The Andrews University Nutrition Science & Dietetics program, as well as the Dietetic Internship program, have been accredited through 2030 by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Andrews first received accreditation for its nutrition program in 1974. At the time, the school offered a combined program of both didactic and internship learning. In 1990, these programs split into the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and the Dietetic Internship Program (DI), as they are today. There are currently around 25 students in the DPD and DI programs. Accreditation from the ACEND has been upheld for both programs for the past 33 years.

ACEND outlines several standards that nutrition and dietetics programs are required to meet in order to maintain accreditation. These standards include “program characteristics and resources, program mission, goals, objectives and program evaluation and improvement, curriculum and learning activities, student learning assessment and curriculum improvement, faculty and preceptors, supervised practice sites, information to prospective students and the public, and policies and procedures for enrolled students,” describes Gretchen Krivak, director of the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics.

To ensure that accreditation standards are met each year, program directors are required to submit annual reports that include data on graduating students, enrollment numbers, and performance on the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist exam. “Data collection occurs continuously to ensure that the curriculum is adequate for student learning and changes can be made when needed. The program directors also closely monitor the RDN pass rates and reach out to students who may need additional resources to prepare for the exam,” shares Krivak. The School of Population Health, Nutrition & Wellness also holds a faculty assessment retreat to maintain data collection standards and provide regular reports for the faculty to discuss.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a projected job growth of 7 percent in the next ten years in the field of nutrition and dietetics. “Our data that we collect concludes that students are easily finding jobs in the field right after completion of their credentials,” says Krivak. With a yearly average of over 5,600 job openings, graduating students can obtain jobs as nutritionists and dietitians and go on to work in specialized fields such as sports nutrition, diabetes, and oncology. Accreditation in the Nutrition Science & Dietetics program and the Dietetic Internship program provides opportunities for Andrews University graduates to continue to serve this field.

To learn more about Nutrition & Dietetics at Andrews University, please visit the program website.

The original version of this story was posted on the Andrews University website.