Bumpers Program in Dietetics Nationally Accredited

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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has reaccredited the Bumpers College’s program in dietetics.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The dietetics program in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas recently earned reaccreditation as a “didactic program in dietetics” from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

The program is a health pre-professional program for registered dietitian nutritionists in the Bumpers College’s School of Human Environmental Sciences. Specialized courses in the program include medical nutrition therapy, experimental foods, advanced nutrition, food systems management, sports nutrition, purchasing and cost control, and communication in nutrition and dietetics.

The ACEND, which is the accrediting agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, voted to continue full accreditation, which runs through 2022.

“The ACEND values your commitment to the quality and continued improvement of dietetics education as demonstrated during the accreditation process,” said Anne Kendall, chair of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

The accreditation process included a peer review of a self-study based on the latest standards, a three-day site visit and resulting report, and a response to questions from the program’s accreditation team.

 “The peer review process of accreditation and reaccreditation is rigorous,” said Cindy Moore, director of the dietetics program. “It’s a great accomplishment. We are excited and happy to once again earn reaccreditation from our national board.”

Moore said the program will undergo a five-year midpoint review in 2017.

Moore and dietetics faculty Mechelle Bailey and Shannon Carpenter worked with the council throughout the reaccreditation process. All three are registered dietitian nutritionists, and Moore and Bailey have previous experience working in hospitals. Bailey and Carpenter have master’s degrees while Moore has her doctorate.

“There are 23 different standards which we must meet,” said Moore, who is also a clinical assistant professor of food, human nutrition and hospitality. “Those standards are continuously updated as nutrition and dietetics practices change. We are required to collect a variety of data over a period of 10 years to help demonstrate our continual compliance and the success of our graduates.”

Bumpers College graduates have been matched to many of the top accredited dietetic internships across the country, including with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Jacksonville, Fla., at Vanderbilt University, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of Houston, Saint Louis University and California State-Long Beach, among others.

“I am proud to be a part of the dietetics program,” said Bailey. “I know that this reaccreditation means we are helping current and future students reach their career goals.”

After completing internships, graduates must pass the registration exam to earn their registered dietitian or registered dietitian nutritionist credentials. After reaching RD/RDN status, dietitians are required to complete a minimum of 75 hours of continuing education in every five-year period.

Graduates of the program have career opportunities as clinical dietitians, public health nutritionists, corporate nutritionists, food and nutrition consultants, food and nutrition journal editors, research specialists, in food service management, in pharmaceutical sales and as sports nutritionists.