DPD Mission, Goals, and Objectives

SDSU Didactic Program in Dietetics Mission

The mission of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) of San Diego State University is to prepare graduates to go into supervised practice in order to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). The DPD promotes the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences’ (ENS) philosophy and emphasis on training students for careers in fields related to improvement, maintenance or rehabilitation of physical health through sound exercise and/or nutritional practices.

SDSU Didactic Program in Dietetic Program Goals

Program Goal 1:

The program will prepare graduates with a strong educational foundation in nutrition/dietetics to perform proficiently in a dietetic supervised practice program in preparation to be a competent entry-level dietitian nutritionist.

Outcome measures

1. Eighty percent (80%) of the graduates will receive a satisfactory rating (an 80% or better) for all the KRDN within the DPD curriculum.
2. SDSU graduates who enter supervised practice programs will earn a rating of their knowledge and skills of at least a 3 (Satisfactory) or higher on a 5-point scale by supervised practice program directors who respond to a survey. (Supervised Practice Program Director Satisfaction Std 3 RE 3.3)
3. Over a three-year period,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%. (Graduate Performance on Registration Exam Std 3 RE 3.3)
4. At least eighty percent (80%) of the students who enter the DPD their junior year will complete the program within 3 years (150% of the time planned for completion). (Program completion rate Std 3 RE 3.3).
5. Over a three-year period, at least 70% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation. (Graduate Application Std 3 RE 3.3)
6. Over a three-year period, at least seventy percent (60%) of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation. (Graduate Acceptance into supervised Practice Std 3 RD 3.3).

Program Goal 2:

Support School of Exercise and Nutritional Science’s philosophy related to improvement, maintenance or rehabilitation of physical health through exercise and/or nutritional practices.

Outcome Measures

1. Within four months of graduation, eighty percent (80%) of graduates who respond to the exit survey are working in fields related to nutrition and fitness or are in a supervised practice program or have applied to or are in graduate school. (Postgraduate performance for students not accepted to supervised practice programs).
2. Over a three-year period, eighty percent (80%) of alumni who respond to the alumni survey indicate a score of 3 (Prepared) or higher on a 5-point scale about their perception of preparation for professional work in the fields related to nutrition and fitness.