Program Overview
The Dietetic Internship/Supervised-Practice Experience (DI/SPE) Program at CSUSB received candidacy accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) starting Fall 2026. The program requirements include completion of a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice at various facilities including but not limited to hospitals, foodservice and management programs, school districts, long-term care, public health/community nutrition, and wellness clinics. In addition to the supervised-practice experience, interns must also complete a week of virtual/online campus orientation at the start of the program, complete all program rotations, online courses, course and practice exams, the DI exit exam, and a graduate degree before a Verification Statement for DI/SPE (VS DI/SPE) can be issued by the Program Directo. This Verification Statement of DI/SPE allows graduates to take the registration exam for RDN through Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). The DI/SPE Program Director will submit the necessary documents, at the completion of the DI Program, to CDR so that the graduate may register to take the credential exam.
The Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) concentration of CSUSB DI/SPE provides interns with additional experience in their specialty before entering their professions. The clinical sites include, but not limited to, long-term care facilities, inpatient or outpatient clinic settings, which may also be the site of a community rotation. CSUSB DI/SPE accepts up to thirty (30) full-time interns each year. Options of the program include full-time, part-time, with a local, or distance format. CSUSB DI/SPE Program has the rotation sites agreement for local facilities so that the interns do not have to secure their own preceptors and facilities.
The DI/SPE Program will be housed in the CSUSB Department of Health Science and Human Ecology (HSCI), Nutritional Science and Dietetics Program.
Qualifications:
Undergraduate or graduate students who successfully completed the ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics are eligible to apply for the DI/SPE Program with the Verification Statement from the DPD (VS DPD). Graduates with a master’s degree or those enrolled in a master’s degree in a nutrition/ dietetics related program are eligible to apply to the ACEND-accredited supervised-practice program such as Dietetic Internship Program. Graduates, who successfully completed all requirements of the CSUSB DI/SPE Program, will receive a Verification Statement for DI/SPE and they are eligible to take the registration exam after completion of the DI/SPE Program.
For any questions regarding the accreditation status or graduate degree requirements, please contact Dr. Marta Sovyanhadi, DI Program Director, at marta.sovyanhadi@csusb.edu.
Duration:
Full time 11 months or 22 months for part-time interns. Some interns may complete the program earlier than the allotted time period.
Orientation:
The CSUSB DI/SPE Program requires that all interns complete a week of orientation, which will be held virtually in August, prior to rotation start date in August. Details and schedule of the orientation and start dates will be provided to the interns when they are accepted into the program.
How to Complete the Program:
Interns must complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised-practice experience and pass all online program didactic modules in addition to an exit exam. Interns must complete a master’s degree and DI Program before a Verification Statement DI can be issued by the Program Director. The Program Director will submit the documents to CDR for eligible interns. The signed Verification Statement documents allow graduates of DI program to take the CDR’s Credential (RDN) exam. The VS DI verifies that the interns completed the supervised-practice program requirements and are eligible to take the credential exam. Please note that interns may NOT use the Registered Dietitian Eligible (RDE) because it is not a recognized credential by the dietetic professional organization.
Interns with a minimal chance of success in the program will be directed to review or take additional didactic classes, including practical training; and they may also be asked to take a leave of absence from their internship rotation, in order to enhance their chances of completing the internship program and passing the RDN exam.
Tentative Rotation Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
| Track Tentative dates** | Rotation | Hours |
| August/September | Community | 150 |
| October to November | Management (school district, long-term care, hospital and/or others) | 150 |
| December/January | MNT | 600 |
| April | Electives | 100 |
| Total | 1,000 | |
**An official schedule will be created in conjunction with the program instructor and coordinator upon acceptance.
Program Mission, Goals and Objectives
Mission
The mission of the Nutritional Science and Dietetics Program at CSUSB is to provide a high-quality education and cultural competencies to prepare students for supervised-practice leading to eligibility for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). Through the accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and Dietetic Internship (DI) Program, graduates will be prepared academically and professionally to work in a variety of employment opportunities as an entry-level registered dietitian nutritionist, who will address the nutrition and health needs of individuals, families, schools, and communities.
Goal 1: Programs will prepare graduates capable of succeeding as entry-level practitioners as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
| Objectives |
|---|
| Objective 1.1: All 100% of the interns will complete all the didactic course exams and assignments with grade higher than 80%. Interns will be allowed to repeat the exams as needed until a score of 80% is achieved. |
| Objective 1.2: Over the 3-years average, at least 90% of program interns will complete program/degree requirements within 16.5 months (150% of program length) for full-time interns and 33 months (150% of program length) for part-time interns. |
| Objective 1.3: Of graduates who seek employment, 90% of the interns who passed the registration exam will be employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of program completion. |
Objective 1.4: At least 80% of program graduates will take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionist within 12 months of program completion. Objective 1.5: The program’s three-year average for the one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists will be at least 80%. Objective 1.6: At least 90% of surveys returned by employers of DI graduates will rate these graduates as “satisfactory” or better in terms of their preparation for entry-level practice as a dietitian nutritionist. Objective 1.7a: At least 80% of DI graduates, who respond to the program survey, will indicate that the program “prepared” or “well-prepared” them to be successful in employment in a nutrition and dietetic related position. Objection 1.7.b: At least 80% of DI graduates who respond to the program survey will rate the education at CSUSB to be “good” to “excellent.” |
Goal 2
The DI Program will prepare graduates competent in a variety of employment opportunities that will address the nutrition and health needs in multicultural communities.
| Objectives 2.1: At least 80% of interns will score at least “2” (average performance) on the preceptor evaluation of competency to work with clients from various ethnic/cultural backgrounds. |
| Objective 2.2: At least 90% of surveys returned by employers will rate DI graduates as being “competent” to “extremely competent” to work with clients of various ethnic/cultural backgrounds. |
| Objective 2.3: At least 80% of DPD graduates who respond to the program survey will rate themselves as “competent” or “extremely competent” in their ability to provide service to culturally diverse communities. |
| Objectives 2.1: At least 80% of interns will score at least “2” (average performance) on the preceptor evaluation of competency to work with clients from various ethnic/cultural backgrounds. |
Program outcomes data are available upon request. Please contact Dr. Marta Sovyanhadi, DI Program Director, at marta.sovyanhadi@csusb.edu.