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Messiah University
Messiah University

Mission, goals, and objectives

Mission

To prepare students to become entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists who serve and lead with excellence as they provide nutrition care grounded in current scientific evidence.

Goal 1: Graduates will succeed as registered dietetic nutritionists in entry-level jobs in disciplines related to nutrition and dietetics.

Objectives
(Data for each objective will be assessed annually as a three-year rolling average)

  • Objective 1.1:
    • a: At least 80% of students beginning the Messiah University MSDI 1- year track will complete program requirements within 18 months (150% of program length).
    • b: At least 80% of students beginning the Messiah University MSDI 2-year track will complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of program length).
  • Objective 1.2: Of graduates who seek employment, at least 85% are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
  • Objective 1.3:  At least 90% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
  • Objective 1.4: 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%.
  • Objective 1.5: At least 80% of program graduates will report that their overall preparation was “good” or “excellent”.*
  • Objective 1.6: The employers of at least 80% of Messiah University MSDI graduates will report that the graduate’s overall preparation was “good” or “excellent”.*

Goal 2: Graduates will be servant leaders and lifelong learners.

Objectives
(Data for each objective will be assessed annually as a three-year rolling average)

  • Objective 2.1: By the end of the program, at least 90% of students will be able to describe two ways nutrition and dietetics practitioners can incorporate servant leader principles into their practice.
  • Objective 2.2: At least 80% of program graduates will rate the degree to which they were prepared to be servant leaders (leaders who make a priority of understanding and meeting the needs of those they are leading) as “good” or “excellent”.*
  • Objective 2.3: The employers of at least 80% of program graduates will rate the degree to which the graduate is “a leader who makes a priority of understanding and meeting the needs of the people he or she is leading” as “good” or “excellent”.*
  • Objective 2.4: By the end of the program, at least 90% of students will be able to assess their learning needs and identify resources for continuing professional development.
  • Objective 2.5: At least 80% of program graduates will rate the degree to which the program prepared them to assess their learning needs and identify resources for continuing professional development as “good” or “excellent”.*
  • Objective 2.6: The employers of at least 80% of program graduates will rate the degree to which the graduate is able to assess their learning needs and identify resources for continuing professional development.as “good” or “excellent”.*

* Graduates and their employers will be surveyed 12 months after graduates have completed the program.

Program outcomes data is available on request.