Viterbo University’s Dietetic Internship offers rotation placement throughout the entire United States AND we find all of your sites for you. That is right, you do NOT need to find your own sites. Once you are accepted into our program you will be connected with our clinical placement coordinator who will ask you your area of nutrition interests (sports nutrition, eating disorders, oncology, etc) and where you would like to live for your rotations. Then she will find rotation sites based on your interests and needs.
Viterbo's dietetic internship is open to students who have completed the knowledge requirements as defined by the 2022 Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics Standards of Education as part of a DPD program and who have completed a bachelor's degree. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
To become a registered dietitian, you must complete a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, and at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice.
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
Viterbo University is pleased to offer three unique Dietetic Internship tracks for your education needs. Please see links below for more information. The dietetic internship at Viterbo is based on the 2022 Accreditation Council's Standards of Education.
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Track 1: Dietetic Internship Only (40 hours of supervised practice/week) |
Track 2: Dietetic Internship + Non-Thesis Masters (clinical focus) (40 hours of supervised practice/week) | Track 3: Dietetic Internship + Thesis Masters (32 hours of supervised practice/week) | |
| Location | La Crosse or anywhere within the U.S. or its territories | La Crosse or anywhere within the U.S. or its territories | Must be outside of La Crosse but can be anywhere within the US and its territories |
| Clinical Hours | 1,260+ (~1,400 w/bootcamp) | 1,260+ (~1,400 w/bootcamp) | 1,024+ (~1,165 w/bootcamp) |
| Total Credits | 16 | 34 | 38 |
| Total Tuition | $11,200 | $23,800 | $26,600 |
Dietetic Internship Student Handbook 2024-2025
Preceptor Newsletter Fall 2022
Outstanding Dietetics Student Award - Dietetic Internship
Rachel Watkins - Viterbo University
Rachel is a student at Viterbo University. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences with an Emphasis in Dietetics. She is currently working on her Master of Science in Community Medical Dietetics - Dual Dietetic Internship and Masters with a Thesis Track. Her current internship rotation has her working at Rosewood Ranch which specializes in eating disorder treatment in Wickenburg, AZ She is an active member of the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association and an active member of the Behavioral Health Nutrition within the Academy.
Philosophy of the Community-Medical Dietetic Internship
Health care is a dynamic, changing part of our society, and dietetics, as an integral component of the health care system, is a changing profession. One of the important changes that have taken place in the last few years is the growing importance of prevention and not just treatment of disease. There is an amazing growth of outpatient clinics, public health agencies, and health education programs aimed at prevention of disease and promotion of general “good health.”
There is, therefore, a growing need to provide comprehensive nutritional care for communities. Nutritional care that continues over time, after a patient has been released from the hospital; nutritional care that is close at hand; nutritional care of a general nature aimed at large population groups; and nutritional care provided by a dietitian who can bring personal support and science-based expertise to bear on nutritional problems.
The curriculum of the Viterbo dietetic internship combines knowledge and skills of both the hospital and community dietitian to meet societal demands for comprehensive nutritional care. A graduate of the program is a professional member of the health care team, and as a professional person has been trained to make decisions based upon a body of current scientific knowledge and acquired skills.
For more information or to schedule a visit:
Maria Morgan-Bathke, MBA, PhD, RD, CD, FAND
Associate Professor, Director Dietetic Internship
Department Chairperson
Nutrition and Dietetics Department
Toll free 1-800-VITERBO, ext. 3660
608-796-3660
memorganbathke@viterbo.edu