Dietetic Internship Program at SF State University

Admission Criteria for Spring 2025                             
Revised October 8, 2024    

Eligibility:   

• Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD): Completion of both a baccalaureate degree and an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) are required prior to program start date of July 2025. A DPD verification statement will be required prior to start of internship program.           
• Graduate degree: Applicant must either complete a graduate degree by July 2025 or be eligible to enroll in the San Francisco State University’s M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences degree.          
• Course Grades: All required DPD courses must be completed with a minimum of a “C” grade prior to the dietetic internship program start date. Additionally, the overall DPD GPA must be at least a 3.0.          
• DICAS: Applicants must participate in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ (AND) Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Process (DICAS). Applicants must submit their application for SFSU by February 1, 2025 and pay the required DICAS fees.          
• Application Fee: A separate $70 application for SFSU must be submitted online. A receipt for this fee should be uploaded to the DICAS miscellaneous section. Applicants who do not pay this fee will not be reviewed or considered.           
• Recency of coursework: Applicants with a DPD Verification Statement from before August 2022 must re-take a clinical nutrition/MNT course and a physiology course and receive a grade of C or better for both. This ONLY applies to applicants whose DPD Verification Statement completion date is before August 2022. If DPD was completed prior to August 2022, include the previous and the new grades received in these courses on the DICAS application, or if currently re-taking these courses, provide proof in the DICAS miscellaneous section that of enrollment in these two courses.          
• International Students: Some international students are eligible for admission to this program. Please contact the program director for more eligibility.          
• GRE: The GRE is not required for admission to the internship program or the M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences.            

Criteria for Application Review:   

• GPA: A minimum DPD GPA of 3.0. is required with all DPD required courses completed with a grade of C or better. Overall GPA should be at least a 2.7. Admitted applicants generally have higher GPAs than the minimum requirement. The average DPD GPA of admitted applicants is approximately a 3.4.                
• Work and volunteer experience: Successful applicants typically have significant work/volunteer experience. A minimum of 250 hours is recommended but many applicants have more than this. Nutrition, dietetics, and healthcare related experience is most valuable, but any experience that would help an intern to be successful in an internship will be considered.                 
• DPD GPA and dietetic work/volunteer experience are the criteria that are the most important during the initial review of applications, but all of the following are subsequently reviewed and evaluated.                            
  a.    DPD coursework grades                            
  b.    overall undergraduate GPA (and graduate coursework if applicable)                            
  c.    science coursework GPA                            
  d.    letters of recommendation                             
  e.    personal statement that includes answers to SFSU-specific questions listed in the “How to Apply” section                                    
  f.    example of Academic work                            
  g.    Zoom interview (applicants who are being considered for admission will receive an e-mail in February to schedule an interview)                            
  h.    preference may be given to SFSU DPD graduates whose qualifications are competitive with non-SFSU graduates                             
  i.    other criteria that may be considered include previous experience working with culturally diverse populations, second language(s), leadership experience, honors, awards, and scholarships                          

Evaluation of Applications and Acceptance:   

• A committee comprised of dietetics faculty and others will review applications based on the above criteria.                          
• Applicants will be notified no later than March 1, 2025 if they have been accepted, waitlisted, or not accepted. Those that are accepted must accept their spot by March 15, 2025 or their spot will be offered to someone on the waitlist.                           
• Accepted applicants must then officially apply to San Francisco State University via Cal State Apply for the Graduate Certificate in Dietetics and apply to the M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences, if they don’t already have a graduate degree, as directed. Admission to the DI program and graduate school is contingent on satisfactory completion of an undergraduate degree, and DPD program with all DPD coursework completed with a “C” grade or better. Requirements for admission to the Graduate School can be found here.

