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Program Requirements

The Hunter College MS-Academic Dietetic Internship Program (MS-DI) is a supervised practice program that enables graduates the eligibility to take the registration examination for dietitians. The MS-DI combines a provides a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised practice experience to meet the competencies for entry-level dietitians and the standards of education set forth by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and 24 credits of graduate study. The mission of the Dietetic Internship Program is to provide students with a rigorous, high quality educational and supervised practice experience with a focus on urban public health and community nutrition. Dietetic interns will develop ethical values consistent with professional health care and abide by codes of practice while practicing within diverse, multi-ethnic urban communities. In addition to a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised practice, interns attend a one-week orientation to the program and a weekly dietetic internship seminar.

View the Dietetic Internship Handbook

The 1.5-year (3 semester), 36 credit MS-Academic Dietetic Internship Track is comprised of the courses below. Each course is 3 credits except where noted. Classes meet once a week.

Required Courses (15 credits total)

PH 75000 Biostatistics or equivalent
NUTR 72500 Nutrition Research
NUTR 78000 (78003) Capstone or NUTR 79000 Thesis
NUTR 73100 Advanced Nutrition I
NUTR 73200 Advanced Nutrition II

Experiential Practice Courses (12 credits total)

NUTR 70000 Seminar in Dietetics Practice
NUTR 70100 Pre-Professional Practice in Dietetics: Clinical
NUTR 70200 Pre-Professional Practice in Dietetics: Food Service
NUTR 70300 Pre-Professional Practice in Dietetics: Community

Specialization/Major Electives (9 credits total)

NUTR 73300 Nutrition and Human Development
NUTR 74600 Nutrition and Disease
NUTR 74700 Advanced Nutrition and Assessment Lab (1 credit)
NUTR 74800 Assessment and Counseling
NUTR 77000 Topics in Nutrition (1, 2, or 3 credits)
NUTR 78301, 02, 03 Independent Study (1, 2, or 3 credits)
Other NUTR or Biology or other electives approved by advisor

The internship begins with a one-week orientation to the program.

*Distance interns will participate in orientation activities virtually.

Orientation activities include:

Overview of the School and Program
Review of the DI Policies and Procedures Handbook
Collection and review of all required documents (if not previously submitted)
Paperwork for first rotations (assignments, schedules, processing through volunteer office)
Review of pre-rotation study materials and resources
Semester schedule (mandatory meetings, DI seminar dates, etc.)
Overview of supervised practice rotations (what to expect, professional conduct, pre-rotation assignments and curriculum, journals, competencies, evaluations)
Guest speakers as applicable

Following orientation, interns begin their full-time supervised practice rotations. There are three major rotation areas:

Food Service Management rotation:5-6 weeks (minimum of 150 hours)
Medical Nutrition Therapy rotation:10-12 weeks (minimum of 350 hours)
Community Nutrition and Public Health rotation:16-18 weeks at minimum of 2 rotation sites (minimum of 500 hours)

The number of hours of full-time supervised practice per week varies from site to site, depending on the schedule(s) of the site. Although dietetic interns must complete a minimum of 1,000 hours, they may choose to complete additional weeks/hours at assigned or additional rotation sites if time allows within the DI timeframe.

During rotations, interns begin by observing and assisting staff members and progress through increasingly more responsible activities.

Experiences are sequenced to allow for the development of competencies and interns are expected to demonstrate near entry-level competency at the end of each rotation.

During the supervised practice hours, dietetic interns also participate in departmental in-service programs, rounds, staff meetings, case study presentations, journal clubs, and professional development workshops.

Constructive performance appraisals during supervised practice rotations encourage self-improvement.

Preceptors provide informal and formal feedback during each rotation, as well as at the rotation’s conclusion.

In addition, the Internship Director periodically meets with each intern to discuss his or her overall progress in the program.

When the interns participate in the supervised practice portion of the internship, they simultaneously attend the weekly evening DI seminar taught by the DI Director during the fall and spring semesters.

During the seminar, direct experience is supplemented with informal discussions on topics in food/nutrition, guest lectures, preparation for the Registration Examination for Dietitians (e.g., study guides, review questions, practice exams), and career development (e.g., resumes, cover letters, interviewing skills, preparation of the CDR continuing education portfolio, networking, salary negotiations, etc.). The seminar also provides an opportunity for support and shared learning and students are able to discuss their internship experiences with the Internship Director and classmates.

Throughout the year, interns attend local dietetic association meetings and participate in activities that encourage professional development. In addition, the Hunter Nutrition Program sponsors on-campus meetings and workshops. Each dietetic intern is encouraged to become an affiliate member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Associate membership in The American Public Health Association (APHA) and student membership in the Greater New York Dietetic Association is also recommended.