Nutrition | University of Pennsylvania

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 29-2051.00

Skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionWritingLearning StrategiesMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessCritical Thinking

Knowledge

Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingMathematicsPublic Safety and Security

Abilities

Oral ComprehensionOral ExpressionDeductive ReasoningWritten ComprehensionProblem SensitivityInductive ReasoningNear VisionSpeech ClarityWritten ExpressionFluency of Ideas

Tasks

Observe and monitor patient food intake and body weight, and report changes, progress, and dietary p
Conduct nutritional assessments of individuals, including obtaining and evaluating individuals' diet
Prepare a major meal, following recipes and determining group food quantities.

Technology

Calendar and scheduling softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareData base user interface and query softwareMedical softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP software

Tools

Body-fat calipersCommercial kitchen food slicersCommercial kitchen knivesCommercial kitchen microwave ovensCommercial kitchen mixersCommercial kitchen ovensCommercial kitchen stovesDesktop computersFood scalesLaptop computersMedical floor scalesMedical measuring tapesPersonal computersProgrammable calculators

Work Values

RelationshipsSupportIndependenceWorking ConditionsAchievementRecognition

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium29-2051.00	Dietetic Technicians	title_inference	—	—	—

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: proficient (Level 3)(based on Post-Baccalaureate Certificate)

Comprehensive nutritional assessments — conduct autonomously across a diverse patient caseload, integrating dietary history, clinical indicators, and lab data in a hospital or outpatient setting.
Complex nutrition care plans — design and adjust independently for patients with multiple co-morbidities, using critical thinking and evidence-based dietary guidelines.
Major meal production for large groups — plan, execute, and evaluate quality outcomes, adapting recipes and portion calculations to meet therapeutic and budgetary requirements.
Food service supervision — lead daily operations, troubleshoot workflow issues, and mentor food service workers in a high-volume healthcare or community nutrition program.
Individualized and family-centered dietary counseling — facilitate in-depth guidance sessions on food selection, preparation, and menu planning for clients with complex nutritional needs.
Job descriptions and work schedules — develop, refine, and implement for food service or nutrition support staff to optimize departmental efficiency.
Interdisciplinary care collaboration — represent the nutrition department, communicate assessment findings clearly, and advocate for dietary interventions during multi-disciplinary team rounds.
Nutrition and food service research — lead literature reviews, synthesize findings, and prepare written reports using analytical, database, and desktop publishing software.
ERP and inventory management systems — administer food service procurement workflows, analyze usage trends, and identify cost-saving opportunities across a dietary department.
Problem sensitivity and decision making — identify and resolve non-routine dietary or operational challenges, such as allergen conflicts or supply shortages, with minimal escalation.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.