Program Requirements
The
Winthrop University Dietetic
Internship is a competency-based program which includes six months
of experiences in nutrition therapy, community nutrition, food systems
management, and business entrepreneurship. The
Internship class of
2011 begins in early January and continues
for 26 weeks. The Internship
experiences are equivalent to six months of full time work.
NOTE: the WU
Dietetic Internship timeframe will change after the completion of
the class of 2011.
Dietetic
Internship graduates meet or exceed entry-level competency standards
for dietitians, as established by the Commission on Accreditation
for Dietetics Education. Students are
considered full-time and earn six semester hours of
graduate credit upon satisfactory completion of
the Internship. These six graduate hours may be applied to an
M.S. degree at Winthrop University, although
completion of a graduate degree is not required. Participants in the
Internship are directly
supervised and evaluated by registered dietitians.
Each intern will follow an individually planned rotation schedule
and will be assigned to rotations within a specific geographical
area in the Carolinas.
Selection Criteria Acceptance into
Winthrop University's CADE-accredited internship is a competitive
process. Successful applicants should meet the following minimum standards
-
Meet requirements and gain
admission to the
Winthrop University Graduate Program (Winthrop
Graduate Admissions); application to the WU Graduate Program
requires separate copies of GRE scores and transcripts
-
Submission of the WU Application for Dietetic Internship
postmarked by August 15 (see bottom of web page for forms) for
the class of 2011
-
CADE Didactic Program in Dietetics
(DPD) Verification
Statement or "Intent to Complete"
(students must obtain from their DPD Director)
-
Transcripts documenting completion of a B.S.
or B.A. degree with an undergraduate grade point ratio > 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
(student must provide original copies of transcripts from all
colleges and universities contributing to the GPA)
-
A
copy of Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) results indicating a minimum of 900
combined score on the verbal and quantitative sections
-
Three references from professionals knowledgeable of the applicant's abilities
(forms
available) (students must sign the top of form)
-
An interview with the Winthrop
University selection committee (by
invitation)
-
Recency of education course requirements
(see below)
-
Acceptable performance in a knowledge-based entrance exam administered by Winthrop
University faculty prior to interviews during the 2-day selection process
on campus
-
International students must provide
verification of English language proficiency (see
International Student
Admissions guidelines for details) and meet requirements
listed in the Winthrop University Graduate Catalog.
-
Submission of the D & D Digital computer matching preferences
and fee by the matching deadline (www.dnddigital.com/).
The matching deadline for the class of 2011 will be in September
while subsequent classes will use the April match deadline.
Request More Information
Application Deadline
The
application deadline for the
Winthrop University Dietetic Internship class of 2011 is August 15.
Prospective applicants should contact the Internship Director to
obtain the dates for DI application deadlines after July 2011.
Applications
should be sent to Professor Judy Harper Thomas,
M.S., R.D., Internship Director,
at the following address:
Mrs. Thomas, M.S., R.D., Internship Director
Department of Human Nutrition
Winthrop University
302 Life Sciences Building, Rock Hill, SC 29733
For more information please feel free to
contact the Internship Director at
thomasjh@winthrop.edu or (803)-323-4521. The telephone number of the
Department office is (803)-323-2101.
Application to the Winthrop
University Graduate Program should be submitted prior to August
to the Winthrop Office of Admissions, separately from the
internship application. Intern applicants should seek admission
for spring semester; it is recommended to request "degree-seeking"
status if considering student loans (see Financial Aid).
Intern selection for the class of 2011 will take place in September
2010 preceding the start of
the Internship class
in January 2011.
A maximum of 25 internship applicants are selected annually,
although the annual class size varies depending on availability of
rotation sites.
Internship applicants must participate in computer matching
for "fall".
For matching information, contact:
D & D Digital Systems
304 Main St.
Suite 301
Ames, IA
50010-6148
or
by telephone at (515) 292-0490, or on the
web at
http://www.dnddigital.com
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS about Winthrop's Dietetic Internship.
Curriculum
Objectives for
the Supervised Practice Component of Entry Level Dietitian Education
Programs
Program Expenses
Estimated* Program expenses include
-
tuition fees for six graduate credits
(four in spring semester and two in summer semester)
-
laboratory and seminar fees
-
professional reference books
-
reliable transportation
(Interns may be required to travel among multiple sites in a
single day and are required to attend monthly seminars on
Winthrop's campus.)
