Dietetic Internship
The Arizona State University Dietetic Internship prepares entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists for careers in a variety of health care settings including hospitals, health care agencies, government, food industries, restaurants, schools and private practice. Dietitians assist individuals and families in choosing food for adequate nutrition in health or disease throughout the life cycle, supervise the preparation and service of food in groups, develop modified diets and participate in nutrition research.
ASU offers several accredited Dietetic Internship (DI) tracks to students to prepare them to become professional Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RD/RDN):
- Two-year combined Master of Science degree in nutritional science plus Dietetic Internship, open to any student who has completed an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics program. The location is in the Phoenix metro area. Spring match!
- One-and-a-half year combined Master of Science degree in nutritional science plus Veterans Affairs (VA) Dietetic Internship, open to any student who has completed an accredited DPD program and is a U.S. citizen. Location options are at the Phoenix VA Medical Center or the Northern Arizona VA Medical Center in Prescott, AZ. Fall match!
- A PhD-level Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) option that is only available to graduates of the ASU PhD in exercise and nutritional sciences program. For more information, please contact the ASU Dietetic Internship Director, Tina Shepard, at tina.shepard@asu.edu.
Please note: The non-degree track of the ASU Dietetic Internship program, only offered to ASU DPD graduates, will no longer be offered after the 2021-2022 academic year. The final non-degree DI class was admitted in spring 2021. Since an MS degree is required to sit for the RDN exam beginning Jan. 1, 2024, we encourage interested applicants to apply for the fall or spring ASU MS tracks instead (options 1 or 2 above).
ASU’s Dietetic Internship program is currently accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), part of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600, ext 5400, https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend.
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 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).
Certification and licensure
Mission
The mission of the Dietetic Internship at Arizona State University is to develop entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists who have the skills necessary to transfer nutrition knowledge into actual application and high-quality practice. The program provides a strong core of dietetic experiences in which the interns will use knowledge gained in their undergraduate studies and graduate research to benefit the nutrition knowledge, health, and wellness of individuals and the community.
Program Goals
- To prepare high-quality Registered Dietitian Nutritionists for employment in entry-level positions.
- To prepare entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists who will develop and implement nutrition education interventions to enhance the health and wellness of individuals and the community.
Program outcomes data is available upon request.
Program Options
Please note: The non-degree track of the ASU Dietetic Internship program will no longer be offered after the 2021-2022 academic year.
| MS Degree Track | VA Track | |
| Match period | Spring match | Fall match |
| Interns accepted | 16 | 6 |
| Eligible applicants | Any graduate of an accredited DPD program | Any graduate of an accredited DPD program. Must be a U.S. citizen. |
| Program concentration | Research | Research |
| Program location | Supervised practice at off-campus sites in the greater Phoenix, AZ area. Graduate courses at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus and online. | Four interns at the Phoenix VA Healthcare System for supervised practice, with graduate courses at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus and online. Two interns at the Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System in Prescott, AZ for supervised practice, with graduate courses online. |
| Graduate credits required | 33 | 31 |
| Hours of supervised practice | Approximately 1,100 | Approximately 1,100 |
| Anticipated time for completion | 24 months | 16 months |
| Schedule for completion | Year 1: Two semesters of graduate courses and a research thesis project. Year 2: Full-time supervised practice from September to the end of March. | Part-time supervised practice from January to April of the following year at the Phoenix or Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System. Internship rotations are during the day concurrent with ASU graduate courses online or in the evenings plus an applied research project. (Program is completed during a spring semester, one summer session, a fall semester, and another spring semester). |
| Upon completion, student receives... | Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics verification statement of DI completion + ASU Master of Science in nutritional science degree | Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics verification statement of DI completion + ASU Master of Science in nutritional science degree |
| Application deadline | Feb. 15 | Sept. 25 |
| Program Handbook | MS degree track handbook | VA track handbook |
| D&D Digital matching number | 203 | 576 |
| Program details → | Program details → |