What is Required After Admission into the Program:   

Admitted interns will be required to be cleared by a criminal background check, fingerprinting, and drug screening. Interns will also be required to obtain medical clearance to include a physical exam, TB clearance (two-step PPD tests, Quantiferon Gold blood test, and/or chest x-ray), titers showing MMR, varicella, and Hepatitis B immunity, a TDap booster within the last ten years, COVID vaccination and booster, and flu shot. If an intern is unable to satisfactorily meet and complete these requirements, it is possible that the intern cannot be placed into rotations as facilities require some or all of these requirements for placement. This will result in the intern not being able to complete the program.

All DPD courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. If an applicant receives lower than a “C” grade in a DPD required course after admission, the admission can be retracted.

No credit hours will be awarded towards the minimum 1024 required supervised practice hours for prior work experience. All Dietetic Internship Program coursework (four academic courses) is required even if similar coursework has been completed previously in a graduate degree. If an intern already has a graduate degree, they do not need to complete the M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences degree.

All interns will be required to purchase and maintain health insurance throughout the internship. The university does not provide health insurance to interns in this program.

Financial aid may be available to interns in this program. In the past, students who received financial aid only received enough to cover tuition. Students will have to pay for summer tuition before the first installment of financial aid is given. Applicants must make sure they have adequate finances to pay for all expenses for the internship year. See Estimated Costs and Financial Aid.

For More Information:

DICAS                            
SFSU Dietetic Internship webpage  
DI Linkedin Page                       
Family Interiors Nutrition & Apparel                            
DICAS Application Process       
ACEND Applicant Code of Conduct       
Applicant Guide to Supervised Practice Experience (available from your DPD Director)         

San Francisco State University – Dietetic Internship Program           
How to Apply            
Revised October 8, 2024

Application Guidelines (not early admission)

To apply to San Francisco State University’s dietetic internship program for admission in Summer 2025, you must complete the following by February 1, 2025:     

1. DICAS - SFSU requires three Letters of Recommendation, Personal Statement, and a sample of Academic Work   
2. Pay separate $70 application fee to apply to SFSU. This is in addition to the fees for DICAS. Click here for payment (opens in November)

The application deadline for San Francisco State University is February 1, 2025. However, earlier submission is encouraged. Please note that other programs may have earlier deadlines.

*Dietetic Internship Centralized Application System (DICAS)

Complete your application on the DICAS portal            
The entire on-line application must be completed by February 1, 2025 for our program. However, earlier submission is recommended. Please note that other programs may have earlier deadlines. The fee (subject to change) for DICAS is $50 for the first DI program application and $25 for each additional DI program application. Follow the directions carefully on DICAS to ensure that your application is complete and accurate.           

1. Complete all the DICAS standard sections: Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information. Be sure to request transcripts in a timely manner so that they can be posted on time to your application. Please include Fall grades if possible. Additionally, either a DPD Verification Statement or a Declaration of Intent to Complete are required for our program. 
2. Additional materials to be submitted to your DICAS application:           
   a.    Personal Statement: Include the following information:            
   I.     How or why you became interested in nutrition and dietetics           
   ii.    How has your education and your work/volunteer experiences prepared you for a dietetic internship           
   iii.   What is your prior experience and/or interest in working with diverse populations           
   iv.   What are your career interests within the field of nutrition and dietetics           
   v.    What skills, characteristics, background or abilities make you a good candidate for SFSU’s Dietetic Internship Program?           
   vi.   Anything else you would like to share regarding your qualifications and interests.            
   vii.  Three words or short phrases that describe your personality and/or work or learning style (do not elaborate further)           
   viii. Maximum length - Two pages, single-spaced, 12-point font           
   b.    Academic Work: Provide an example of an assignment or project that was completed in the applicant’s DPD program or graduate school. This should reflect the applicant’s abilities as an academic student. Examples of what can be submitted include a written paper, a presentation (i.e. slides), or a written case study.            
   c.    Recommendation Letters: Three letters of recommendation are required. These can be from faculty and/or managers or supervisors from different areas of dietetics, with the most important criteria being that the reference writers know the applicant well enough to be able to write about the strengths and the areas for improvement of the applicant, and ability to complete a Dietetic Internship and graduate degree. Non-dietetics references’ letters will also be accepted if the reference letter is relevant to the applicant’s ability to successfully complete a dietetic internship program and a master's degree.           
   d.    Receipt: Include proof of payment of the $70 application fee to SFSU (see below)

