Exercise & Nutrition Sciences Department

Food & Nutrition

• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• US Food and Drug Administration
• The International Food Information Council
• Mayo Clinic Nutrition Center
• New government nutrition guidelines — My Plate
• Food related website — www.epicurious.com
• United States Department of Agriculture
• USDA National Agricultural Library, Food and Nutrition Information Center
• Food Facts and Food Composition Resources
• US Dietary Guidelines
• Dietary Supplements Fact Sheets

Health

• The American Diabetes Association
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• National Institute of Health
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• National Heart Association
• National Eating Disorders Association
• American Cancer Society
• American College of Sports Medicine
• World Health Organization

Fitness

• American College of Sports Medicine — ACSM
• National Strength and Conditioning Association — NSCA
• National Academy of Sports Medicine — NASM
• American Council on Exercise — ACE
• Athletics and Fitness Association of America — AFAA

The Handbook for Nutrition Students is designed to help students in the nutrition program at SUNY Plattsburgh find answers to the most commonly asked questions about the program such as:

1. What do dietitians actually do?
2. What is a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD Program)?
3. What is the SUNY Plattsburgh nutrition program’s curriculum and requirements?
4. How do I become a registered dietitian?
5. How do I become a registered dietetic technician?
6. What is a dietetic internship; what do I need to do to get into a dietetic internship?
7. What are other options after graduating with a nutrition degree?

Opportunities include:

• Work-study positions as building supervisors, equipment room assistants, office workers
• Supervisors, aerobic and group exercise instructors, personal trainers in the Fitness Center
• Intramural officials
• CPR/first aid instructors
• Recreational sports staff
• Intramural coordinator
• Sports information
• Sports equipment
• Special events ticket takers/security

Please visit Rec Sports for job descriptions and application forms.

The nutrition program’s mission is to prepare skilled and competent students for supervised practice leading to eligibility for the Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist, graduate studies, or employment in the field of food and nutrition.

• Program Goal 1 — Upon completing the DPD Nutrition Program, graduates will have the requisite knowledge, skills and experience to successfully obtain and complete an accredited supervised practice program (dietetic internship or individualized supervised practice pathway) and pass the national examination to become registered dietitians.
• Program Goal 2 — The DPD Nutrition Program will provide all students who do not pursue a dietetic internship or individualized supervised practice pathway, with the necessary knowledge, skills and career information to obtain a nutrition-related job, advanced training or a graduate degree program.

The nutrition program is committed to quality assurance and tracks several outcome measures, including dietetic internship acceptance rates, employment, and student satisfaction surveys and competencies, which are available upon request from the program director. The Nutrition Handbook is another resource for program policies, procedures, goals and outcome measure.

Objectives/Target Outcome Measures for Goal # 1

1. Graduate performance of RD exam: 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%. (ACEND requires minimum 80%)
2. Program completion: At least 90% of program students (enrolled at junior level as defined by sample DPD Course Plan) complete program/degree requirements within three years (150% of program length) (ACEND Required).
3. Graduate application and acceptance into supervised practice: At least 50% of program graduates apply for admission to a supervised practice program prior to or within 12 months of graduation. (ACEND Required)
4. Over a three year period, at least 75% of those applying for a dietetic internship or supervised-practice will be accepted within 1 year of graduation.
5. Over a three year period, at least 90% of graduates completing the DPD Nutrition Program will rate themselves as “adequately” or “more than adequately” prepared in dietetic related education.
6. Over a three year period, at least 90% of graduates completing a dietetic internship will rate themselves as “adequately” prepared for a dietetic internship.
7. At least 40% of program graduates are admitted to a supervised practice program within 12 months of graduation. (ACEND Required as of 2018)
8. Supervised practice program director satisfaction: Over a three year period, at least 90% of Internship Directors will rate graduates’ preparation for supervised practice as satisfactory or well prepared for their internship programs. (ACEND Required)

Objectives/Target Outcome Measures for Goal # 2

1. Within one year of graduation, at least 60% of program graduates not pursuing a dietetic internship will be employed in a food and nutrition related field.
2. At least 90% of program graduates who apply to graduate school will be accepted within one year of graduation.
3. At least 90% of graduates not pursuing a dietetic internship will rate themselves as at least “adequately” prepared for graduate school or employment.

Available upon request from the DPD Nutrition Program Director.