Family and Consumer Sciences

Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5322 USA
(269) 387-3704

Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Program

This program is offered in-person.

The Nutrition and Dietetics internship program participates in DICAS, the Dietetic Inclusive Centralized Application System. Application deadline for WMU in DICASWednesday, January 15, 2025. Current WMU seniors, who are eligible for early admissions, must apply by January 1, 2025.

  • WMU's Dietetic Internship is a post-baccalaureate program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). ACEND is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' accrediting agency for education programs. Recognized by the United States Department of Education, ACEND assures the quality of nutrition and dietetics education programs for students and the public. 
  • WMU accepts up to 10 interns each Spring. During the program, interns will complete a series of experiences that will enable them to enter the work force with at least entry-level competence in dietetics. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration's credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
  • WMU’s dietetic internship provides well-rounded supervised practice experiences in clinical and long-term care, community nutrition, food service management, wellness, and school food/nutrition.  The program's concentration area is in sustainable food systems. 
  • Individualized learning opportunities are also provided through independent projects and an elective two-week rotation.
  • Graduate courses start in Summer II. The internship practicum begins in late August and finishes in late May of the following year. The remaining graduate courses must be taken and can be completed within 18-24 months of starting the master's degree. These courses can be taken online and can be taken anywhere there is internet access.
  • Upon completion of the internship, interns will have earned 18 hours of graduate credit toward the completion of a Master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics as shown below.

Why the Dietetics Internship Program at Western Michigan University?

  • Program completion rate over five years: 100%.
  • Passage rate on Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam within one year of first attempt, average pass rates from 2019 through 2023: 93%; 
  • Of those seeking employment, percent of graduates who found employment in dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation: > 80% all five years; 
  • Graduate satisfaction (“met expectations, satisfied with match”) by classes 2019 through 2024: 4.4 average out of 5. 

Note: other program outcome data is available per request.

The Western Michigan University Dietetic Internship will be hosting 2 virtual open houses for the Spring 2025 DICAS matching. They will be held:

Please contact Meghan Wilkinson to RSVP or for additional information 

Announcements

  • 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 addition to the master’s degree, CDR will continue to require (1) completion of an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) that most dietetics students complete as undergraduates, and (2) completion of an ACEND accredited dietetic internship.  The WMU dietetic internship program satisfies this second requirement.  Completion of WMU’s master’s program in Family and Consumer Sciences with emphasis in dietetics will satisfy the master’s requirement. 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. More information can be found at CDR’s website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree.
  • Applicants: Please note that the WMU Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Program does not contact any applicants to conduct interviews.

Track options

This track is for those applicants who are seeking a combined master’s degree and dietetic internship to be eligible for the credential exam. Graduate courses start in Summer II. The internship practicum begins in late August and finishes in late May of the following year. The remaining graduate courses must be taken and can be completed within 18 months of starting the master's degree. Some of these courses can be taken online and can be taken anywhere there is internet access. Upon completion of the dietetic internship and Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at WMU, these graduates would earn their verification statement of program completion from the dietetic internship.

This track is for those applicants that have completed a graduate degree and are seeking their supervised practice hours in the dietetic internship. Graduate courses start in the Summer II semester. The internship practicum begins in late August and finishes in late May of the following year. Upon completion of the internship, these graduates would earn their verification statement from the dietetic internship.

Academic credit

Academic credit is earned during the internship. Graduate classes:

  • FCS 6010 Basic Research Methods and Design, 3 credit hours (Summer II)
  • FCS 6140 Nutrient Metabolism I, 3 credit hours (Fall semester)
    FCS 6230 Practicum (Internship), 3 credit hours (Fall semester)
  • FCS 6150 Nutrient Metabolism II, 3 credit hours (Spring semester)
    FCS 6230 Practicum (internship), 3 credit hours (Spring semester)
  • FCS 6900, Seminar in FCS, 3 credit hours (Summer I)
Student in health class
Students with poster

Those who complete the internship and above 18 graduate credits have an additional five years to complete the master’s.  However, they must take and pass the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist before January 1, 2024 if they have not yet earned their master’s by then. After January 1, 2024, students will be required to complete the master’s degree in order to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. This can be done at Western Michigan University. 

Additional information

The mission of the Western Michigan University Dietetic Internship Program is to prepare self-directed entry-level nutrition professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to practice as competent registered dietitian nutritionists in diverse and changing health care, community, and food service environments. 

WMU DI program goals are that upon successful completion of the Western Michigan University dietetic internship program, graduates:

  1. Are competent for entry-level practice as registered dietitian nutritionists in all core performance areas; 
  2. meet employment needs and opportunities in dietetics, nutrition, health, and food in Michigan and beyond.

The WMU Dietetic Internship Program seeks to: help students build on the knowledge already gained in meeting the academic requirements of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, provide opportunities for the application of that knowledge in a variety of settings, and develop the clinical and management skills essential for quality dietetics practice. The program includes both supervised practice and didactic opportunities in clinical nutrition (acute care and long-term and-community care), community nutrition, food service management, wellness, and school food and nutrition. A one-to-one preceptor-student ratio enables interns to build skills and achieve core competencies for the RDN required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). 

WMU’s internship provides a concentration in Sustainable Food Systems. This is integrated into the current core curriculum where possible.

Western Michigan University will accept up to six candidates through the WMU Early Application Process. This program is offered to eligible WMU current seniors. Early applications are due January 1st.

The WMU Dietetic Internship Program objectives are:

  • At least 80% of interns complete the program requirements within 16.5 months for the DI and 27 months for the MS/DI (150% of planned program length) 
  • Of graduates who seek employment, at least 80% are employed in nutrition and dietetics orrelated fields within 12 months of graduation
  • At least 80% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionist within 12 months of program completion
  • The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of the first attempt on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
  • At least 90% of 1st employers following program completion will rate graduates competent or better in professional areas measured (3 out of 5).
  • At least 90% of alumni (those who graduated > 1 year prior to survey) will rate WMU’s ability to meet Goal 1 > 3 out of 5.
  • At least 80% of recent graduates (< 1 month post completion) will rate WMU’s program as having atleast “met expectations, am satisfied with the match” (>4 of 5)
  • Of those who found employment within 12 months of graduation, > 60% will be employed in Michigan
  • At least 90% of alumni (those who graduated > 1 year prior to survey) will rate WMU’s ability to meet Goal 2 as > 3 out of 5.

**Program outcomes data available upon request

Female student
"There's always new and exciting information to be learned within the field, and I really wanted to take advantage of everything that WMU had to offer" - Migdalia, alumna
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Accreditation

WMU's Dietetic Internship is a post-baccalaureate program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). ACEND is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' accrediting agency for education programs. Recognized by the United States Department of Education, ACEND assures the quality of nutrition and dietetics education programs for students and the public. 

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6695
(800) 877-1600 (ext. 5400)

Questions?

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Meghan Wilkinson, MS, RDN, CNSC

Dietetic Internship Program Coordinator
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