionists who will meet the employment needs in the South/North Carolina area as well as the southeast region and the nation by completing a supervised practice and passing the CDR credentialing exam.

Objectives:

• 80% of the DPD graduates over a five-year period pass the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within one year following first attempt.
• 75% of employers of WU DPD graduates responding to surveys will rate graduates a minimum of 4 on a 5-point scale, where 1 = strongly disgree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, and 5 = strongly agree.
• 75% of WU DPD graduates on the DPD Graduate Survey questions 7 and 8 will rate themselves a minimum of a 4 on a 5-point scale, where 1 = strongly disgree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, and 5 = strongly agree.

Program Goal 3: Graduates of the DPD program will embrace lifelong learning and service to the profession.

Objectives:

• 70% of the DPD graduates participate in some type of lifelong learning activity and state on the 3-year post-graduate survey that they Agree or Strongly Agree that lifelong learning is an essential component of the dietetic profession.
•  25% of the DPD graduates state on the 3-year post-graduate survey that they are participating in service to the profession, such as serving on district/state/national committees, precepting students and interns, volunteering, and performing other forms of community service.

Program outcomes data are available upon request. Contact the Didactic Program in Dietetics Director, Dr. Wanda Koszewski.

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Nutrition & Health Promotion Mission Statement

The mission of the Winthrop University Department of Human Nutrition B.S. in Nutrition & Health Promotion option is to prepare students for careers in which they will guide people of all ages and backgrounds to implement behavior change to achieve and maintain optimal health.

Nutrition & Health Promotion Goals

Program Goal 1: Graduates will be prepared to promote and establish pathways for their communities to make healthy food and nutrition choices across the human lifespan.

Program  Goal 2: Graduates will have the knowledge and skills needed to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate strategies to improve health, focusing on food and nutrition advice and services.

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Dietetic Internship (DI) Mission Statement

To prepare competent dietitians for entry into the profession by providing combined academic and applied professional experiences which satisfy the requirements for eligibility to take the national Registration Examination for Dietitians administered through the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

DI Goals and Objectives

Program Goal 1: Program graduates will be prepared for entry-level practice positions in the field of nutrition and dietetics or related fields.

Objectives:

• At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of planned program length).
• Of graduates who seek employment, at least 80 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
• At least 90 percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
• 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%.
• Over a 5-year period, 80% of employers of program graduates responding to the Employer Survey will rate the overall job performance of alumni at or above a 3.0 overall on a scale of 1-5 (high = 5) 2 years post-graduation.

Program Goal 2: Program graduates will be prepared to provide leadership or service professionally and/or in the community within the field of nutrition and dietetics.

Objectives:

• At least 25% of program graduates who respond to the 2-year post-graduate survey will indicate that they are involved in service to the profession through activities such as precepting dietetic interns or DPD students, dietetics or nutrition related community service, or involvement in district/state/national nutrition related organizations.
• At least 25% of program graduates who respond to the 2-year post-graduate survey, will rate their overall professional leadership skills at or above a 3.0 on a scale of 1-5 (high=5).

Program Goal 3: Program graduates will apply critical thinking skills to appropriately analyze and disseminate scientific literature in the field of nutrition.

• At least 25% of program graduates who respond to the 2-year post graduate survey will rate their overall ability to apply critical thinking skills to appropriately analyze and disseminate scientific literature in the field of nutrition at or above a 3.0 on a scale of 1-5 (high = 5)

Program outcomes data are available upon request. Contact the Dietetic Internship Director, Ms. Stephanie Nielsen or the Graduate Director, Dr. Jessie Hoffman.

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Master of Science (MS) in Human Nutrition Mission Statement

The Master of Science in Human Nutrition at Winthrop University provides advanced, evidence-based instruction in the field of nutrition therapy and chronic disease prevention. The goal of the Master of Science in Human Nutrition at Winthrop University is to prepare graduate students to excel as nutrition professionals, meeting the changing needs of society and industry with a focus on nutrition therapy and chronic disease prevention.

MS in Human Nutrition Goals

Program Goal 1: Students will be able to develop evidence-based resources for communicating health and chronic disease prevention information to the public.

Program Goal 2: Students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in metabolism as it relates to chronic disease and nutrition.

Program Goal 3: Students will be able to provide individualized, evidence-based nutrition recommendations.

Program Goal 4: Students will be able to provide evidence-based population level nutrition recommendations.

Program Goal 5: Students will be able to develop evidence-based community programs.

Program Goal 6: Students will be able to communicate scientific literature appropriate for delivery to scientific and lay populations.

Program Goal 7: Students will be able to demonstrate competency in design, interpretation, and ethical conduct of research.

Program outcomes data are available upon request. Contact the Graduate Director, Dr. Jessie Hoffman.