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Are you ready for the challenge?
If you are not interested in completing or have already completed a Dietetic Internship, learn more about our fully online M.S. in Nutrition.
Mission
This program is designed to prepare students/interns with the academic and clinical training to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Our mission is to prepare students/interns to be entry-level registered dietitians who model Christian values and to lead and empower individuals, especially those with economic need, to achieve better nutrition and healthier lifestyles. Beginning in 2024, a master’s degree and internship will be required in order to be eligible to take the registration exam for registered dietitians, therefore we now offer the combined master’s/internship program.
Program Structure
Master of Science in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship
These are the important details you will need to keep in mind as you prepare your application and degree plan.
Graduation/Program Completion
39 Credit Hours Total
30 credit hours must be completed within year 1 of the program.
Must receive an A or B in graduate courses.
1280 Supervised Practice Hours
Must complete all required documentation.
Must have a satisfactory rating or above on all evaluations.
Estimated Cost
2024/2025 Tuition
Per Credit Hour: $650
Per Course: $1,950
Resource Fee Per Term: $200
Dietetic Internship Program Fee: $4,875
Financial aid may be available for those students who qualify.
For more information on estimated cost, please refer to our Student Handbook.
Example Coursework
Nutrition and Poverty
Weight Management
Nutrition and Integrative Medicine
Nutrition Research
Application Deadline
DICAS: January 15, 2025
All accepted applicants will be notified by March 1 of acceptance. Students are required to accept a position in the program by March 15.
Program Information
Interns during rotations will focus their time on the issues of “hunger,” “health,” “housing,” and “hope.”
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Hunger – By partnering with the Tarrant Area Food Bank, students interested in pursuing the M.S. in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship program can participate in research, community feeding programs, and cultural needs assessments.
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Health – The internship schedule will include several clinical rotations including but not limited to cardiac, endocrinology, intensive care, oncology, pediatric, renal, surgical, and general medical. Along with the clinical experiences, an outpatient counseling rotation will address health of the clientele using knowledge gained in the clinical rotations.
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Hope – Hope is manifested in education and gaining skills for employment. Dietetic interns will be instrumental in helping teach basic culinary and food service skills to a wide variety of people.
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Housing – Indirectly, housing will be addressed through your involvement in teaching basic selection, procurement and preparation of healthy meals for home use.
Culinary Certification
Students enrolled in the M.S. in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship can receive a culinary nutrition certification provided by “To Taste”, a company that provides courses for practical cooking skills, as well as a deeper dive into a variety of culinary nutrition topics. Owned and operated by chefs and registered dietitians, this certificate will focus on the scientific aspects of dietetics and explain the importance of preparing foods appropriately for those with dietary restrictions and sensitivities and for those on a budget. This unique addition to the program is offered to students completing the second year.
Interested students can contact nutrition program director Jennifer Gillin.
Uganda Missional Dietetics
Students enrolled in the M.S. in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship will have the opportunity to integrate academics and missional work by traveling and serving in a three-week mission trip to Uganda as part of the ACU’s Wildcats on Academic Mission (WAM) program. The cost of the trip is significantly discounted and mostly paid by the WAM program. Working alongside faculty members, six dietetic interns will collaborate with Hope Speaks, a nonprofit that brings hope and raises awareness for children with disabilities through speech therapy, education, and advocacy. These students will work with Ugandans suffering from speech pathology issues related to swallowing, work alongside the caregivers with thickening foods appropriately, be involved in the education of caregivers, and conduct nutrition assessments for research purposes.
Interested students can contact nutrition program director Jennifer Gillin.
Optional Experience
Students are allowed can elect to experience a choice rotation for 1-2 weeks supported by the program director and dietetic internship program. These hours do not count towards total program required hours and would be optional for students who desire to explore an additional area of practice.
Assessment and Credit for Prior Learning
The academic liaison for the master of science courses and the program director will review any courses that are requested to be transferred into the program. Nine hours of graduate work may be counted as electives. For courses that are similar to required courses in the curriculum, the course syllabus from the institution where credit was received may be required for review to determine course equivalency. Samples of work completed may also be required. Admissions staff will be contacted concerning any courses that are approved for transfer into the program. ACEND Core Knowledge Requirements for Dietetic Internship Programs must be met for any internship experience that is accepted. CRDNs that are met must be verified by the program director after receiving verification from the previous program director over the program in which any CRDNs were met by a transfer student/intern. Credit will not be given for prior work experience or rotations completed outside of the program.
All applicants must first apply on the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) online applicant portal. DICAS is a service of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and offers applicants a convenient, state-of-the-art, web-based application service. The DICAS application may be accessed at https://portal.dicas.org.
The admission requirements for DICAS:
- A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0.
- Applicants must have completed Didactic Program in Dietetics requirements in an accredited program as specified by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Potential students/interns must submit an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Verification statement or Declaration of Intent to Complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) along with their completed application.
- Complete the online application and pay the DICAS application fee;
- Submit three letters of recommendation;
- Submit any/all official transcript(s) in English (or translated to English) of all previous college work. The transcript must indicate a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition or related field from a regionally accredited college or university;
- Submit a personal statement which includes the following: Short-term and long-term professional goals (after completing the dietetic internship); address how faith can inform your work in the nutrition profession, describe experiences you have had working with individuals who are dealing with poverty or are at risk for homelessness and how you felt about those experiences, explain your philosophy of working with the impoverished, state reason(s) you chose to apply to the ACU M.S. in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship.
- Submit a personal resume.
- Complete virtual interview with at least one decision committee member.
- Objective 1.1 of goal 1 – At least 80% of graduates will be offering services to those in need in their church or their community.
- Objective 2.1 for Goal 2 – At least 80 percent of interns complete program requirements within 139.5 weeks (150% of planned program length.)
- Objective 2.2 of Goal 2 – Of graduates who seek employment, at least 80 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
- Objective 2.3 of Goal 2 – At least 80 percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
- Objective 2.4 of Goal 2 – The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
- Objective 2.5 of Goal 2 – At least 80 percent of surveys returned from employers will indicate graduates are prepared for entry-level practice in the workplace.
- Objective 3.1 of Goal 3 – At least 80 percent of surveys returned from employers rated graduates as being good or excellent for leadership potential.
- Objective 3.2 of Goal 3 – At least 80 percent of graduates will pursue leadership roles in the community or profession within 2 years of completing the dietetic internship.
The ACU Dietetic Internship is fully accredited with the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). ACEND’s contact information is listed below:
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
(800) 877-1600, ext. 5400
www.acend@eatright.org
Accreditation includes self-analysis, preparation of a self-study report, and an on-site evaluation visit by a team of professional peers. Dietetics educators and practitioners, appointed by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) board, participate in the peer review process to determine if a program is achieving its own educational objectives and meeting the accreditation standards. The ACEND board accredits programs that are able to meet these standards.
Completion of the M.S. in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship allows graduates to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Application for state certification/licensure in states and territories (if applicable) may be made after credentialing.
While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND’s considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state’s licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure.
Abilene Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Ga. 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of ACU.