If you have a desire to promote optimal wellness and quality of life for people of all ages, and if you have an interest in and capacity for science, consider a bachelor of science degree in nutrition from Cedar Crest College. A degree in nutrition opens the door to numerous challenging and exciting career opportunities and is the first step to becoming a Registered Dietitian.

The Cedar Crest Edge: Curriculum

The Nutrition Program at Cedar Crest is dedicated to providing a broad nutrition background as well as training students to excel in medical nutrition therapy, nutrition counseling, and community nutrition education. It is designed to prepare students for application to an accredited internship, graduate school or the job market.

The Nutrition Program at Cedar Crest is accredited through the American Dietetic Association.

Mission and Goals

       Cedar Crest College Didactic Program in Dietetic Mission Statement:
The Nutrition program is committed to developing competent dietetic professionals who serve the public through promotion of optimal nutrition and act with integrity and respect for differences.

Program Goals
I. The program will prepare graduates to be competent entry-level dietitians.

Outcome Measures
1. Over a 5-year period graduates who have taken the RD exam achieve a pass rate of at least 80%.

2. On average 50 percent or more of graduates will apply to an accredited internship program.

3.  On average 80% of the students that apply to an accredited internship program will be accepted.

4. When surveyed, internship directors rate CCC student preparation with an  overall knowledge/ability of 80% CADE Knowledge and Skills for Didactic Programs as competent or higher.

5. When surveyed, employers rate the preparation CCC students who have completed an internship and passed the RD exam with an overall knowledge/ability of 80% CADE Knowledge and Skills for Didactic Programs as competent or higher.

6. When surveyed upon graduation, students rate their overall knowledge/ability of 80% CADE Knowledge and Skills for Didactic Programs as competent or higher.

7. At least 80% of the students enrolled in the didactic program in their junior year will complete the program.

II. The program will demonstrate a commitment to community service.

Outcome Measures

1. Students will complete at least two courses that include a community service component or show documentation of comparable community service hours.

2. Upon Graduation, 80% of nutrition students will participate in at least three Nutrition Outreach activities through the Allen Center for Nutrition or other outreach activities, including the Health and Wellness Program and the Student Dietetic Association

3. At least 80% of Graduates will indicate on the graduate survey that they participate in one or more community activities. 

III. The program will instill the value of lifelong learning and provide a variety of experiential learning opportunities.

Outcome Measures

1.  Graduates who are RD’s will indicate on the graduate survey that they have completed a minimum hours of continuing education as required by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

2. Students will complete a minimum of 56 experiential hours in the combined areas of clinical, community, counseling and food service.

3. At least 80% of Graduates will indicate that the experiential learning was a valuable component of their learning experience and rate it as satisfactory.

The Cedar Crest College Didactic Program in Dietetics(DPD) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312-899-0040 ext:5400, http://www.eatright.org. Plus Cedar Crest is home to the Allen Center for Nutrition, which combines the nutrition degree program and outreach efforts to promote healthy lifestyles to all age groups.

For this program forty-five credits in nutrition are required. Specific science and math courses are necessary to meet accreditation status by CADE.

Program Prerequisites

A departmental visit and interview with the program director are recommended for anyone interested in coursework in nutrition. Once in the program, nutrition students must receive a C or better in all nutrition courses and maintain at least a 2.50 cumulative GPA

Internships

Students considering entering the profession of dietetics as a registered dietitian after completing a bachelor's degree and DPD requirements must complete a Dietetic Internship in order to take the National Registration Examination for Dietitians. Most internships last about nine months and require tuition payment. There are several Dietetic Internship programs within 90 minutes of Cedar Crest. Admission into Dietetic Internships is highly competitive.

Since the Didactic Program in Dietetics(DPD) at Cedar Crest College meets the knowledge requirements specified by the Commission of Accreditation for Dietetics Education students completing the program will not only receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition, but also a Verification Statement indicating that they have completed the American Dietetic Association (ADA) knowledge requirements.

Students who complete the DPD are eligible to apply for a pre-professional practice experience (Dietetic Internship) which meets the ADA performance requirements. Computerized matching of applicants to supervised practice programs occurs each April and November.

