Master's Dietetic Internship Program (MS/DI) - Denton
The TWU Masters/Dietetic Internship Program (MS/DI) Denton is a 16-month program combining the supervised practice experiences and graduate study needed to fulfill the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requirements toward becoming a Registered Dietitian (RD)/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). With a 100% one-year pass rate on the RDN exam over the last 6 years, our program prepares graduates to enter the workforce as competent, critically thinking leaders in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
- Supervised Practice: The MS/DI has a Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) emphasis and requires successful completion of a minimum of 1100 supervised practice hours. The program includes planned experiences in clinical nutrition, foodservice management, Inter-Professional Education, community nutrition, and experiences in some of the following areas: long-term care, pediatrics, WIC, according to the interests of the interns.
- Graduate Degree: The Nutrition and Food Sciences (NFS) Department offers multiple graduate degree options. Students can choose between a Master of Science (MS) in Nutrition and MS in Exercise and Sports Nutrition (ESN). Within each of these programs, students can pursue either the Thesis option (30-36 credit hours) or the Coursework option (36-39 credit hours). The DI provides 12 credit hours toward the degree of choice. Note that the thesis option may add an extra semester to the plan of study. Refer to the graduate catalog for graduation requirements for each degree plan.
Upon successful completion of the MS/DI, graduates receive a Verification of Completion Statement, are eligible to sit for the CDR credentialing examination, and are qualified to apply for licensure in the state of Texas. The program has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) through 2030, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Ste 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995; Telephone: (312) 899-0040 or (800)877-1600, ext 5400.
ACEND website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend
General Program Information
- Program Length: 16 months
- Number of intern positions: 16
- One-Year Pass Rate on RDN Exam (last six years): 100%
- DI Supervised Practice Program hours: 1,100
- DI Program Hours per week: 40-45
- Average number of applications: 45-55
- Average GPA range of applicants: 3.5
Prior Advanced Degree
If a qualified applicant has earned a prior advanced degree in nutrition or an area related to the NFS Department degrees, i.e., Food Science, Food Systems Administration, Public Health, etc., then no additional degree is required. The DI Director determines if the prior degree is approved, however, all students are required to enroll in the TWU Graduate School and meet the course and supervised practice requirements relevant to the Dietetic Internship. If a qualified student has earned an advanced degree in a non-related area, i.e., history, psychology, marketing, etc., then they must enroll in one of the MS programs mentioned above. No prior learning experiences can be utilized to replace any of the supervised practice requirements and/or required credit hours.
Accreditation Status and the Credentialing Process
The TWU-Denton Internship Program is currently granted accreditation status through 2028 by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite #2190, Chicago, IL 60606- 6995; Telephone: (312)899-0040 or (800)877-1600 ext. 5400.
ACEND website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend
Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences
Science Research Commons, Room 204
PO Box 425888
Denton, TX 76204-5888
Website: twu.edu/nutrition-food-sciences/
Page last updated 3:30 PM, August 5, 2024