Dietetic Internship Certificate Program
Format: In person at the Statesboro Campus
Credit Hours: 45
Entry Terms: Summer
Dietetic Internship Certificate (non-degree)
The Georgia Southern Dietetic Internship (DI) is a full-time, 12-month, post-baccalaureate graduate certificate, non-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 DI Program.
The DI program is headquartered on Georgia Southern University Statesboro Campus where intern orientation and graduate courses are completed, along with 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, on-line 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 5 hours of graduate master’s-level courses, which includes orientation, in conjunction with 18-credit hours of minimum 1,000 supervised practice experience hours that allow them to apply their coursework. The graduate school expenses are eligible for financial aid.
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Upon successful completion of the Georgia Southern DI Certificate program, 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.
While the Georgia Southern DI Certificate program does not result in a graduate degree, students may elect to apply for admission to one of several Department of Health Sciences & Kinesiology graduate programs.
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 interns in the combined MS-DI program. Up to 10 internship positions are reserved for graduates of the Georgia Southern DPD program.
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
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.
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 or certification for any state not set forth above. Visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration to determine the requirements of your state or territory.
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
Last updated: 5/22/2023
