Combined Master of Science and Dietetic Internship

Program Details

Graduation Requirements

Admission Procedures

Ohio University’s Combined Master of Science and Dietetic Internship program is a four-semester program that accepts 10 interns annually. Application to this program is open to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited university or college and Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) coursework approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Interns can choose to complete internship rotations in Columbus, Ohio or Athens, Ohio; or both locations. In addition to graduate coursework and internship experiences, interns will complete a graduate project in an area of interest prior to graduation.

Graduates of the program receive a Master of Science Degree, a Dietetic Internship Verification Statement and are eligible to sit for the national Registered Dietitian examination (opens in a new window). Program outcomes data are available upon request; for more information, please contact Kim Orben (orben@ohio.edu).

Program Accreditation

Ohio University's Combined Master of Science and Dietetic Internship is granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) (opens in a new window) under the 2022 Accreditation Standards. ACEND can be contacted by email (ACEND@eatright.org ), phone (1.800.877.1600 x5400), or mail (120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995).

2024 CDR Master's Degree Requirement  (opens in a new window)

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. 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 combined Master of Science and Dietetic Internship program at Ohio 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. State licensure requirements (opens in a new window)