MS/DI Mission Statement

The mission of Saint Elizabeth University’s Combined Master of Science in Nutrition with Dietetic Internship Program is to provide graduates with didactic and supervised practice experiences meeting the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) to prepare graduates for competent practice as Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.

Rooted in the University’s institutional mission, Saint Elizabeth University’s Combined Master of Science in Nutrition with Dietetic Internship extends the University’s long history of academic excellence and quality education with strong faculty guidance to support the professional development and commitment to service of each dietetic intern within their chosen concentration of Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice or Community and Public Health Nutrition.

Goals and Objectives

Goal One

Graduates will be prepared for competent entry-level positions in dietetics meeting the Core Competencies for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (CRDN) as established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) with an emphasis on acquisition of knowledge and practice skills specific to the Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice Concentration or Community and Public Health Nutrition Concentration.

Goal One Objectives:

• 95% percent of graduates who enter the program will successfully complete the program
• Program Completion (Required Element): At least 80% of interns complete program requirements within 12 months (150% of supervised practice length)
• Graduate Performance on Registration Exam (Required Element): 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%. (report is provided 2 times a year)
• Graduate Performance on Registration Exam (Required Element): At least 85% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
• Graduate Employment (Required Element): Of program graduates who seek employment, 80 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
• Employer Satisfaction (Required Element): 80% of employers of program graduates will indicate they feel interns were prepared for competent entry-level practice at a level of 3 or higher on a scale of 1-5 (5 highest) on a Targeted Employer Survey.

Goal Two

Graduates will develop skills and a commitment to service through the exposure to community rotations and professional development coursework.

Goal Two Objectives:

• Upon completion of the program, 90% of graduates will indicate that they have developed leadership and professional dietetic practice skills and a continued commitment to service (ex: intent to/or continued volunteering in community nutrition organizations, intent to/or continued participation in professional organizations, intent to/or continued precepting, or other related- please state) at a level of 3 or higher on a scale of 1-5 (5 highest).