Combined M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Program (MS/DI)

The combined M.S. in Nutrition/Dietetic Internship Program (DI) is completed in 38 credits. Accepted students complete 20 hours of online M.S. in Nutrition coursework and 18 credits of Dietetic Internship Program specific coursework that includes a minimum of 1200 hours of supervised practice. Students who successfully complete the program receive a Masters in Nutrition and a Verification Statement of Program Completion. They are then eligible to take the National Examination to become a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RD/RDN). The program offers a concentration in Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice and one in Community and Public Health Nutrition.

Mission and Goals

The mission of the College of Saint Elizabeth Dietetic Internship Program is to provide dietetic interns with didactic and supervised practice experiences meeting the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). With unique learning opportunities and strong faculty support, the program promotes the professional development of each dietetic intern within his or her concentration in Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice or Community and Public Health Nutrition.

Rooted in the College's institutional mission, the College of Saint Elizabeth Dietetic Internship extends the college's long history of academic excellence and quality education with a concentration on leadership in dietetics, service to the community and ethical practice.

Program Goals

• Prepare program graduates for ethical, evidence-based entry level positions in dietetics meeting the Core Competencies for the RD as established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) with an emphasis on acquisition of knowledge and practice skills specific to the Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice Concentration or Community and Public Health Nutrition Concentration.
• Provide an environment in which graduates complete the program having developed leadership skills and a commitment to service through the exposure to community rotations, self-assessment of competence, initiation of draft continuing education plan and completion of capstone portfolio.

Supervised Practice

Supervised practice is divided into five areas: Clinical Dietetics, Departmental Management, Community Nutrition, Professional Development and the Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice or Community and Public Health Nutrition Concentration. The schedule is planned on a rotational basis. Students will participate in an orientation and simulated practice experience prior to the clinical rotation.

Clinical dietetics includes 440 hours of intensive training in a variety of medical surgical specialties, nutrition support, critical care, outpatient and extended care environments. Seven weeks of clinical training will be completed at one of two major medical centers Morristown Medical Center, Morristown or St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson. Additional hours will be completed at out-patient and extended care facilities. These facilities are located throughout the state.

Departmental Management is completed in a healthcare setting for those in the Entrepreneurial Nutrition Practice Concentration and in a school food-service or healthcare setting for the Community and Public Health Nutrition Concentration. This rotation is 240 hours over six weeks.

During the Community Nutrition rotation, students experience a variety of settings including child nutrition programs, community outreach and maternal health. An 80 hour culminating practice experience, evidence analysis investigation project, professional and lay communication experiences and participation in the New Jersey Dietetic Association's Annual Meeting and/or other professional activities comprise the Professional Development rotation.

The ENP Concentration includes 160 hours in Nutrition Education and Counseling at the College's Center for Nutrition and in Corporate Wellness. The Retail/Supermarket unit consists of 80 hours and rounds out the 240 hours in the concentration. The CPHN Concentration is completed with 160 hours in clinics and outreach programs and 80 hours are completed in food and nutrition assistance programs.

A complete list of our practice hours and rotations can be found at the College's website on the Dietetic Internship page, www.steu.edu/di.

Schedule

During the first year, students take coursework online and do not need to relocate. During the second academic year, the practice hours are completed 40 hours a week in a rotational basis. The entire program is completed in two academic years.

Interns complete summer homework after the first year. This work is completed independently. Students complete an intensive clinical preparation course two weeks prior to starting clinical rotations. Work is completed in a small cohort on campus and online.

Practice Sites

Supervised practice will be scheduled on a rotational basis. Seven weeks of clinical training are completed at one of two medical centers as outlined above. Clinical faculty employed by the College are responsible for providing and overseeing on-site training at Morristown Medical Center, Morristown or St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson or similar facility in north central New Jersey. Students will be assigned to one of those facilities according to proximity to their residences.

Each student will complete a clinical unit in extended care at either a long-term care center, rehabilitation center, psychiatric or developmental center. Students will also complete a clinical experience in an outpatient setting, such as diabetes, dialysis or clinic. These sites are primarily located in northern and central New Jersey. Every effort is made to place students within a reasonable commute to the student's residence, except for the seven clinical weeks as described above. The CSE Combined MS/DI is not accredited to provide supervised practice in a distance format.

For Community nutrition, non-profit agencies and corporations provide additional practice opportunities. Experiences will be supervised by College of Saint Elizabeth faculty, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionists and other qualified food and nutrition or health professionals employed by the sites.

The faculty/staff of the college are responsible for all contractual and insurance arrangements and placements, with the exception of Community Nutrition Education unit. Students are responsible for identifying a community practice site and assisting faculty/staff with the contractual agreement. Students are responsible for their own travel and communicating with sites for workplace details (time/place to report, ID badge needs, etc).

Practice hours by rotation and unit are available on the website at www.steu.edu/di.

General Admission Procedures

The Combined MS/DI program has three steps to the application process. Applicants must participate in the (1) Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Service (DICAS) and (2) D&D Digital processes, including meeting all DICAS and D&D Digital deadlines. Applicants are responsible for fees paid directly to DICAS and D&D as well as for the CSE MS/DI application fee. The third step (3) in the process is to complete the program's Applicant Interview Availability form and submit the Application Fee to the college available at www.steu.edu/di.

Applicants are not required to complete additional college application components. The Combined MS/DI application process is separate from other graduate program admissions. Applicants are responsible for meeting all application deadlines. A selection committee that includes Foods and Nutrition Program faculty, supervised practice preceptors and alums completes the ranking process for this application option.

CSE FN students have the option to apply through a pre-select process. Details are outlined in the FN and MS/DI handbooks available from the Foods and Nutrition Department.

Students accepting pre-select or matched appointments to the program will be expected to complete a modified graduate application and provide original transcripts and an original DPD verification statement to the Director of Graduate Nutrition before beginning the program.

Bachelor's Degree and DPD Verification

All students matched to the MS/DI must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent and a Verification Statement from a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), meeting requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

At the time of application, students who have not completed the educational requirements provide an Intent to Complete on DICAS through the DPD Director at their institutions. Applicants must successfully complete a bachelor's degree and DPD Verification prior to the program's start date. Applicants matched to the program must provide an official transcript with degree noted and DPD Verification Statement prior to the program's start date.

Medical and Background Clearance

Final acceptance into the Program requires the applicant to meet all admission criteria, health and medical requirements including proof of immunization including but not limited to MMR, varicella, Hep B., Proof proof of medical insurance and student healthcare background clearance are also required.

In addition, those matched to the program must complete acceptable background checks and medical clearances at the expense of the applicant. This is required as a condition of admission to the MS/DI program. Certain medical clearances must be obtained during a specified time period before the start of the supervised practice. Interns will be advised regarding the proper forms and time line to complete these requirements.