*Application Fee for San Francisco State University       

A $70 application fee payable to San Francisco State University is required to apply to SFSU’s Dietetic Internship. Click here for payment and will be open in November. Upload a copy of your receipt of payment in the DICAS miscellaneous section. Failure to pay this additional fee will result in the application being rejected.           
Please note that there are two dietetic internship programs in San Francisco. These instructions are for San Francisco State University (SFSU). The other dietetic internship program in San Francisco is the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Be sure to apply and submit your application to the correct program.         

If you have questions regarding applying to San Francisco State University’s Dietetic Internship, please contact Wanda Siu-Chan, Dietetic Internship Director.

Early Admission Option for current SFSU DPD Students          
Revised October 8, 2024    

Current SFSU DPD students have the opportunity to apply for early admission into the Dietetic Internship program.

To be eligible for the Early Admission Option, the DICAS application and the $70 application fee paid to SFSU must be submitted by January 15, 2025

To apply under the early admission option, the applicant must meet all of the requirements under the “Admissions Criteria” page. Additionally, the applicant must:

• Have completed or be in the process of completing NUTR 484, 450, 551, 557, and preferably have completed NUTR 457, 453   
• Expect to complete the DPD program and the B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics: Concentration in Dietetics and Nutrition Science in May 2025

A maximum of eight of the 14 available internship spots are available for the early admission option, but not all eight may necessarily be filled. Any unfilled spots will be filled via the standard application process, to fill to the maximum class size of 14 interns.

Please note that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. The early admission option is a selective process and accepted applicants will likely exceed all minimum requirements as posted under the “Admissions Criteria”. The early admission option is recommended for applicants with a strong DPD GPA, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and dietetics work or volunteer experience or other experience that is transferrable to the field of dietetics. Individuals with experience working with culturally diverse populations are encouraged to apply.

To Apply via the Early Admission Option:

• Complete the DICAS application by January 15, 2025. See the “How to Apply” section for specific requirements for the personal statement and letters of recommendation   
• Pay the SFSU $70 application fee by January 15, 2025. Click here for payment (opens in November). Upload a copy of your $70 receipt to the DICAS miscellaneous section.   
• Applicants may be contacted for a Zoom interview.    
• Unofficial or official transcripts showing grades for the Fall 2024 semester may be requested.   

Early Admission notification:        

Applicants will be notified of the early admission decision by January 31, 2025. If an accepted applicant chooses to accept admission, they must notify the program director at siuchan@sfsu.edu by 12 noon on February 1, 2025.        

Early admission applicants who were not accepted:        

If an early admission applicant was not admitted through the early admission option, their application will still be considered for the regular Spring application cycle. Applicants that paid the SFSU application fee for the early admission option do not need to pay the application fee again to participate in the Spring application. They will be notified if they are accepted, wait listed, or not accepted, along with all other applicants by March 1, 2025. 

Program Requirements & Curriculum              
Revised October 23, 2024 

Master’s Degree Requirement 

Students admitted into the Dietetic Internship Program for the 2024-2025 year who do not already possess a graduate degree will need to also complete the SF State’s M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) degree before being eligible to take the RD/RDN exam. 

Required Coursework

All students in the Dietetic Internship Program will enroll from Summer 2025-Spring 2026 semesters. Students entering the program without a graduate degree will additionally need to enroll in the M.A. program from Summer 2026-Fall 2026. It is expected that those students will complete both the Dietetic Internship Program and the M.A. by the end of the Fall 2026 semester. The Dietetic Internship is a 24-unit program. Eighteen of those units can be transferred to the M.A. in FCS which is a 30-unit master’s degree program.

