Objectives and Goals of the Nutrition Coordinated Program

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MISSION: The mission of the UIC Coordinated Program is to prepare graduates for entry-level positions as dietitians in a variety of settings. They will be trained to be communicators and collaborators to advance health equity across diverse communities.

Program Goal 1: The UIC Coordinated Program will produce adept entry-level practitioners who successfully pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians and subsequently obtain employment in dietetics-related positions.

Program Objectives for Goal 1:

At least 90 percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
At least 80% of students complete program requirements within 3.75 years (150% of planned program length)
Of graduates who seek employment, at least 85 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
Of the graduates who respond to our survey, 90% of graduates will respond that the coordinated program adequately prepared them for professional practice
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%
Of the employers who respond to our survey, 90% will rank the job performance of graduates from the coordinated program as satisfactory or higher

Program Goal 2: The UIC Coordinated Program will prepare graduates with the communication and collaboration skills to advance health equity and serve the nutritional needs of diverse and underserved communities.

Program Objectives for Goal 2:

Of the graduates who respond to our survey, 30% of alumni participate or work in community nutrition settings in a diverse and underserved area within one year of graduation
Of the graduates who respond to our survey, 50% of graduates will report participation in food or nutrition related community engagement activities in a diverse and underserved area during their time as a student at UIC.
Of the graduates who respond to our survey, 70% indicate that they have the communication and collaboration skills to address social determinants of health to advance health equity in their work with diverse communities.

Program Goal 3: The UIC Coordinated Program will integrate research into the curriculum for the advancement and dissemination of knowledge related to nutrition as an applied science.

Program Objective for Goal 3:

90% of students will respond that they feel prepared with a strong scientific foundation in the field of nutrition/dietetics in their program exit survey.
All of our clinical and assessment nutrition courses (HN 302, HN 311, HN 320, and HN 420) will include at least two assignments that utilize the Evidence Analysis Library, Nutrition Care Manual, and/or the eNCPT.

Program Goal 4: The UIC Coordinated Program will prepare graduates with a strong base in clinical nutrition therapy.

Program Objectives for Goal 4:

Of the graduates who respond to our survey, 80% will respond that they felt well prepared for a job in clinical nutrition
Annual clinical nutrition domain-specific scores on the registration exam will exceed the national average

Accreditation

The UIC coordinated program and the nutrition science program are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
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