Dietetic Internship

This page provides information about the steps needed to become a Registered Dietitian and how to apply to a dietetic internship.

A dietetic internship is one of three required steps in becoming a Registered Dietitian. The three steps are:

  1. Completion of a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD),(i.e., a Bachelor's Degree with specific course requirements; See below for a list of course requirements at Penn State).
  2. Completion of a dietetic internship
  3. Passing a national registration exam

1. Step one - Completion of a Didactic Program in Dietetics

Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD) are bachelor's degrees that include specific courses to meet the didactic (knowledge) guidelines set by The American Dietetic Association (ADA). Upon completion of this step, you will receive a Verification Statement signed by the DPD Director. (Marie Kamp, MBA, RD, LDN). Note that each educational institution defines the specific courses which constitute their "DPD Program."

At Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), these courses are:

ENGL 15 Rhetoric and Composition
ENGL 202C Technical Writing (or equivalent)
CAS 100 Effective Speech
BIOL 141 Physiology
CHEM 202 (formerly 034) or 210 (formerly 038) Organic Chemistry
B M B 211 Elementary Biochemistry
STAT 200 Elementary Statistics
MICRB 106/107 Elementary Microbiology
ECON 002, 004 or 014 or AG BM 101 Economics
PSY 002 or HD FS129 Psychology or SOC 1
NUTR 120 Food Preparation
NUTR 251 Introductory Principles of Nutrition
NUTR 358 Assessment of Nutritional Status
NUTR 360 Disseminating Nutrition Information
NUTR 370 Profession of Dietetics
NUTR 380 Leadership Principles in Nutrition Service
NUTR 400 Introduction to Nutrition Counseling
NUTR 445 Nutrient Metabolism I
NUTR 446 Nutrient Metabolism II
NUTR 451 Nutrition throughout the Life Cycle
NUTR 452 Nutritional Aspects of Disease
NUTR 453 Diet and Disease
NUTR 456 Community Nutrition
NUTR 490W Nutrition Seminar
HR&IM 329 Intro Food Production & Service
HR&IM 330 Food Production & Service Mgmnt
HR&IM 385 Application of Leadership Principles or 365 Org Behavior Hospitality Industry or *MGMT 321 or PSY 231 or HP A460

2. Step two - Completion of a dietetic internship (DI)

This step is independent of the undergraduate degree program. Students wishing to complete this step generally apply to DI programs during their last semester of DPD course work. More information about this process is available from your academic advisor.

These forms are used to apply to most internship programs, but not all of them. Check each programs' specific application procedures.

3. Step three - Passing the national registration examination for dietitians

Individuals who have completed academic (i.e. DPD) and supervised practice (i.e. DI) requirements must pass a computer-based national registration examination for dietitians. The exam is designed to evaluate a dietitian's ability to perform at entry-level. Students are not eligible to take the registration examination until they have completed both steps 1 and 2 above.

All questions regarding the Pennsylvania State University DPD Program should be directed to:

Marie Kamp, MBA, RD, LDN, DPD Director
Phone: (814) 865-9150
myk2@psu.edu