Dietetic Internship Master’s Degree Program Guides
This highly competitive year-long internship, which focuses on medical nutrition therapy, is part of two master’s programs offered at TWU:
Upon completion of this internship, you will have only one or two semesters of coursework remaining to earn your graduate degree.
This supervised practice program is an ACEND-accredited program. All supervised practice programs leading to the RDN credential must be accredited by ACEND. The requirements for the national board examination for registered dietitian nutritionists are set by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Requirements to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
- Complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college and coursework accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and complete the requirements for a Verification Statement.
- Complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program which includes experience in clinical nutrition, foodservice management, and community nutrition.
- Pass the national board examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the Registration Examination for Dietitians, refer to www.cdrnet.org.
- Texas also has a state license that many employers require. To obtain licensure, the applicant must hold an active registration from the CDR. Completion of the TWU MS/DI meets the requirements necessary to obtain licensure in the state of Texas. Refer to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) website for additional information. For more information about state licensure requirements visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration at www.cdrnet.org/licensure.
Graduate Degree required to take the CDR National Board Examination
Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that an individual complete coursework and supervised practice in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship program at Texas Woman’s University in Denton and Houston are eligible to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
Internship highlights
- For the past five years, Denton has a 100 percent pass rate and Houston has a 97.37 percent pass rate on the credentialing examination for registered dietitian nutritionists.
- Affiliations with more than 60 prestigious internship sites in the Denton/DFW Metroplex and greater Houston area
- More than 1,000 hours of rotations that cover clinical, food service management, wellness, pediatric, long-term care and WIC
- One-on-one training with experienced instructors
- Significant supervised practice experience
- Program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
Admission requirements
- Verification Statement of Completion for a Didactic Program in Dietetics completed within the past five years
- GPA of 3.25 or higher (4.0 scale) on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework
- Acceptance into TWU’s Graduate School
- Resume highlighting professional interests and goals as well as work experience
- Recommended hospital dietary experience, either paid or voluntary
Internship applications are accepted separately from the master’s degree program.
For more information
Denton:
Kathleen Davis, PhD, RDN, LD
Dietetic Internship Director - Denton
Associate Professor
SRC 204H
940-898-2651
Kdavis10@twu.edu
Houston:
Rachel Poland, MS, RDN, LD
Dietetic Internship Director - Houston
Assistant Clinical Professor
IHSH 7118
cpoland@twu.edu
713-794-2344
Page last updated 4:02 PM, January 4, 2023