Interns who do not have a graduate degree prior to entering the program will be required to take all course listed below. Those who enter the program with a graduate degree will not have to take courses indicated with a * symbol. The course sequence is subject to change

Summer 2025 R3   

NUTR 751 Seminar in Nutritional Assessment Across the Lifespan (3 units)          
FCS 700 Trends and Issues (3 units)*

Fall 2025 

NUTR 755 Seminar in Human Nutrition and Metabolism (3 units)          
NUTR 758 Seminar in Foodservice and Nutrition Program (3 units)          
NUTR 881 Internship in Dietetics (6 units)         

Spring 2026 

NUTR 785  Seminar in Medical Nutrition Therapy (3 units)           
NUTR 881 Internship in Dietetics (6 units)

Summer 2026 R2

FCS 710 FCS Research Applications (3 units)*          
ISED 797 Seminar in Educational Research (or approved substitution – 3 units)* 

Fall 2026

FCS 895 Field Study (3 units)*

Required Writing Proficiency (for those without a graduate degree)

Level One Written English Proficiency: There are two options: 1) GRE (writing component only) with a 4.0 score or 2) a minimum grade of “B” on the graduate level position paper in the first summer FCS 700 course. If neither of the above requirements are met, student is required to take and pass HSS 700 Graduate Writing in Health and Social Sciences during the spring semester following the FCS 700 course.

Technology Requirements

Students are required to have access to a computer/tablet and reliable internet access for classes and rotations. Technical requirements to use Zoom are posted here The university library loans out laptops for students who do not have a computer or tablet, and the university provides free WiFi on campus if students do not have reliable internet access. These both meet the technical requirements for Zoom. 

Supervised Practice 

Supervised practice experiences (NUTR 881) are completed under the direction of a dietitian, foodservice manager, or other qualified professional in a facility or program serving infants, children, adults, older adults, or the general population in a healthcare, community, non-profit, or business setting. Since the Greater San Francisco Bay Area’s population is diverse in ethnicities and culture, individuals who have strong verbal and written English skills who also speak a second language, especially Spanish, Chinese, or Vietnamese, are encouraged to apply. 

This internship is based on specific experiences and competencies set forth by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). ACEND requires 1000 hours of supervised practice, which may include up to 300 hours of alternate supervised practice (simulation/case studies) hours. Interns in this program will complete a minimum of 1024 hours of supervised practice, which is typically completed over 32 weeks with 32 hours per week of supervised practice experience. Additional hours may be required or requested, depending on the intern’s progress and ability to complete all required competencies. Alternate supervised practice hours are not typically used unless competencies are unable to be met in rotations. Summer, Fall, and Spring enrollment are required. 

Rotations will generally include all of the following:

• Acute care clinical (hospital) 
• Long-term care and/or outpatient/specialty nutrition clinic
• Foodservice systems management 
• Community nutrition and/or public health nutrition
• Elective 

Interns will be placed in rotations in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Interns may be able to use public transportation for some rotations, but access to a vehicle for the entire duration of the internship, and proof of auto insurance, is required. In the Bay Area, a one-hour commute each way by car is to be expected and is typical. There may be bridge tolls and significant parking fees as well. Commuting by public transportation is encouraged whenever possible but will likely require even longer commute times. If you will not have access to a vehicle for the entire duration of the internship, please do not apply to this program, as this is a requirement.

The array of clinical, community, and food service rotations will allow the intern to have a variety of experiences in dietetics. An intern’s interests in specific areas of dietetics will be taken into consideration when scheduling supervised practice rotations. Internship rotations begin in mid-August and typically end the following year at the beginning of June. Interns will typically be given two weeks off during December/January, and one week off for Spring Break, but this time off is not guaranteed. Since this is an intensive program, interns should not expect to hold outside jobs or have other significant time commitments while enrolled in the program. 

