Program Completion Requirements

Completion of DPD requirements prior to enrolling in Viterbo's internship and completion of supervised practice as part of the internship are required to be eligible to take the exam to become a registered dietitian (R.D.).

The dietetic internship with non-thesis master's degree at Viterbo lasts 14 months with 10 months of supervised practice or clinical rotations.  For the 2025-26 academic year, the clinical portion of the internship begins online May 12, 2025, with clinical rotations beginning Aug. 25 and the program is completed on May 8, 2026.  For the master's degree portion of the program, classes will start online May 12, 2025, and run through June 26, 2026. The internship provides at least 1, 200 hours of supervised practice in both community and medical dietetics as well as food service management.  Supervised practice is 32-40 hours per week Monday through Friday.

In order to complete the dietetic internship, successful completion of at least 1,200 hours is required. All competencies must be completed and the intern must consistently abide by all policies and procedures including those related to HIPPA requirements. and the Academy's standards of professional responsibility.

Course	Credits
NUTR540* - Nutrition, Disease and the Inflammatory State	3
NUTR520* - Systems Approach to Obesity Prevention	3
NUTR550* - Nutrigenomics	3
NUTR530 - Evidence Analysis and Systematic Reviews Evidence Analysis Project	3
NUTR567 - Health Assessment and MNT Review	4
NUTR582 - Supervised Practice in Health Promotion	6
NUTR583 - Supervised Practice in Health Management	6
Total	28

*Example of elective - interns would have choice of elective option depending on their declared emphasis: MNT, sports nutrition, or community management

 

Specific requirements for each course within the internship

PHASE I Course

Choose one online elective course for your Masters program (May 12-June 27, 2024) - 3 credits

Overview: elective options include nutrition courses such as Obesity Prevention, Advanced Sports Nutrition, Nutrition and Cancer, etc; or electives from healthcare management, business administration or mental health counseling.

Nutrition 567 Physical Assessment and Development Nutrition - 4 credits*

Overview: This course assists the student in collection of appropriate subjective and objective data associated with obtaining a health and diet history. This course provides an introduction to physical and diagnostic of health status. The emphasis is on knowing normal findings and normal variations in the healthy adult, well child, and the well elder person. Review of Medical Nutrition Therapy or Community Nutrition.

Completion Requirements:

• Complete all work in supervised practice according to the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics.

PHASE II Courses
NUTR 545 Advanced Nutrition Counseling – 3 credits

Overview: These courses are requirements of the master's degree portion of the program

Nutrition 582: Dietetic Internship Rotation I – 6 credits*

Overview: During the program, learning experiences allow the intern to:

• Assess the nutritional status of patients with complex medical conditions; diagnose nutrition problems; plan and implement nutrition interventions; and monitor and evaluate problems, etiologies, signs and symptoms, and the impact of nutrition interventions
• Establish collaborative relationships with patients, caregivers and health professionals
• Use effective education and counseling skills to facilitate behavior change
• Develop time management and critical-thinking skills
• Function as the clinical staff dietitian in various areas to assess nutritional status and to develop and implement an appropriate care plan for each client
• Develop and demonstrate professional characteristics expected of a dietitian
• Develop, conduct, supervise and evaluate a community nutrition intervention project
• Provide nutritional care for individuals and groups in community-based settings
• Develop and provide food and nutrition services in a health care setting
• Perform management functions related to safety, security and sanitation that affect employees, customers, patients and food
• Demonstrate and promote responsible use of resources, including employees, money, time, food and disposable goods

Completion Requirements:

• Complete either the MNT or Community Professionalism Evaluation after week 8 with all related competencies at least a developing level 4
• Complete MNT or Community Professionalism Evaluation after week 16 with all related competencies at least a developing level 4
• Complete Food Service Management Professionalism Evaluation after week 16 with all related competencies at least a developing level 4 if MNT is first rotation
• Complete all work in supervised practice according the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics.

PHASE III Courses
NUTR 530 Evidence Analysis and Systematic Reviews Evidence Analysis Project – 3 credits

NUTR 600 Micronutrients or NUTR 601 Macronutients - 3 credits

Overview: these courses are requirements of the Masters portion of the program

Nutrition 583: Dietetic Internship Rotation 2 – 6 credits*

Overview: During the program, learning experiences allow the intern to:

• Assess the nutritional status of patients with complex medical conditions; diagnose nutrition problems; plan and implement nutrition interventions; and monitor and evaluate problems, etiologies, signs and symptoms, and the impact of nutrition interventions
• Establish collaborative relationships with patients, caregivers and health professionals
• Use effective education and counseling skills to facilitate behavior change
• Develop time management and critical-thinking skills
• Function as the clinical staff dietitian in various areas to assess nutritional status and to develop and implement an appropriate care plan for each client
• Develop and demonstrate professional characteristics expected of a dietitian
• Develop, conduct, supervise and evaluate a community nutrition intervention project
• Provide nutritional care for individuals and groups in community-based settings
• Develop and provide food and nutrition services in a health care setting
• Perform management functions related to safety, security and sanitation that affect employees, customers, patients and food
• Demonstrate and promote responsible use of resources, including employees, money, time, food and disposable goods

Completion Requirements:

• Complete either the MNT or Community Professionalism Evaluation after week 8 with all related competencies (see Appendix 1) at least a developing level 3
• Complete MNT or Community Professionalism Evaluation after week 16 with all related competencies (see Appendix 1) at least a developing level 4
• Complete Food Service Management Professionalism Evaluation after week 16 with all related competencies (see Appendix 1) at least a developing level 4 if MNT is first rotation
• Complete all work in supervised practice according the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics.

PHASE IV Courses

Choose one online elective course for your master's degree program (May 11 – June 26, 2026) - 3 credits
Overview: elective options include nutrition courses such as Obesity Prevention, Advanced Sports Nutrition, Nutrition and Cancer, etc; or electives from healthcare management, business administration or mental health counseling

Program Costs

Dietetic interns may be eligible for financial aid. More information is available at  the Viterbo financial aid office. 

Approximate costs for the 2025–26 academic year for the total program are:

DICAS online application fee	$ 20–$ 45
Activity fee	$ 95/semester
Technology fee	$ 250/ semester
Internship tuition $700/credit	$ 23,800
Phase I  Summer Session – 10 credits including one online elective course 3 credits (May 12-June 27, 2025) NUTR 567 4 credits (May 12-June 27, 2025)
Phase II Fall Semester – 9 credits (Aug. 25-Dec. 8, 2025)
Phase III  Spring Semester – 12 credits  (Jan. 12, 2025-May 8, 2026)
Phase IV Summer Session  – One online elective course 3 credits (May 11-June 26, 2026)
Liability insurance	$ 24
RD exam review binder	$300
Academy student membership (mandatory)	$ 35
Housing costs ($500/month average)	varies
Resource material (books, lab coat, calculator, etc.)	$ 200
Car transportation to and from clinical sites per semester	$ 300

 

Internship Handbook (Track 1 & 2)