Dietetics programs receive national accreditation

Two distinct dietetics programs within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences have received approval to continue full accreditation through 2028 by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

The graduate-level dietetic internship program, led by department of foods and nutrition faculty member Barbara Grossman, as well as the undergraduate dietetics program led by faculty member Emma Laing, were approved following peer reviews of each self-study and a site visit conducted earlier this year.

ACEND is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ accrediting agency for education programs preparing students for careers as registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN) or nutrition and dietetic technicians, registered (NDTR).

“This dual accreditation by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics confirms both UGA undergraduate and graduate dietetics programs’ top U.S. ranking,” said Lynn Bailey, faculty member and head of the FACS department of foods and nutrition. “The success of these extremely rigorous accreditation processes is testimony to the incredible dedication to excellence of each program director.”

The didactic program in dietetics prepares graduates for successful careers in dietetics and encourages them to assume leadership roles in their profession.

Every graduate from the program was accepted to post-graduate supervised practice programs last year, a match rate of 100 percent. The national average is 50-60 percent.

The DI graduate program, offering supervised practice experience combined with a M.S. or Ph.D. degree, enrolls 12 full-time interns annually with community intervention and research and medical nutrition therapy concentrations.

Upon completion of the dietetic internship program, students are eligible to take the registration examination for dietitians. The program’s success is reflected in a 100 percent pass rate on the national RD exam, and 100 percent employment in the nutrition field.

“Accreditation of each of these programs is a testament to the strength of our dedicated faculty, staff and preceptors and will allow us to continue producing graduates who are prepared to address the significant nutrition-related challenges facing our country,” Laing said. “We are also grateful to our advisory board, current students and alumni who participated in the accreditation process.”

The ACEND Board encouraged both program directors to continue their efforts in providing quality dietetics education that was demonstrated through the accreditation process.

“We are very pleased with the leadership in the department of foods and nutrition, Lynn Bailey, and the faculty leads for the dietetics programs, Drs. Laing and Grossman,” FACS Dean Linda Kirk Fox said. “They worked very hard for this distinction and we are pleased that each of our undergraduate and graduate dietetics programs continue to be highly regarded and nationally accredited.”