Dietetic Internship

 

internship student giving a presentation

Program Update: The program will not be accepting new students for the 2024-2025 program year. Please check back for information regarding the 2025-2026 academic year.

The Lamar University Dietetic Internship (DI) Program offers an accredited 12-month (August to August) program for up to 10 students. The program began in 1995 with a commitment to provide an excellent, evidence-based supervised practice experience to all dietetic interns. The Dietetic Internship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The most recent accreditation site visit and review occurred in May 2023. See below for more information on ACEND.

The program emphasizes nutrition education and counseling and requires you to complete a minimum of 1084 hours (at least 32 weeks) in supervised practice experiences within the Southeast Texas region along with the MS in Nutrition degree at Lamar University. The MS in Nutrition program completion with degree conferment is required starting in the 2023-2024 academic year. The LU DI program no longer offers a DI only option. Upon satisfactory completion of the internship and the master program requirements, you become eligible to take the registration exam, and become an active member of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.

Additionally, once you are a qualified RDN, you are eligible to apply to become a Texas Licensed Dietitian. Regulations and requirements may vary from state-to-state; more information is available here.

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. 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 dietetic internship program at Lamar University are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. Find out more information about state licensure requirements.

Read more information about educational pathways to become a RDN.

*The Dietetic Internship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Eat Right Logo*Next review of the program is planned for 2023. 
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics 
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190 
Chicago, IL 60606-6995 
Phone: 312/899-0040, ext. 5400 
Website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend