Masters

Family & Consumer Sciences - Dietetic Internship

Overview

The Dietetic Internship program at Illinois State University is a 17-month experience offered in conjunction with a Master of Science degree in Nutrition. The program prepares students to be competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists and lifelong learners in the community by providing a variety of opportunities to increase their capacity for inquiry, logical thinking, critical analysis, synthesis, and leadership as they apply theory to practice. Individuals will develop skills in the areas of medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, and food service management with a concentration in Leadership & Project Management. Students benefit from a low student to faculty ratio in the graduate program.

The coursework includes two departmental core courses, advanced courses in nutrition and medical nutrition therapy, two internship seminars, supervised practice experiences during rotations in Clinical, Community, and Food Service areas, and other elective courses. A thesis and non-thesis option are available. 

This program uses the on-line centralized internship application, Dietetics Inclusive Centralized Application Service (DICAS).

An on-campus visit or video conference is always encouraged. Please feel free to contact Dr. Schumacher, Mrs. Byrd, or Mrs. Kollmann to arrange a time to discuss the exciting opportunities at Illinois State.

This program is designed for someone who has their undergraduate degree, completed a didactic program in dietetics and possess a DPD verification statement. Alternate dietetic pathways at Illinois State University include a Distance Dietetic Internship Graduate Certificate program and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition (without the internship).

Point of Pride

Students learn and work in Illinois State’s newly renovated Foods Lab, which includes commercial-quality equipment and state-of-the-art workstations.

Graduate Advisor

Dr. Julie Schumacher
(309) 438-7031
Turner 127

Schedule a Visit

Discover what life as an Illinois State graduate student is like.

How to Apply

University Admission Requirements

A student applying to a master's program must:

  • have earned a four-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association, or do so within one academic year
  • present unofficial transcripts from each college or university other than Illinois State at which graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree credit was earned. The unofficial transcript should be easily readable and clearly indicate degree(s) awarded, courses and course grades for each term. If accepted, official transcripts can be emailed from the university to GraduateAdmissions@IllinoisState.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope to: Illinois State University, Graduate School, 209 Hovey Hall, Campus Box 4040, Normal, IL 61790-4040.

International students can learn more about specific application requirements by visiting the Office of Admissions.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

A student applying to this program must:

  • Complete at least a Bachelor's degree
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
  • Complete a didactic program in dietetics (DPD) with a DPD verification statement

A student applying to this program must participate in the DICAS and DND Digital national matching services by the February deadline. Please visit the Dietetic Internship homepage for additional information.

The GRE is not required.

International students need a minimum TOEFL score of 79.

References

When completing the application form through DICAS, applicants must include the name and contact information (specifically an email address) for each reference (total of 3).  This will trigger an email message requesting completion of an online reference form.  

Personal Statement

Applicants who apply to internships using DICAS will be asked to complete a personal statement. You should use your personal statement to address questions such as:

  • Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
  • Discuss experiences that have helped to prepare you for your career,
  • What are your short-term and long-term goals?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses or areas needing improvement?

The personal statements has a 1,000 word limit.

Transcripts

Official transcripts should be sent to:
DICAS-Transcript Dept
PO Box 9118
Watertown, MA 02471

If accepted, you will need to apply and send official transcripts to Illinois State. 

Application Fee

Our program's application submission fee is $35 for each internship track (if applying to both tracks, submit $70). We only accept online payments.

Submit your application fee.

Application Deadlines

The Dietetic Internship uses the online centralized internship application, DICAS. The online application must be completed for our program by 11:59 PM Central Time on February 15.

Applicants must also register online for computer matching with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Internship Matching service, D & D Digital. This service is necessary for you to rank your dietetic internship preferences. 

Further information about computer matching applicant responsibilities can be found on the ACEND website.

How to Apply for Preselect

We accept preselect applications only from Illinois State University students in either the accelerated master’s sequence (FND dietetics sequence), or senior dietetics sequence students, or current Illinois State University Master’s of Science in Nutrition students.

Applicants for preselect must submit their materials via DICAS using the ISU preselect application by October 15 in the fall prior to the year they intend to complete the internship. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status prior to fall break each year. Note that interns preselected will not participate in computer matching through D&D Digital, however if not selected, students can apply to other internships through the computer matching process.

If you are not preselected to our internship, we encourage you to reapply during the match process as you may still have potential to match with our programs. If you have individual questions about your eligibility after the preselect process, please direct questions to the dieteticinternship@ilstu.edu.

Preselect Application Materials
Open to Illinois State University students only

  1. Resume
  2. Personal Statement (see prompts above)
  3. Application submission fee of $35

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Graduate Assistantships

The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. They are intended as a way to facilitate a student's progress to degree while providing important professional development. Assistantships pay for tuition for the first three semesters of your course of study and provide a stipend for the first two semesters. All students accepted into this program who meet basic eligibility requirements will receive an assistantship.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an assistantship a student must, generally,

  • be admitted unconditionally as a degree-seeking student into a graduate academic program, or have a minimum of 120 undergraduate hours if in an integrated degree program
  • be in good-standing
  • be enrolled full-time (typically at least 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semesters, or at least 6 hours during the summer session).

Benefits

Graduate assistants receive

  • monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage
  • a waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment
  • a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment

Costs & Funding

See Student Accounts for information on tuition and fees. Funding for graduate students is available from several different sources. Students who have been admitted from contiguous states including Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin will receive in-state tuition.

Tuition Waivers

Eligibility Requirements

Both full-time and part-time students enrolled in a master's degree program are eligible for tuition waivers. Students enrolled in a certificate program only are not eligible. Only students who have completed less than two years full-time or 40 credit hours are eligible. Students do not need to demonstrate financial need. Tuition waiver minimum requirements are as follows:

New graduate students: Minimum GPA of 3.25 (based on GPA calculated by Admissions office)

Currently enrolled graduate students: Minimum GPA of 3.25 for graduate courses at ISU

Application Process

During the first week of classes each semester, students admitted to the graduate program may apply for a Graduate Tuition Waiver. Students must turn in the two-page tuition waiver application and the Selective Service Verification form to be considered for a tuition waiver.

View the Graduate Tuition Waiver Application

Additional Information

All tuition waiver awards are at in-state rates.

Tuition waivers are typically partial and do not cover all tuition costs.

Award letters will be sent to the student electronically through e-mail.

Funds will appear in student's account sometime after the 10th day of classes when course enrollment is verified.

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