Track 3: Dietetic Internship + Thesis Masters

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 thesis Masters 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 Aug. 25, 2025, and 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 1,000 hours of supervised practice in both community and medical dietetics as well as food service management. Supervised practice is 30 hours per week Monday through Friday.

In order to complete the dietetic internship, successful completion of at least 1,000 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.

Specific requirements for each course within the internship + thesis option:

	Course	Credits
	NUTR 540* – Nutrition, Disease, and the Inflammatory State	3
	NUTR 520* – Systems Approach to Obesity Prevention	3
	NUTR 630 – Medical Nutrition Therapy III	3
	NUTR 550* – Nutrigenomics	3
	NUTR 545 – Advanced Nutrition Counseling	3
	NUTR 640 – Research I Methods	3
	NUTR 530 – Evidence Analysis and Systematic Reviews Evidence Analysis Project	3
	NUTR 641 – Research II Analysis	3
	NUTR 567– Health Assessment and MNT Review	4
	NUTR 670 – Dietetic Internship Rotation 1	5
	NUTR 671 – Dietetic Internship Rotation 2	5
	TOTAL	38
*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 Courses

Choose one online elective course for your Masters program (May 12–June 27, 2025) - 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 670: Dietetic Internship Rotation I – 5 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

NUTR 640: Research Methods 1 – 3 credits

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 671: Dietetic Internship Rotation 2 – 5 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

NUTR 641: Research Methods 2 – 3 credits

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

Program costs

DICAS online application fee	$20–45
Activity fee	$95/semester
Technology fee	$250/semester
Internship tuition $700/credit x 38 credits	$26,600

Phase I summer session – 10 credits (May 12-Aug. 15, 2025)	$7,000
Phase II fall semester – 15 credits (Aug. 25-Dec. 12, 2025)	$10,500
Phase III spring semester – 12 credits (Jan. 12-May 8, 2026)	$8,400
Phase IV summer session – 3 credits (May 11-June 26, 2026)	$2,100

Liability insurance	$24
RD exam review binder	$300
Academy student membership	$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