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MS/DI | Overview | How to Apply | MS/DI Advisors | Capstone Project | Program Calendar | MS/DI Handbook | MS/DI to RDN | FAQs

MS/Dietetic Internship - Program Overview 

Make friends for life...

Train with a small group of dietetic interns, get personal attention from faculty and advisors.

The MS/DI is a full-time, 16-month, four-semester program (fall, spring, summer, and fall). Students attend with an established group of other MS/DI candidates. Candidates must have a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, or related field AND have ​earned a verification statement by completing the Didactic Program in Dietetics requirements as established by ACEND of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A minimum DPD grade point average of 3.00 is required for admission.

The MS/DI requires completion of 33 credit hours with the supervised practice rotations contributing 9 credit hourss. Transfer credits may be awarded for the electives (maximum 8 credits), but not core courses. Advisor approval is required. Students should follow the graduate school policy and form for transfer credit requests. 

The program has eight seats in Meridian, eight seats in Pocatello, and two seats in Twin Falls. Interns need to live in the community where they are completing rotations.

We are Training the Next Generation of RDNs

Goal 1
Program graduates are professionally competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists through a comprehensive supervised practice experience

Goal 2

Prepare program graduates to be caring registered dietitian nutritionists who promote collaboration within their practice setting

Goal 1 Objectives:

  1. At least 80% of program interns complete program within 24 months (150% of program length).
  2. Of graduates who seek employment, 75 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
  3. 90% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
  4. The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
  5. 90% of working RDNs over a five-year period will be satisfied that the MS/DI program adequately prepared them for effective entry-level careers in dietetics.

Goal 2 Objectives:

  1. 50% of graduates over a five-year period will participate in professional organizations within the first year following graduation.
  2. Of those employers who respond to the survey, 90% of employers will rate program graduates’ preparation for entry-level practice as satisfactory or higher.
  3. 50% of employers over a five-year period will rate program graduates’ collaboration within their employment setting as satisfactory or higher.

 
Program outcomes data
are available on request, email
charbyington@isu.edu

 Why the ISU MS/DI Program?

Master of Science
  • Combined Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship
  • Students must apply for both the Masters and the Internship 
  • ISU's program culminates in an MS in Nutrition and DI Verification Statement
  • The MS/DI program is ACEND-approved

Internship Components
  • Community nutrition concentration, interns also rotate through clinical and foodservice sites
  • Internship sites include medical centers, long-term care facilities, local health departments, local school districts, diabetes centers, dialysis centers, and out-patient clinics

Number of Positions
  • Eighteen (18) internship positions
  • 8 interns are in placed in Pocatello and surrounding areas
  • 2 interns complete rotations in Twin Falls and surrounding areas
  • 8 interns are based in Meridian/Treasure Valley and surrounding areas

Selection Process
  • Meet all admission requirements; GRE not required
  • Applicants are primarily ranked according to grade point average (minimum 3.0), work experience and references
  • Finalists are selected for a 15-20 minute interview

Internship Length
  • 16-month, 4-semester program—fall, spring, summer, fall
  • Fall (August through mid-December), Spring (mid-January through mid-May), and Summer (late-May through August)
  • In extreme circumstances, an intern's timeframe may be extended up to 24 months (150% of the original 16-month plan)

Weekly
Time Requirement
  • About 40 hours-per-week are spent in rotations; hours for coursework vary
  • Travel time for practicums has not been included, but some rotations are 20-50 miles away
  • Some semesters interns are solely in coursework; other semesters is a combination of coursework and practicum
  • Hybrid coursework model (classes may require students to go to a distance learning classroom, access video conferencing software remotely, or work online as an autonomous, self-directed learner)
  • An additional 20 hours-per-week are usually required for preparation and completing assignments
Graduation and Program Completion
Requirements
  • Passing each semester requires completing all coursework with a grade of B (3.0 or higher) and finishing all rotations with at least a satisfactory grade (S)
  • Interns receiving satisfactory grades in rotations/courses and completing a minimum of 1,000 hours supervised practice receive a Master of Science in Nutrition and a Dietetic Internship Verification Statement
  • Application for ISU graduation deadline is early September of the final fall semester (ISU Graduation Information: Graduate School Checklist)
  • Graduates are eligible to sit for the national registration exam

