Combined Masters of Science in Nutrition and Foods Plus Dietetic Internship (MS-DI) Program
Format: In person on the Statesboro Campus
Credit Hours: 45
Entry Term: Summer
The Georgia Southern combined MS in Nutrition and Foods Plus Dietetic Internship (MS-DI) is a full-time, 20-month, non-thesis, graduate degree, dietetic internship program. Graduates of an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and (ACEND) Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) are eligible to apply to the Georgia Southern MS-DI Program.
The MS-DI program is headquartered on Georgia Southern University Statesboro Campus, where graduate courses are completed and selected supervised practice experiences. Additional supervised practice sites and rotations are located throughout Central and Southeast Georgia, including Savannah, Atlanta, Macon, Brunswick, Tifton and Valdosta. Supervised practice site assignments are based on preference and preceptor availability.
The program offers a blend of classroom instruction, online learning modules and hands-on training designed to meet ACEND Core Competencies for the registered dietitian (RD). Students gain experience in clinical dietetics, community nutrition, and food service management. Students are required to take 27 hours of graduate master’s-level courses in their first year. During the second year, students will complete18-credit hours of a minimum of 1,000 supervised practice experience hours to apply their coursework. The graduate school expenses are eligible for financial aid.
Upon successful completion of the Georgia Southern DI, interns are eligible to obtain a Verification Statement of program completion required to sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) registration examination for dietitians.
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Credit Hours: 45 (27 credit hours of course work plus 18 credit hours of practicum providing a minimum of 1000 supervised practice experience hours
Internship Class Size
A maximum of 20 interns are admitted annually to the Georgia Southern DI: 4 interns in the DI Certificate program and 16 in the combined MS-DI program. Up to 10 internship positions are reserved for graduates of the Georgia Southern DPD program.
Curriculum Overview
| Course Number, Title | Credit Hours |
| Fall Term 1st Year | |
| NTFS 7333 Research Methods in Nutrition and Foods NTFS 7335 Public Health and Community Nutrition NTFS 7339 Energy Balance and Weight Management | 3 3 3 |
| Spring Term 1st Year | |
| NTFS 7331 Applied Food Science NTFS 7337 Macronutrient Metabolism NTFS 7431 Nutrition Education or COHE 7238 Communications for Change | 3 3 3 |
| Summer Term 1st Year | |
| NTFS 7334 Applied Medical Nutrition Therapy NTFS 7338 Micronutrient Metabolism NTFS 7612 Professional Development NTFS 7611 Graduate Seminar NTFS 7613 Dietetic Internship Orientation | 3 3 1 1 1 |
| Fall Term 2nd Year | |
| NTFS 7790 Practicum in Nutrition and Dietetics | 9 |
| Spring Term 2nd Year | |
| NTFS 7790 Practicum in Nutrition and Dietetics | 9 |
| Total | 45 |
Professional License Disclosure
The Department of Health Science and Kinesiology anticipates that graduates of the Dietetic Internship program will seek the following certification: Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (The two credentials designate the same certification program. Practitioners may choose to use one or the other.) and if required by the state the graduate will be practicing: Licensed Dietitian or Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist
For required disclosures on whether this program satisfies the license requirements of all states and territories for Licensed Dietitian license, click https://www.cdrnet.org/licensure to check the requirements of your state or territory.
The Department of Health Science and Kinesiology has determined that the required classes and educational activities of this program will qualify a graduate of this program to take the national exam for Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Passing the national examination for Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist will qualify a graduate for a license in Georgia. The Department of Health Science and Kinesiology has not determined whether the required classes and educational activities of this program will qualify a graduate of this program for licensure for any state not set forth above.
Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR’s website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DI program at Georgia Southern are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
Accreditation
The Georgia Southern DI is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition & Dietetics (ACEND) (https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend) of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics (AND).
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Phone: 312/899-0040, ext. 5400
Fax: 312/899-4817
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Last updated: 8/16/2023