The program can be completed entirely at your home and work-site by using a local mentor of your own choosing and by submitting assignments by mail. This provides a convenient way of increasing your professional level without having to leave your work or family to attend a traditional campus-based program. The carefully designed program includes over 2,000 pages of course text, textbooks, audio cassettes, and the use of a local mentor to guide you through the clinical and on-the-job experiences required in this program. This unique combination of educational elements assures that your educational experience will be of the highest quality.

Prepare For Professional Advancement

In the Dietary Manager Program, you can

• Continue your education on the job
• Prepare for professional advancement
• Qualify for membership in the Dietary Managers Association
• Polish your professional skills under direct supervision by an approved clinical instructor in your facility
• Receive comments, evaluations, and guidance from Auburn University graders

Topics of Study

Included in this program are the following topics of study drawn from the essential professional areas of knowledge and skills required by a dietary manager:

• Working in a Health Care Facility
• Food Service Systems & Regulations
• Principles of Food Preparation
• Principles of Food Quality
• Menu Planning
• Purchasing Procedures and Practices
• Food Storage Practices and Procedures
• Food Production, Service, & Distribution
• Operation and Care of Equipment
• Sanitary Practices in Food Service Safety in the Kitchen
• Controlling Costs
• What Do We Eat?
• Basic Nutrition
• Digestion
• Patient Nutritional Care
• Texture-Modified Diets
• Fat- and Sodium-Modified Diets
• Calorie-Modified Diets
• Personnel Supervision
• Getting Work Done Through People
• Training & Development
• Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
• Quality Management

An Outstanding Program

Time and again the Auburn University program receives exceptional reviews from those who count the most: the students and clinical instructors. In a recent survey, over 95% of students responding indicated they would recommend the course to another. Registered dietitians who are familiar with courses of this type have consistently evaluated the learning experience provided by the Auburn University program as the most consistent, well-prepared, and effective.

Who Should Enroll?

The Dietary Manager program is designed primarily for those employed full time in health care facility food services. Good reading skills and the ability to follow instructions well are important. Even if you have less than a high school education or equivalent, you may apply for admission. Acceptance into the program, however, will require a recommendation from your clinical instructor. The three-part enrollment application on the reverse side must be completed by you, your proposed clinical instructor, and your facility administrator.

Description of the Program

The Dietary Manager program consists of 139 hours of theoretical instruction and 206 hours of on-the-job experience. You receive printed modules, textbooks, and taped material to study (you furnish your own cassette tape player). Each lesson (module) contains learning activities which may include assignments such as reading, listening to cassette tapes, or performing practical tasks which help you achieve specified objectives. As you complete each one of the 24 modules, you send assignments to Auburn for scoring. Your graded assignments are returned to you for review. You need to achieve acceptable scores on all assignments, tests, and the final examination to complete the program. Your final examination is supervised by an approved proctor in your locale who is not connected in any way with the Dietary Manager program or your facility and who is not related to you.

The Clinical Instructor

You study with a local clinical instructor who provides guidance to you through the course. Present guidelines require your clinical instructor to be a Registered Dietitian with current dietetic registration status and at least one year post-registration, full-time experience in a practitioner role, and at least six months of this experience is related to the subject matter of the program. New guidelines may affect these requirements from time to time. Your clinical instructor supervises your on-the-job experiences, administers tests, and maintains close communication with Auburn University program staff.

Self-Paced Instruction

This is a correspondence study program which combines on-the-job work experience with course work. Assignments, tests, and the final examination are handled entirely by mail. You may enroll at any time and study at your own pace. Twenty-four months are allowed to complete the program. Some students complete the program in less than half the time; others need a time extension which may be granted for one additional year for an additional fee. A diligent student will typically require 12 to 15 months to complete the program.

Reaching Educational Goals

Study after study has demonstrated that there is no measurable difference in achieving course objectives between classroom and correspondence study. In some instances, correspondence study appears to be the more effective instructional method. Advantages you have in Auburn's correspondence study program include the individualized attention that is given throughout the course, the thorough and carefully prepared student materials, the thought provoking on-the-job learning activities, the helpful comments from program graders, and the self-paced instruction. You may register at any time and take a full two years to complete the program. Student materials provide a valuable reference set for students who have completed the course of instruction.

A Blueprint for Success

Experience has indicated that some students who enroll in this program never complete the course. It is very easy for the everyday pressure of home, family, job, etc., to distract a student from course work. Self-discipline is required in order to set a schedule for completing course work and to adhere to it. For many students, the development of such a disciplined attitude is clearly an important by-product of this course. Though our experience has indicated that some will fail to complete the program, it has also shown that students who stay with the program to completion are very well prepared for competency examinations and further career progression. If you decides to enroll in this program, it is important for you set a realistic schedule for completion that provides adequate time for unexpected delays, and then to work hard to see that the various deadlines are met. The facility administrator and the clinical instructor can be of great assistance in encouraging you to adhere to a prescribed schedule. It is a team effort that will produce benefits for you, the facility, and the food service profession.

The Dietary Manager Program is Dietary Managers Association Approved

Auburn University's Dietary Manager Independent Study Program is approved by the Dietary Managers Association (DMA) and meets criteria for qualifying dietary managers as defined in 405.1101 (E) Standard for Certification and Participation in Medicare and Medicaid Programs (Federal Register, Vol. 39, No. 12, Part III, January 17, 1974). The program was developed by Dr. Robin Fellers. Dr. Fellers is on the faculty of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Human Sciences, Auburn University.

Continuing Education Units

When you satisfactorily complete the course requirements, you receive a certificate from Auburn University and are eligible for membership in Dietary Managers Association. Although this course does not carry university credit, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded upon course completion, and permanent records are maintained at Auburn. Transcripts are available upon request. Admission to this course does not constitute admission to Auburn University.

ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS

STUDENT AGREES:

• that enrollment entitles him/her to a maximum of 24 months to complete all course requirements including the final examination
• that enrollment may be terminated by Auburn University if he/she does not make satisfactory progress
• that no refunds are granted after the enrollment process is completed
• that this course does not carry any university credit, nor does enrollment in this course constitute admission to Auburn University

CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR AGREES TO:

• Guide and counsel the student as required
• Be responsible for coordinating the entire 150 hours of field experience and directly supervise 50 of those hours in nutrition related learning experiences
• Evaluate the student's progress as required by the course
• Administer objective tests and send test papers to be graded
• Maintain close communication with the program coordinator and staff
• Regularly advise the facility administrator of the student's progress
• Notify Auburn University if I will no longer serve as clinical instructor for this student

To qualify as a clinical instructor you must be a Registered Dietitian with current dietetic registration status and at least one year post-registration, full-time experience in a practitioner role, and at least six months of this experience is related to the subject matter of the program.

THE ADMINISTRATOR AGREES TO:

• Provide a climate for learning and encourage the student
• Allow the student to complete a minimum of 150 hours of supervised on-the-job experiences that are required for the course
• Permit the student to use the facility to perform on-the-job learning activities
• Provide additional time for the consulting/supervising dietitian to supervise the student's work-related learning experiences (At least 50 hours of contact between student and dietitian are required)