Program Overview

The MS in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship (MS/DI) program at Boston University is designed for those who have completed an undergraduate education in nutrition and have received a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or Foreign Dietetics Education (FDE) Verification Statement. In this program with a clinical concentration, you will deepen your nutrition science and metabolism knowledge, hone your counseling skills, sharpen your nutrition assessment skills in our state-of-the-art clinical simulation center, be trained to evaluate, understand, and implement the results of current research, and complete a practicum in an area of your interest. This ACEND accredited program combines graduate coursework emphasizing an understanding of research to inform evidence-based nutrition practice with a full-time DI. You will complete your master’s degree and Dietetic Internship in 16 months!

Note that the Master of Science Program in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship is currently designated by US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a STEM-eligible degree program. International students in F-1 student status may be able to apply for a 24-month extension of their 12-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment authorization.  More information about STEM OPT eligibility is available from the BU International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).

Dietetic Internship

The ACEND-accredited DI is a critical component of the BU MS/DI program. The DI is a full-time, 29-week experience designed to provide you with critical thinking skills and prepare you for the national registration exam and entry-level employment as an RDN. Our training sites, throughout Massachusetts, provide excellent opportunities to observe and participate in a wide variety of specialty areas of practice such as community nutrition, medical and surgical care, nutrition support, oncology, nephrology, cardiology, diabetes, out-patient counseling, food service, and food service management and engage with people across the life span from children to aging adults. Each intern completes a staff relief rotation and an elective rotation in an area of their interest. The MS degree must be completed successfully before entry into the DI.

The six-credit DI requires tuition payment. You must also pay a nonrefundable $1,000 fee to your internship site during the first two weeks of the DI.

A car may be necessary to get to the DI as some sites are as far as 60 miles from Sargent College.  Each student should be prepared to provide their own transportation to sites that are not accessible by public transportation.  

Credentialing

After successful completion of the DI, which includes documentation of the completion of dietetic competencies and the MS/DI program evaluation, you will have met the competencies for the supervised practice component of entry-level dietitian education programs as mandated by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). You will receive an ACEND DI Verification Statement and you will be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration national registration exam. Graduates of our MS/DI program maintain a longstanding 100 percent pass rate on the national RDN exam within one year of completing the program.

The Boston University DI is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. Telephone: 312-899-0040 ext. 5400. For more information, please visit the ACEND website.

Note: As of January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires 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). 

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.

Want to learn more?

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