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Program Overview

Registered dietitians are considered food and nutrition experts. They work in a wide variety of employment settings, including hospitals and health care facilities, food & nutrition-related business and industry, community & public health, education, research, government agencies and private practice.

This handbook provides you with pertinent information about the dietetics program. The current procedures are consistent with institutional practices and are intended to supplement the information found in the university student handbook.

Contact Information: Dr. Tiffany Sterling, EdD, RD, LD, FAND, Director, Coordinated Program in Dietetics, PO Box 910, State University, AR 72467; dietetics@astate.edu

Our University: Arkansas State University enjoys a reputation as an excellent institution of higher education serving citizens throughout Arkansas and surrounding states. It is the only comprehensive public university located in this region. Dedicated to teaching, research and service, the university provides students with the broad educational foundations that help develop critical thinking and analytical skills, decision-making capabilities, and communication skills. Dr. Todd Shields became Chancellor of the A-State-Jonesboro campus on August 15, 2022.

This institution was founded in Jonesboro in 1909 by the Arkansas General Assembly as a regional agricultural training school. It began offering a two-year college program in 1918, then became "First District Agricultural and Mechanical College" in 1925. A four-year degree program was begun in 1930; then A & M College became "Arkansas State College" in 1933. The Arkansas Legislature elevated the college to university status and changed the name to Arkansas State University in 1967. Today, the institution has more than 70,000 alumni. A-State has been powering the minds of its students for 100 years; the university observed its Centennial in 2009-10.

Vision: Arkansas State University aspires to be an academic leader recognized for innovation and quality in teaching and learning, international standing in strategic research areas, and commitment to outreach and service to the Delta and beyond.

Location: The university is located about halfway between the Mississippi River Valley, one of the most fertile areas in the world, and the Ozark Mountains, rich in American folklore and tradition.  The university campus occupies an area of 1,376 acres on the gently rolling slopes of Crowley’s Ridge, in the City of Jonesboro.  

University Mission: "Arkansas State University educates leaders, enhances intellectual growth and enriches lives.” 

Our College: The College of Nursing and Health Professions, formed in 1982, includes the School of Nursing and nine other departments/programs, all of which are accredited by discipline-specific agencies. The Coordinated Program in Dietetics, a recent addition to the college, is located in Eugene W. Smith Hall. Nearby, the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences is a 50,650-square-foot structure that includes the Speech and Hearing Center, the Department of Communication Disorders, and a nurse anesthesia lab. The center also houses interdisciplinary labs, a community education center, research labs, classrooms, an auditorium, a computer lab, a student lounge, a conference room, group study rooms, a nursing clinical learning lab, health assessment labs, and special project rooms.                      

College Mission: The mission of the College of Nursing and Health Professions is to prepare leaders to meet the current and future global healthcare demands and positively impact health and wellness in the Mississippi Delta region and beyond through innovative scholarship and outreach.

Our Program : The Coordinated Program (CP) in Dietetics at Arkansas State University is administered by the Health Sciences & Risk Management department in the College of Nursing & Health Professions. The program provides for the achievement of knowledge and performance requirements for entry-level dietitians through integration of didactic instruction with a minimum of 1,080 hours of supervised practice. The supervised practice experiences occur in foodservice, community and clinical settings, with half of the hours occurring in the clinical setting. These experiences allow students to build upon foundation knowledge and competencies for future proficiency in the clinical area of dietetics.

Students earn a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics (MSND) upon completion of the required 53 hours. The master’s program is delivered 100% online. Upon successful completion of the MSND, students are eligible to take the national credentialing examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). After passing the examination, they become registered dietitians.

In addition to registered dietitian credentialing, many states have regulatory laws for dietitians and nutrition practitioners. Frequently, these state requirements are met through the same education and training required to become and maintain status as a registered dietitian. For more information on registration and state licensure, visit the CDR website.

Mission: The Dietetics Program at Arkansas State University seeks to meet the need for registered dietitians in the delta region and beyond by providing quality, equitable, and inclusive education and experiences for all students.

Goals and Objectives - The successful graduate will:

  1. Perform as a knowledgeable, competent entry-level dietitian.
    1. *At least 80% of program students complete program/degree requirements within 3 years (150% of the program length).
    2. *Of graduates who seek employment, 80 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
    3. *Eighty percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
    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%.
    5. *Eighty percent of graduates working in dietetics will receive a score of “average or higher” for professional conduct when rated by employers on satisfaction surveys.
  2. Pursue service to the profession of nutrition and dietetics.
    1. At least 70% of program graduates will pursue service to the profession of dietetics as a preceptor, leader, through civic engagement, or through active participation in professional organizations within 3 years post-graduation.

Outcomes data are available upon request.

*Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) required objectives.

 

Accreditation Status (ACEND): The Coordinated Program in Dietetics at Arkansas State University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190

Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 800-877-1600 X 5400

http://www.eatrightpro.org/ACEND

 

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