BU MS+DI Mission Statements, Goals & Outcomes

The graduate nutrition programs at Boston University Sargent College are built upon a solid foundation of leadership and innovation in graduate education. Our programs are designed to prepare our students for leadership roles in the field and to promote excellence, growth, innovation, and creativity in all areas of dietetics and nutrition practice. The Didactic Program in Dietetics/Master of Science + Dietetic Internship and the Master of Science + Dietetic Internship programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL, 60606-6995, 312-899-0400 and guided by the Mission Statement, Goals, and Measurable Objectives stated below.

Mission Statement

The BU MS+DI mission is to establish an environment that promotes the acquisition of knowledge, critical thinking, and effective communication to prepare students to become entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs).

The DI program’s mission statement is compatible with the mission statement of both Sargent College and Boston University, which are both committed to educating students to be reflective, resourceful individuals who critically think and are ready to adapt, lead, and generate new knowledge to benefit society.

Measurable Goals and Objectives

The BU DI program has measurable goals and objectives that reflect the mission statement and the environment in which the program exists.

Program Goal #1: To prepare graduates to be competent entry-level RDNs.

The following objectives were selected to ensure that the program is producing competent entry-level RDNs that become credentialed in a timely manner and become successfully employed as nutrition professionals that serve the public and benefit society.

Program Objectives:

  1. Program Completion:
    • At least 80% of interns in the MS+DI program complete the program requirements within 24.5 months (150% of planned program length).
    • At least 80% of interns in the DPD/MS+DI program complete program requirements within or 54 months (150% of the planned DPD/MS+DI program length).
  2. Graduate Employment:
    • Of graduates who seek employment, at least 80% are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
  3. Graduate Performance on Registration Exam:
    • At least 80% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
    • 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%.
  4. Employer Satisfaction:
    • Each year, at least 10% of those employers who hire our graduates will be surveyed. Of those surveyed, at least 80% of graduates will be found to possess satisfactory entry level skills.

Program Goal #2: The BU DI program will encourage post-graduate professional development for their students.

The following objectives were selected to ensure that the program produces RDNs who are committed to lifelong learning and the advancement of the profession for the good of society.

Program Objectives

  1. At least 80% of the graduates of the program who return surveys will maintain their RDN status five years after graduation.

  2. Five years after completion of the program, at least 50% of the graduates who returned surveys will demonstrate involvement in professional activities.

Other program outcome data available on request.