-
criminal background checks
(conducted through the university)
-
lodging
and meals (interns arrange on their own)
-
immunizations
-
professional liability and
personal, health, and automobile insurance
-
professional
attire and other personal expenses
-
drug screening if required by a
facility
-
access to a computer and electronic
mail
-
examination review course
*Interns are not based on campus; they are assigned to a geographical location in the Carolinas to
complete the rotations. Interns are not expected to move
within the six months. All of the rotations will be completed
within driving distance of their "home base" unless special arrangements are made in
order to obtain a specific type of experience. Interns
are responsible for arranging their own transportation and lodging.
Current costs for graduate credit are found in the
Winthrop
University Graduate Catalog.
Financial Aid
Stipends are
not
paid. Full-time graduate-seeking interns are
eligible for financial aid with the same qualifications as other
graduate students.
For information about financial aid options available for graduate
students, visit:
Important Note:
Dietetic Internship applicants must apply to the
Winthrop University graduate program to register for the
Internship. Application to Winthrop
University graduate school requires separate copies of official
transcripts and a separate GRE score report.
Click
here
to go to the Winthrop University Graduate School's web site.
Click
here
to view, save, and complete a
DI application form. Completed
applications should be printed and mailed to the internship director.
Refer to the checklist for applicants.
Click
here to view or print the
checklist for applicants. You will need to include all items for a complete
application.
Click
here
to view and print 3
recommendation forms
(you will need
- it's free).
Accreditation Status
The Dietetic Internship at Winthrop University
is currently accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for
Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Drive,
Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606, (312)-899-0040,
ext. 5400. The
Commission on Accreditation for
Dietetics Education is the American Dietetic
Association's accrediting agency for education programs
preparing students for careers as registered
dietitians or dietetics technicians.
CADE exists to serve the public by
establishing and enforcing eligibility
requirements and accreditation standards that ensure the
quality and continued improvement of nutrition and dietetics
education programs. Programs meeting those standards are accredited
by CADE.
CADE is recognized by the
United States Department of Education (USDE) and the
Council for Higher Education
Accreditation (CHEA). This affirms that CADE meets
national standards and is a reliable authority on the quality of
nutrition and dietetics education
programs.
Completion of the
Internship satisfies requirements for membership in
the American
Dietetic Association (ADA) and establishes eligibility to take the national
Registered for Dietitians Examination
required to be a registered dietitian (RD). The
Internship provides applied
professional experiences that build on the theoretical knowledge of an undergraduate
degree and a didactic program in dietetics.
Recency of Education Requirements for the Dietetic Internship
Internship applicants must be able to demonstrate successful
completion of coursework in dietetics or advanced nutrition, and/or
sufficient evidence of clinical practice within the five years prior
to the starting date of the internship. Students who need to
improve their knowledge and/or skills will be advised to
successfully complete DPD-required courses as
prescribed by the faculty in the Department of Human Nutrition. The Internship
Director will inform applicants which courses need
to be completed and in what timeframe.
Dietetic
Internship Pre-select Option
- A pre-select (early acceptance) option is available for Winthrop University's
Dietetic Internship. Up to eight Winthrop University students
already accepted to or enrolled in the graduate program
in the Department of Human Nutrition may be
recommended by the department's faculty for early acceptance to the Winthrop
Internship. The remaining positions in the Winthrop
University Internship will be filled through computer
matching.
To be considered for the pre-select option, Winthrop students
must meet one set of the following
criteria:
-
Winthrop University
B.S. graduate by December with a cumulative GPA of
>3.2
and >1000 on verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate
Record Exam (GRE).
-
Winthrop University
graduate student with a GPA of >3.5 in >12 graduate hours
and a score of >1000
on the verbal and quantitative
sections of the GRE.
Applicants are encouraged to obtain
dietetic-related work experience (volunteer or paid) prior to applying to the
Internship.
In deciding whether to recommend an applicant for
early acceptance, Department faculty
strongly consider applicants'
previous dietetic-related work experience as well as their communication skills and
readiness as a self-directed learner.
Students who meet the criteria for early
acceptance should discuss
the pre-select option with their faculty advisor
and the Internship Director in the
Department of Human Nutrition. Applications for
the Winthrop University Dietetic Internship are available in 302 Life Sciences
Building
or
online HERE.
Applicants for the pre-select option should submit the completed
Internship application packet no later than August 15 and should attach a
request to be considered for the pre-select option to the front of their
application. Pre-selected applicants are notified of their early acceptance
by September 1 and need to notify the Winthrop
Internship Director in writing by August 31 if they wish to accept a position in the program. The names, social security numbers,
and signatures of pre-selected applicants are submitted by the Internship
Director to D & D Digital by the September 1 deadline and pre-selected applicants
are withdrawn from the computer matching process.
Revised 9/2009
