The program will maintain full accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association(ADA).
Objective
Accreditation Outcome 1
Students are admitted to the Sam Houston Combined Master's and Dietetic Internship Program as a cohort and are expected to progress through the program as part of that particular cohort. The program is designed to be 16 months in length, beginning with the fall semester, progressing through spring, summer, and a second fall semester with a December graduation as the expectation. The Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE), the accrediting body of the American Dietetics Association (ADA) allows for some leeway in this schedule, and sometimes there are exceptions due to personal situations or the desire to complete a thesis as part of the program. However, the expectation is that students should finish either on time (in 16 months) or within a semester or two of that time if there are extenuating circumstances.
Indicator
Accreditation Indicators
Embedded assessments are found in courses such as FCS 579, 530, 583, 575, and SOC 543. For example, as each student completes a semester of FCS 579, the supervised practice portion of the program, the Registered Dietitian supervising that student completes a check sheet indicating which of the skills of the entry-level dietitian have been met with that semester's work. A portfolio of activities, and comprehensive exams in the courses FCS 583 and 575 and SOC 543 will be used to measure student learning as they progress through the Combined Master's and Dietetic Internship Program. An example of a portfolio is available in the Dietetic Internship Director's office but portfolios for this program generally are much too large to attach to this document.
Criterion
Accreditation Criterion 1
90% of students' portfolio evaluation (the evaluations of the Registered Dietitians with whom the students were working is part of this) will show successful completion of 80% or more of the competencies for an entry-level dietitian. 90% of students will make a grade of at least B in each of their FCS 583, FCS 575 and SOC 543 courses, indicating that student learning is satisfactory as they progress through the program.
Finding
Accreditation Outcome 1
Seven out of eight students (87.5%) enrolled in the program successfully completed 80% or more of the competencies for an entry-level dietitian. The same percentage of students made a grade of at least B in each of their FCS 583, FCS 575 and SOC 543 courses, indicating that student learning was satisfactory as they progressed through the program.
Action
Accreditation Outcome 1
The program fell just short of its goal in this measure, although this does not place the program in jeopardy as far as accreditation is concerned because that determination is made over a five-year period, not to be determined by results of a single year. The finding more accurately reflects that one of the students chose not to complete the program for personal reasons. The student was given as much support as was possible, but some degree of attrition is expected in such a rigorous program. For the cohort entering the program in the Fall of 2009, the plan is for the students to submit their portfolios in digital format.
Objective
Accreditation Outcome 2
In order to assure that students have achieved a satisfactory level of knowledge and skill to successfully pass the Registration Examination for Dietetics, a Mock RD Exam has been constructed by the Director of the Dietetic Internship Program. The Mock RD Exam is based on the same knowledge and skills as the National Exam and was written in the same format used by the National Exam. (In fact, the department as a whole has gone to this format for exams because both the National RD Exam and the certification exam in FCS use this same format.) Students must obtain a grade of 80% or higher on the final Mock RD exam before exiting the program and being issued a Letter of Verification. The Letter of Verification is required in order to sit for the National Registration Examination for Dietetics (RD Exam).
Indicator
Accreditation Outcome 2
Students who are preparing to exit the program will score 80% (a minimum of 100 points out of 125) or higher on the Mock RD Exam. This is a cumulative assessment of skills and knowledge covering 7 entry-level learning modules that has been set by CADE and meets accreditation standards for supervised practice (no Letter of Vertification will be issued to a student who does not score a 80% on the Mock RD Exam). A standard grading rubric is used. This exam has proven, over the past three years it has been used, to be an excellent diagnostic tool as well as a predictor of whether or not the student will pass the National Registration Examination for Dietetics (RD Exam) on the first attempt.
Criterion
Accreditation Outcome 2
90% of students who exit the program will score 80% or higher on the Mock RD Exam (a score of 80% on the Mock RD Exam is required before a Letter of Verification will be issued; the Letter of Verification must be issued before a student can sit for the National Registration Examination for Dietetics).
Finding
Accreditation Outcome 2
Seven out of eight (87.5%) of students who exited the program obtained a score of 80% or higher on the Mock RD Exam.
Action
Accreditation Outcome 2
Again, the program fell just short of the goal of 90%, due specifically to the fact that one of the interns did not take the Mock RD Exam (the one who did not complete the program for personal reasons). This does not, however, jeopardize the program's accreditation. A slightly higher students population in the program probably would improve this figure (at least 10 students) by adjusting the data so that if just one person did not pass or complete the Mock RD Exam, it still would be possible to achieve a 90% pass rate.
Objective
Accreditation Outcome 3
80% of students completing the program each year will pass the National Registration Exam for Dietetics (RD Exam) on the first attempt for the ADA's reporting period. The exam measures the knowledge and skills required for entry-level dietitians. Although this reporting period for the ADA is a five-year reporting period, it is the goal of the program to maintain this yearly pass rate so that it will meet the accreditation standard for the five-year period.
Indicator
Accreditation Outcome 3
At least 80% of program graduates who take the National Registration Examamination for Dietetics (RD Exam) will pass it on the first time it is attempted. This indicator is consistent with the requirements of CADE, the accrediting body for the American Dietetics Association.
Criterion
Accreditation Outcome 3
The report from the American Dietetic Association will indicate that 80% of first-time test takers on the National Registration Examination for Dietetics (RD Exam) who have graduated from the Combined Master's and Dietetic Internship Program pass the exam.
Finding
Accreditation Outcome 3
As of September 30, 2009, five of the interns who graduated from the Combined Master's and Dietetic Internship in December of 2008 have taken the National Registration Examination for Dietetics (RD Exam) and four of them (80%) passed it as first-time takers.
