Dietetic Internship Certificate Program

  • INTERNSHIP PREPARED HER FOR CAREER IN DIETETICS:   Lauren Srdoch feels prepared for her future in dietetics after following her IUP bachelor’s degree with the department’s graduate-level dietetics internship.

    Obtain your credentials with the IUP Dietetic Internship

    Accomplish the next step toward becoming a registered dietitian: complete the one-year IUP Dietetic Internship Certificate Program while earning 18 graduate credits.

    This certificate program is open to students who have a bachelor's degree and a verification statement from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The IUP dietetic internship is accredited to admit 12 interns.

    The dietetic internship provides students with practice skills in nutrition education, nutrition intervention, clinical nutrition, and management (food service and community).

    After completing the internship certificate program, you may apply to the online MS in Food and Nutrition program. This program is 100 percent online and can be completed from any location. For those interested, the Department of Food and Nutrition takes applications (in the spring) for graduate assistantships. Students who are accepted into an assistantship position are required to be on campus. 

    Requirements to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

  • The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics provides complete information about the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and lists all of the accredited programs that exist. The following criteria must be met to earn the RDN credential:

    • A minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, and
    • Coursework in dietetics from a program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and a verification statement from an accredited dietetics program, and
    • Completion of an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program, and
    • Passing a national examination that is administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
    • Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (PDF) are eligible to be licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Licensure may be a requirement for some positions.

  • The IUP Food and Nutrition Dietetic Internship is a supervised practice program that is accredited by 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 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 12:00 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 Dietetic Internship Certificate program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam prior to become an RDN. In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements, click here. For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN, click here.

  • Certificate Program Features

    • A 12-month dietetic internship with a concentration in Intervention and Community Education (ICE)
    • All interns meet the required ICE competencies by the bridge coursework and the Intervention and Community Education rotations. This concentration helps interns to:
      • Refine public speaking skills, including formal, extemporaneous,and small group.
      • Interpret and incorporate current research in teaching pedagogy.
      • Provide nutrition education in the academic setting.
      • Create effective nutrition education messages which are likely to result in behavior change.
      • Develop an intervention program assessment, implementation, and outcomes evaluation plan.
      • Conduct counseling and education for patients/clients with complex needs.
    • Complete a dietetic internship, while earning 15 graduate credits applicable to the Master of Science degree in Food and Nutrition and a subsequent opportunity to finish the program online at your own pace.
    • Located in the semi-rural community of Indiana, Pennsylvania, just 60 miles east of Pittsburgh.

    Many interns elect to complete the remaining MS degree requirements immediately following the dietetic internship certificate program. The IUP dietetic internship includes 18 graduate credits, of which 15 may be applied to your MS degree. Thirty six credits are required for the completion of the Master of Science in Food and Nutrition.

    Supervised Practice Rotations

    Our program features three rotations which provide diverse supervised practice experiences.

    • Nutrition Intervention and Community Education
    • Clinical
    • Management

    Selection Criteria

    Successful candidates must meet the following requirements in order to be considered as a candidate for a dietetic internship at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

    • Strong undergraduate academic record
    • Professional experience in the field of dietetics (volunteer or paid).
    • Application using the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS)
    • Computer matching with D & D Digital
    • Three letters of recommendations

    Dietetic internship appointments are awarded without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, disability, or military service. Marital status, age, and geographic area of the applicant are not considered.

    See Admissions Requirements and How to Apply for more information.

    Graduation Requirements

    The purpose of the Dietetic Internship is to educate interns to achieve a successful career in the field of dietetics. The program director, faculty, and site supervisors work with each intern to ensure successful completion of the program. Nevertheless, it is the full responsibility of each intern to satisfactorily complete the program, as described on this website. Successful completion of the program ensures that interns will receive a Verification Statement, which is required to take the national registration exam.

    For a full description of policies and procedures, review the Dietetic Internship Certificate Handbook.

    Accreditation

    The Indiana University of Pennsylvania Dietetic Internship Certificate Program has been granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics until December 31, 2021. The next Accreditation Review is scheduled for the fall of 2020.

    Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

    ACEND may be contacted at:

    Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
    120 South Riverside Plaza
    Suite 2190
    Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995

    Phone: 1-800-877-1600, ext. 5400; 312-899-0040, ext. 5400

    Email: acend@eatright.org

    Contact Us

    For additional information regarding the Dietetic Internship Certificate Program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, please contact:

    Jodie Seybold, MS, RDN, LDN
    Dietetic Internship Director
    911 South Drive
    Ackerman 102
    Indiana, PA 15705
    724-357-4440
    jseybold@iup.edu

  • Food and Nutrition Department
  • Ackerman Hall, Room 102
    911 South Drive
    Indiana, PA 15705
  • Phone: 724-357-4440
  • Fax: 724-357-3007
  • Semester Office Hours
  • Monday–Friday
  • 8:00 a.m.– Noon
  • 1:00–4:30 p.m.