Program Overview
Your passion is to help others bring about a healthier lifestyle through their diet and nutrition. We provide experiences to prepare you to become a registered dietitian through supervised practice and graduate level coursework. Whether your interest is clinical, outpatient, community, wellness, sports nutrition or food service operations, we’ll ensure you reach your goal. Gain in-depth experience through Lipscomb University’s 37-week internship in dietetics.
Expect excellence in the classroom and in your supervised practice settings. We've designed a graduate level curriculum that will help you advance in competencies expected for entry level dietitians. Gain invaluable experience by serving the community and becoming committed to the Code of Ethics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. You'll gain the required hours of practice experience along with your coursework from August to May.
When you complete our program, you will have the skills and experience necessary to take the next steps in your career as a dietitian — and live out your calling to help others live healthier lives.
*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 individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete Lipscomb's ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship Certificate Program by May 2022 or the Masters Dietetic Internship after December 31, 2023 are eligible to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here.
For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here.
Admissions Requirements
- Completed one of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics accredited undergraduate or certificate nutrition programs providing a verification statement.
- Minimum DPD GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Verification statement from an approved undergraduate or certificate program in dietetics
- Excellent reference/recommendations, with one from your DPD Director or academic advisor
- Applicable nutrition courses and GRE from within the past five years
- GRE preferred, but optional due to COVID.
Courses
Our requirements include 12 hours of graduate study:
- NUGR 5403 - Special Topics: Medical Nutrition Therapy
-
NUGR 5013 Dietetic Internship Experience I
-
NUGR 5023 Dietetic Internship Experience II
-
NUGR 5153 Nutrition Research
These may be applied towards a Master of Science degree in Lipscomb's Exercise and Nutrition Science (EXNS) graduate program, one of dietetics most exciting new areas of dual-discipline study. These credits may also be transferred for graduate study at most accredited universities in the country. It is the responsibility of the intern to determine the total number of transferable credits allowed at the institution of choice. The Dietetic Internship Certificate Program is eligible for federal financial aid as a graduate level certificate program through completion of six graduate credits per semester during the program.
Internship orientation, assigned graduate classes and practicum rotations make up the program which begins in early August and ends mid-May.
Tuition & Aid
As you consider the cost of your internship, here is a comprehensive list of all the costs related to this Lipscomb University program.
- Application Fee: $35
- Tuition: $1,030* per credit hour - $6,180* per semester
- DI Fees: $2,500 per semester
You should also expect some professional expenses:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Student Membership: $58
- Student Malpractice Liability Insurance: $24
Obtain student AND member coverage here. Once your application is complete and paid, you will receive the certificate of liability immediately. Follow instructions. If you are a DTR, you will apply as a professional and your cost will likely be between $70 and $80. - Items such as background checks, immunizations, titers, TB skin tests, drug tests, personal health insurance, and individual malpractice liability insurance are requirements for participants.
- Interns are responsible for food and miscellaneous personal expenses incurred during attendance at the Tennessee Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic's annual meeting, as well as transportation and meals during rotations.
- Slip-resistant shoes and appropriate foodservice attire are required for certain rotations. Professional clothing, lab coat, and closed-toe dress shoes are the accepted attire for clinical and community rotations, unless scrubs and tennis shoes are facility approved.
- A laptop computer, personal printer and scanner, textbooks and online resources, as well as other school supplies are necessary for successful completion of program expectations.
*Tuition and fees are estimates and subject to change.
Financial Aid
The Lipscomb Dietetic Internship Certificate is eligible for financial aid. Please contact Tamera Spivey in our financial aid office with questions you may have concerning your eligibility for financial aid once you have filed your FAFSA and have been admitted to the university.