Action
Accreditation Outcome 3
This finding is incomplete (it will be complete when the others who graduated have taken the exam at least once), but it is as complete as it can be for this assessment cycle, so it is difficult to determine an action except to continue to encourage students to take the RD Exam in a timely manner. However, at this time this goal is met at 80%, the percentage set by the ADA for the program to continue to be in good standing regarding accreditation.
Goal
Progression/Successful Completion
Students in the Combined MS and Dietetic Internship Program will progress through supervised practice in clinical, community and foodservice rotations and a curriculum that will augment knowledge and increase skills to promote excellence in research and dietetic practice.
Objective
Progression/Successful Completion 1
Students will acquire practical and critical thinking skills from each scheduled rotation and research activity. Rotations are in various clinical, community, food service, and research settings and total 1,200 hours over three long semesters. Content and activities in the rotations are designed to meet the requirements of the accrediting body, the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE), where a student begins the process as a novice and through supervised practice and exposure to a variety of clinical, community, and food service management experiences, will progress to a level of proficiency as appropriate for entry-level dietitians.
Indicator
Progression/Successful Completion Indicator 1
End of rotation exams, student surveys, and portfolios that document student activities completed during the rotations will be used to measure students' progress toward successful completion of the program.
Criterion
Progression/Successful Completion Criterion 1
Over 90% of the students will indicate on semesterly surveys that through program activities and supervised practice they had acquired practical and critical thinking skills that show progression. This will be extrapolated from a rating of "satisfactory" or higher on the surveys. In addition, the supervisors at the practice sites will rate them as "satisfactory" or higher, and their portfolios documenting activities completed will achieve a grade of B or higher.
Finding
Progression/Successful Completion 1
100% of students enrolled in the program who exited the program in December indicated through the semesterly surveys that they had acquired skills for critical thinking, their supervisors at the practice sites indicated that they had acquired skills suitable for entry-level dietitians, and their portfolio grades were B or higher.
Action
Progression/Successful Completion 1
The findings indicate that students are successfully progressing toward program completion with substantial checks (student surveys, supervisor evaluations, and portfolio assessments) at the end of each semester-long rotation at the supervised practice sites. The program is dedicated to continuing these various checks as students advance toward program completion. As stated above, students who begin the program in the Fall of 2009 will be submitting their portfolios in digital format.
Objective
Progression/Successful Completion 2
Students will acquire lifelong continuing education skills for practice in the dietetics profession. This objective is consistent with the requirements of the accrediting body. Alumni will participate in continuing education activities at the local, state, and/or national levels so as to obtain continuing education (CEU for Continuing Education Unit) credit.
Indicator
Progression/Successful Completion Indicator 2
Students will indicate through an end-of-program, post-graduation survey that they are planning to acquire lifelong skills for practice in the dietetics profession.
Criterion
Progression/Successful Completion Criterion 2
At least 90% of the graduating students will indicate by survey that they are participating/plan to participate in lifelong learning through membership in the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and submission of continuing education credits to the Commission for Dietetics Registration (CDR) required to maintain credentialing.
Finding
Progression/Successful Completion 2
100% (seven out of seven) students who completed the end-of-program, post-graduation survey indicated that they are planning to participate in lifelong learning at the local, state and national levels to maintain RD credentialing.
Action
Progression/Successful Completion 2
The findings indicate that the importance of lifelong learning is clearly understood by the students graduating from the program, and this expectation of the American Dietetic Association will continue to be emphasized by the program.
Objective
Progression/Successful Completion Six Months Post Graduation
Students will complete the program, successfully complete the National Registration Examination for Dietetics (RD Exam), and gain suitable employment within 6 months of graduating from the program. This an objective that also is tied to accreditation for the program.
Indicator
Progression/Successful Completion Six Months Post Graduation
Students will be surveyed post-graduation to verify employment status. Reports from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), sent every six months, will show attempts/rates of completion of the National Registration Examination for Dietetics (RD Exam).
Criterion
Progression/Successful Completion Six Months Post Graduation
80% of students who completed the program will have passed the National RD Exam and 90% will be employed as dietetics professionals.
Finding
Progression/Successful Completion Six Months Post Graduation
For the students who graduated in December of 2008, 80% of those who have taken the RD Exam (4 out of 5) have passed the exam on the first attempt, and 100% of those who graduated (7 out of 7) are employed as dietetics professionals.
Action
Progression/Successful Completion Six Months Post Graduation
Employment as dietetics professionals is going very well, but the program needs to encourage students to take the exam within six months post-graduation; this time period is emphasized in the RD review program that is partially paid for by the program and which students complete by July of their graduating year.
Goal
Program Development And Management
To continue program improvement through diversity and quality of students enrolled in the program and to add one new full-time faculty person who can also serve as a coordinator for the supervised practice for both this program and the undergraduate DPD program.
Objective
Program Development
The program will recruit high quality undergraduate students for the combined MS and DI program.
Indicator
Program Development
Program director will target undergraduate programs for students with higher class standings (higher GPA and GRE scores); incentives such as scholarships, assistantships will be used to promote recruitment.
Criterion
Program Development
90% of incoming graduate students will meet the rubric for regular admission as set up by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. One part of the formula is GRE score plus (300 x GPA) = or > 2000.
Finding
Program Development
90% of incoming students met the rubric for regular admission as set up by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Action
Program Development
We believe this requirement is very stringent; therefore, we are very pleased that this criterion was met. We will continue to select applicants with GPA's and GRE scores that meet this criterion. By keeping these standards high, the pass rate on which the status of the program is based will also remain high.