Nutrition Courses for Personal Growth

Cedar Crest offers academic courses in nutrition for personal enrichment. Part of the Nutrition Outreach Program of The Allen Center for Nutrition, at Cedar Crest, these courses are designed for individuals interested in learning more about healthy lifestyles. The courses are integrated into the College's evening and weekend schedule but are not part of a degree program. They include the one-credit offerings Nutrition and Fitness, Nutrition and the Elderly and Eating Disorders and Weight Management.

Career Opportunities for Nutrition Majors

Employment opportunities for dietitians are expected to continue to grow through the year 2010 and beyond as demand increases for qualified dietitians for meal planning and nutritional counseling/education in nursing homes, health care agencies, businesses, schools and other settings.

Among the opportunities for dietitians:

Management dietitians work in health-care institutions, schools, cafeterias and restaurants. They are responsible for personnel management, menu planning, budgeting and purchasing.

Clinical dietitians are a vital part of medical teams in hospitals, nursing homes. health maintenance organizations and other health- care facilities.

Community dietitians teach, monitor and advise the community. They work in public and home health agencies, day-care centers, health and recreation clubs and government-funded programs.

Educator dietitians work at colleges, universities and community or technical schools, teaching future doctors, nurses, dietitians and dietetic technicians.

Research dietitians work in government agencies, food and pharmaceutical companies and in major universities and medical centers. They conduct research to answer critical nutrition questions and find alternative foods or dietary recommendations fur the public.

Consultant dietitians may be under contract at health-care facilities or in their own private practice. They perform nutrition screenings and assess clients such as athletes, company employees, nursing home residents or those referred by physicians. At health-care facilities they often consult with food service managers and provide expertise on sanitation, safety, budgeting and portion control.

Business dietitians work in food- and nutrition-related industries in product development, sales, marketing, advertising, public relations, purchasing and other capacities.

Three Steps to Becoming A Registered Dietitian

1. A bachelor's degree (it does not have to be nutrition) and successful completion of academic coursework at a CADE approved/accredited institution.

2. Admission and successful completion of a CADE accredited Dietetic Internship (Dl), or an ADA-accredited Coordinated Program (CP).

3. A passing grade on the National Registration Examination for Dietitians.

The Allen Center for Nutrition

The Allen Center for Nutrition at Cedar Crest College, which combines the nutrition degree program and community outreach programs, is a recognized nutrition resource in the Northeast. The Allen Center promotes research and study on issues related to nutrition and sponsors programs to advance information on healthy lifestyles to all age groups. It has introduced thousands of students and members of the community to the principles of nutrition through public lectures by national figures like world-renowned cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish; "New York Times" nutrition columnist and author

Jane Brody; and Dr. Joanne Lupton, the William W. Allen Chair in Nutrition at Texas A&M University.

Allen Center programs are funded by grants from The Allen Foundation of Midland, Michigan, including a recent $1 million grant that supports the College's nutrition degree program -the only program of its kind in a 50-mile radius of the Lehigh Valley. The Allen Foundation was established in 1992 by the late William Allen, former Trustee of the College, and his wife, Roberta Riner Allen, a Cedar Crest graduate, former Trustee and benefactor of the College.

Primary components of The Allen Center's Nutrition Outreach Program are academic offerings and community service projects. The Allen Center sponsors workshops and lectures for community groups, health-care facilities, school districts, day-care centers, senior citizens, low-income families and minority organizations. In addition, workshops on healthy eating and fitness are available to the College's students, faculty and staff

Students at Cedar Crest College have participated in various Allen Center Outreach efforts including:

• City of Allentown 1 percent or less campaign to educate consumers on the benefits of drinking low-fat milk.
  
• Allen Center for Nutrition "Eat Healthy Everyday" Poster Contest, involving all Lehigh Valley Elementary and Secondary students in an art contest to raise awareness on healthy eating.
  
• "Nutrition on the Go" Television segment, which broadcast Allen Center nutritional facts in 60-second segments on a newscast received by tens of thousands of viewers in a 9-county area in eastern Pennsylvania.
  
• East Penn District Wellness/Nutrition Program
  
• Camp Red Jacket, a day camp for children with diabetes.
• Nutrition Education in the schools. [See Fact Sheet for more information]

Please note that changes are occasionally made in program requirements. Schedules for course offerings are announced well in advance. Faculty work closely with students in program selection and scheduling.