Family And Consumer Sciences BS (Food Science And Nutrition)
Goal
Knowledge And Skills
To graduate students with the necessary foundation, knowledge, skills, and competencies outlined in the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) Commission for Accreditation of Dietetics Education (CADE) Handbook.
Objective
Demonstration Of Knowledge And Skills
Food Science and Nutrition students will demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to meet the standards of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, the accrediting arm of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association).
Indicator
Exit Survey - Knowledge And Skills
The Exit Survey for food science and nutrition majors includes multiple-choice and short-answer sections that test retention of course material; it is graded on a pass/fail basis. (Each program area has questions that are specific to that program content.) To develop this instrument, faculty in the content area reviewed course and program objectives and chose questions from exams that reflected important concepts that students should retain. The test is used repetitively and the scoring is consistent. For security reasons, the test portion (multiple-choice, short-answer questions) is not attached. However, this document is available in the chair's office.
Criterion
80% Of Students Pass Exit Survey - Knowledge And Skills
At least 80% of the students who complete the food science and nutrition program's Exit Survey will score a grade of Pass or High Pass on the content portion of the exam.
Finding
Exit Survey - Knowledge And Skills
During the 2013-2014 academic year, the faculty in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences decided that administration of the Exit Survey was no longer an effective means of program assessment. For students in many of the programs within the department, the Exit Survey was administered in conjunction with the final for the FACS 4369 Internship course, but students in the Food Science and Nutrition program do not take this course (their internship, if applicable, is at the graduate level). Students in general (not just Food Science and Nutrition majors) appear to believe that the results of this Exit Survey can be used against them in some way; therefore, enticing them to set aside the time to complete this Exit Survey (it is in an exam format) has been neither effective nor successful.
Action
Exit Survey - Knowledge And Skills
During the 2014-2015 academic year, Dr. Valencia Browning-Keen will work with Jeff Roberts to set up new assessment standards in keeping with the Response to the Site Visit Team document (the Site Visit occurred December 2-4, 2012). This response was submitted in March of 2013. Because the Food Science and Nutrition program is an accredited program, this approach is considered by all stakeholders to be considerably more appropriate as compared with administration of an end-of-program content assessment (the Exit Survey).
Goal
Becoming Registered Dietitians
To graduate students who will successfully complete dietetic internship programs and pass the national credentialing exam with the goal of becoming Registered Dietitians.
Objective
Demonstrating Knowledge And Skills Required Of Registered Dietitians
Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level dietitians.
Indicator
Registration Examination In Dietetics
The information concerning passage of the credentialing exam can be verified by an annual report sent to program directors by American Council on Education of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the accrediting arm of the AND (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly the American Dietetic Association).
Criterion
Registration Examination In Dietetics
At least 80% of students will receive a passing score on the Registration Examination for Dietetics.
Finding
Registration Examination In Dietetics
Although the number of students who applied to Dietetic Internship programs for the group who would normally take the exam during 2013-2014 was small (successful program completion is required in order to take the Registration Examination in Dietetics), all of those who applied (3 students) were accepted. Of those who were accepted, one transferred programs (meaning a slow-down in the time frame for completion and eligibility to sit for the exam) and two others who successfully completed the program did indeed pass the exam on the first attempt. Therefore, of those who were eligible, 100% of students received a passing score and are now Registered Dietitians. Therefore this criterion was met.
Action
Becoming Registered Dietitians
More and more, the demand for Registered Dietitians outpaces the number of students who are eligible to sit for the Registration Examination in Dieteitcs. Students can be encouraged to apply for Dietetic Internship Programs, but not all of the ones who are eligible do so. Life happens. Student plan marriages, move to different parts of the country, receive other gainful employment, etc. Many do stay in touch and some come back after being out a couple of years and ask for help in applying for dietetic internship programs. The current plan of action includes Dr. Browning-Keen partnering with Allied Medical Health on an CHAAMP grant ($150,000) that is designed to mentor Hispanic and African-American undergraduate students through the undergraduate program in Food Science and Nutrition so that they are eligible to apply for Dietetic Internship programs, successful completion of which is required in order to sit for the Registration Examination in Dietetics. We are excited about what this grant can mean to this undergraduate program.
Goal
Dietetic Internship Programs
To guide and direct well-qualified students toward admission into a dietetic internship program.
Objective
Increase Percentage Of Didactic Program In Dietetics (DPD) Graduates Admitted To Dietetic Internship (DI) Programs
Well-qualified students will be recruited to enter a dietetic internship program.
KPI
Graduates Admitted To Dietetic Internship Programs
The program will increase the percentage of students graduating from the Food Science and Nutrition Program and applying to a Dietetic Internship Program who are successfully admitted. Over a two-year period, 30% of students who graduate from the Food Science and Nutrition Program will apply for, and be admitted to, a dietetic internship program.
Result
Graduates Admitted To The Dietetic Internship Program
We do not have the numbers for this result. We do know that it is not at the 30% level, although the ones who applied to dietetic internship programs were, with maybe one exception, admitted. Therefore, this criterion was not met. Some of this was due to a larger than normal class with some who actually left the program several years ago without completing the degree returning to finally graduate. Of course we encourage students to do this (return to schoool or transfer the credit in to graduate), but it does negatively impact the percentage since Dr. Browning-Keen does not have the opportunity to work with them long-distance and some have attained other types of positions and no longer have the desire to become Registered Dietitians -- at this point, they are just wanting to complete the degree.
Action
Graduates Admitted To Dietetic Internship Programs
With the implementation of the CHAAMP grant (cited in Action above), there will be more support for shepherding students, especially Hispanic and African-American students, through the application process. We are excited about the possibilities that will be open to these students as a result of this successful grant application.