The MS in Applied Nutrition’s mission, vision, and values can be found in the JMU catalog.

Mission: We equip master’s prepared entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for exceptional practice in dietetics and an interprofessional healthcare team.
Vision: Graduates from the JMU Master of Science in Applied Nutrition are uniquely skilled future Registered Dietitian Nutritionists who will work as effective members of health care teams within a global society.

Goal 1: Graduates of the Master of Science in Applied Nutrition will be employed in dietetics positions or pursuing advanced study that will utilize their knowledge, skills, and competencies in dietetics, as well as their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Objective 1: At least 80 percent of program graduates complete program/degree requirements within three years (150% of the program length).
• Objective 2: Of graduates who seek employment, 85 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
• Objective 3: Eighty-five percent of employers who respond to an employer survey of program graduates at the end of their first year of employment will rate them as “Meets Entry-Level Expectations” or higher in overall performance.
• Objective 4: Eighty-five percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
• Objective 5: The program’s one-year pass rates (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80 percent.
• Objective 6: Eighty-five percent of employers who respond to an employer survey of program graduates at the end of their first year of employment will rate them as “Exceeds Entry-Level Expectations” or higher in professional knowledge, skills, and problem- solving.

Goal 2: Graduates of the Master of Science in Applied Nutrition will participate in and/or lead interprofessional teams in a variety of settings.

• Ninety percent of employers who respond to a survey on program graduates in their first year of employment will rate them as “Meets Entry-Level Expectations” or higher in interprofessional skills (i.e., working within and among other professions within a facility).

Goal 3: Graduates of the Master of Science in Applied Nutrition will be actively engaged in planning, conducting, analyzing, and disseminating scholarly products.

• Objective 1: Eighty-five percent of students will submit an abstract of their thesis or project for presentation at a state, regional, or national meeting or submit a manuscript of their thesis or project to a peer- reviewed journal within one-year post graduation.
• Objective 2: Eighty-five percent of employers who respond to a survey on program graduates in their first year of employment will rate them as “Exceeds Entry-Level Expectations” or higher in research knowledge and application to the dietetics field.

*Outcomes Data are available upon request*