Total Dietetic Internship Experience = 1,240 Hours

Pocatello/Twin Falls Campuses: Rotation Sites
Food Service Management
Idaho Falls Senior Center
Portneuf Medical Center (Pocatello)
School District #25 (Pocatello)
School District #93 (Idaho Falls)
State Hospital South (Blackfoot)
St. Luke's Regional Medical Center (Twin Falls)       

Clinical Nutrition

Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (Idaho Falls)

Idaho Falls Community Hospital (Idaho Falls)

Portneuf Medical Center (Pocatello)

St. Luke's Regional Medical Center (Twin Falls) 
Long Term Care

State Hospital South Long Term Care (Blackfoot)

Various health care facilities (Pocatello)

Various health care facilities (Twin Falls)

 

 

 Community Nutrition

Eastern Idaho Public Health - WIC (Idaho Falls)

Southeastern Idaho Public Health - WIC (Pocatello)

Idaho Kidney Center (Pocatello/Idaho Falls)

Mountain View Hospital Oncology (Idaho Falls)

Portneuf Medical Cancer Center (Pocatello)

Rocky Mountain Diabetes Center (Idaho Falls)

DaVita Kidney Care (Twin Falls)

Idaho Kidney Center (Twin Falls)

South Central Public Health - WIC (Twin Falls)

St Luke's Diabetes Education (Twin Falls)

St. Luke's Tumor Institute (Twin Falls)

 Meridian/Treasure Valley Campus: Rotation Sites
Food Service Management

Create Common Good (Boise)
School Lunch Program/ Boise and Meridian Schools

St Luke's Regional Medical Center (Boise)

Veteran's Affairs Medical Center (Boise)

 Clinical Nutrition

 St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center (Boise)
St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center (Nampa)
St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center (Ontario)
St. Luke's Meridian Medical Center

St Luke's Nampa Medical Center

St. Luke's Regional Medical Center (Boise)

Veteran's Affairs Medical Center (Boise)
Community Nutrition

Boise State University (Boise)

Central District Health (Boise)

DaVita Kidney Care (various Treasure Valley locations)

Idaho Nutrition Associates (Boise)

Southwest District Health (Caldwell)

St. Alphonsus Diabetes Care & Education (Boise/Meridian)

St Alphonsus Outpatient Services (Boise)

St Luke's Humphries Diabetes Center (Boise/Meridian)

St. Luke's Cancer Institute (Boise/Meridian)

 Long Term Care
Aspen Transitional Rehabilitation (Meridian)
Idaho State Veterans Home (Boise)
Skyline Transitional Care Center (Boise)

Coursework is Offered in a Hybrid Model

Classes are 100% online. Some require students to go to a distance learning classroom; others offer remote access via video conferencing software.  In addition, some classes are self-directed, requiring students to work autonomously.

Online courses require students to have the following supported technologies:

  • Reliable computer
  • Reliable Internet connection (Broadband connection highly recommended)
  • Web browser (Mozilla Firefox highly recommended)
  • Soundcard with microphone and headphones (A headset with microphone/headphones is highly recommended)
  • Webcam (optional in some courses, but required for online proctoring)
  • Additional software may be required by your instructor (e.g. Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, etc.)

 Masters of Science in Nutrition with Dietetic Internship (Public Health Emphasis)

Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

 NTD 6609

Seminar for Dietetic Interns: Held the week before classes start, this is a one week course scheduled Monday-Friday for 8 hours per day. All Dietetic Interns must travel to Pocatello to attend this required course in-person.