Program Completion Requirements 

• Achieve an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 with a minimum of "B" in all required academic courses and credit in all of the supervised practice internship components of the program. Meet all ACEND competencies for supervised practice as evidenced by activities, assignments, preceptor evaluations, case studies, and papers.
• Evaluation forms – interns must demonstrate dietetics competencies in all three of the following areas: foodservice systems management, clinical/patient care, and community nutrition with a minimum evaluation score of a 3 (satisfactory) or better on all competencies on evaluation forms. 
• Competency to be able to function as an entry-level dietitian is demonstrated by satisfactory performance completing staff relief for a minimum of two (2) weeks. 
• Interns admitted into the program who already have a graduate degree are expected to complete the program in 11 months. Interns with a graduate degree who are unable to meet completion requirements within 17 months of start date may be terminated from the program unless there are extenuating circumstances. Interns admitted into the program without a graduate degree will be required to complete the M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences. Expected completion time for both the Dietetic Internship program and the M.A. is 18 months. Interns who are unable to complete these requirements within 27 months may be terminated from the program unless there are extenuating circumstances.  
• Interns that satisfactorily complete all the requirements for both the Dietetic Internship program and the M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences (or had a graduate degree prior to admission) will receive a Verification Statement to certify that the individual is eligible to sit for the RD/RDN exam.
• Interns who have unsatisfactory evaluations from preceptors, unsatisfactory grades, excessive absenteeism or tardiness, unprofessional behavior, or who violate the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Code of Ethics can be terminated from the program. 

Program Costs          
Revised December 17, 2024

Certificate in Dietetics (Dietetic Internship Program) and M.A in Family & Consumer Sciences

Technology

Students are required to have access to a computer/tablet and reliable internet access for classes and rotations. Technical requirements to use Zoom are posted here. The university’s library loans out laptops for students who do not have a computer or tablet, and the university provides free WiFi on campus if students do not have reliable internet access. These both meet the technical requirements for Zoom.  

Financial Aid

Those enrolled in the Certificate in Dietetics and the M.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences may be eligible for a Federal Direct Student loan. Those interested in financial aid should complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application after admittance to the program. Please note that Financial Aid is not available until the Fall semester. Tuition (estimated to be $2835, subject to change) for the first summer will need to be paid in full prior to Financial Aid monies being available. Please note that financial aid has covered only partial tuition costs for previous interns, and is a loan, not a grant. Applicants should consider their ability to financially cover tuition, all living expenses, and other program-related and personal costs prior to applying to our program. As this is a full-time program, any outside employment or other significant time commitments during the program are very strongly discouraged. 

As per federal regulations for programs that qualify for financial aid, the following information is provided: 
A dietetic internship prepares students for the following careers:

A dietetic internship prepares students for the following careers: 

• SOC# 29-1030 "Dietitians and Nutritionists" and SOC# 29-1031 “Dietitians”   
• Job description for “Dietitian and Nutritionists” can be found at here.

Please also visit SF State’s Financial Aid Website at:

• Applicants are encouraged to apply for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and other scholarships. Students can also choose to take out private loans.

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/registered dietitian nutritionist (RD/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. 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 the ACEND-accredited [program type] program at [Institution name] are eligible to [apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program/apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN].

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice.

This is an accredited Dietetic Internship (DI) program of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). A DI offers the practicum experiences and competencies required prior to taking the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN) exam which is given by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). To meet the 2024 requirement of a graduate degree, interns must complete both the Dietetic Internship program and a graduate degree before receiving a verification statement to be eligible to sit for the RD/RDN exam.

In July 1997, San Francisco State University’s Dietetic Internship Program was granted an initial accreditation for a period of ten years by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE), now ACEND. A 5-year interim report was submitted in February 2002. The Self-Study was submitted February 2009 and the re-accreditation site visit was in May 2009. The program was granted continued accreditation for 10 years. The 5-year interim report was completed in November 2014 and approved for continued accreditation. The program submitted a Self-Study in August 2018 for re-accreditation. The Re-accreditation Site Visit took place in November 2018 and the program was granted continued accreditation through December 2027.

Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Phone 800-877-1600 ext 5400