2

 NTD 6610 

 Current Topics in Nutrition

1

 NTD 6620

 Nutritional Epidemiology

3

 NTD 6622

 Maternal, Infant and Child Nutrition 

3

 NTD 6624

 Nutrition and Aging

3

 NTD 6640

 Research, Writing and Grantsmanship

3

 NTD 6645

 Capstone Project I

1-3

 NTD 6650

 Capstone Project II

1-3

 NTD 6655

 Dietetic Internship Practicum I                                          (Supervised Practice Rotations)

3

 NTD 6656

 Dietetic Internship Practicum II
 (Supervised Practice Rotations)

3

 NTD 6657

 Dietetic Internship Practicum III
 (Supervised Practice Rotations)

3

 MPH 6660

 Health Behavior Change Theory and Application

3

 

 Total Credit Hours 

33

Culminating MS Activity is a Capstone Project

The Capstone Project is a scholarly activity, requiring students to write, present and defend their project. It consists of all of the following components:

  • Selecting a case study patient from one of your first- or second-semester rotations.
  • Conducting a review of the research literature on the case study patient’s condition.
  • Evaluating the research studies identified in the literature review using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Center/Library (EAC/EAL) process.
  • Writing a 6-10-page literature review.
  • Preparing a presentation of the case study including the literature review, case description and nutrition therapy provided based on the Academy’s Nutrition Care Manual.
  • Successfully presenting and defending the capstone project.

Together, the written literature review, oral presentation and defense represent the final evaluation.

Estimated Costs of the MS/DI Program

The actual costs per each student vary. For example, housing and transportation costs differ per student:

  • Housing. Students placed in Pocatello may choose to live on campus or in a variety of off-campus sites. In Boise and Twin Falls, no university housing is available.
  • Transportation. Each student should have his or her own car or, at least, access to one during the practicum part of the program. Some rotation sites are up to fifty miles away (e.g. Pocatello to Idaho Falls). Liability for safety in travel to and from assigned rotation sites will rest on the individual MS/DI student. The Department nor the University assumes liability for students for safety in travel to and from assigned rotation sites.

Many students apply for financial aid and scholarships to help with these costs. In addition, the ISU MS/DI Program offers discounted tuition for residents of Western states. There are also some Graduate Teaching Assistant positions available.

  • Discounted Tuition for Residents of Western States. Two programs provide in-state tuition for residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming--the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) and Non-Resident Tuition Waivers (NRTW). To apply for these discounted tuition programs, contact the ISU Graduate School. To qualify, students must fulfill all the usual requirements of the department and institution concerned, and meet all admission deadlines. Students do not need to demonstrate financial need.
  • Graduate Teaching Assistants. A limited number of paid Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) position are available. For more information about GTA positions, contact: Char Byington, MEd, RDN, LD.  
 

Item

Approximate Cost

ISU Graduate School Application (fee for Grad School and fee for program application combined)

$120

Tuition and Fees

Current tuition and fees*

Dietetic Internship Fee

$3,510 (subject to change)**

Shoes (flat, rubber sole)

$40-$80

Books and Supplies

$200-$400

Malpractice Insurance

$5 per semester

Health Insurance

proof required

Academy Student Membership

$58

Health Screen, Drug Panel Test(s), Immunizations and background checks

$150-250

American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers

 $59 

Meetings (ID Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Pocatello Dietetic Association)

variable

Transportation

variable

Laptop

~$600

Internet service

~$50/month
Additional Costs

 

ISU school year general lot parking permit (optional)

$100

RDN Review Course 

~$170

Graduation application fee

$20

Typhon Group Student Account

$90

MyClinicalExchange Subscription

 $40 

*Tuition and fees are subject to change by the Idaho State Board of Education.

**Student fees are charged only during the practicum portion of the MS/DI program (Spring, Summer and final Fall semesters). Fees are made in three payments, $1,170 is due during each of these three practicum semesters.

Interested in the ISU Combined MS/Dietetic Internship?
Schedule an appointment with the DI Director and primary program advisor, Char Byington, MEd, RDN, LD, 
to learn more about the profession, program requirements, and DPD course completion plan.