Dietetic Internship
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below are some common questions that prospective applicants usually have for internship programs.
Interns matriculate as post-baccalaureate students through the Office of Graduate Studies. Resident tuition and additional University fees have totaled approximately $9,500 - $11,000 per year. You will have additional expenses for books, transportation and living as well. Please see CSU Fresno Student Registration & Advising Guide for up-to-date tuition and other fees.
No, unfortunately, this program is a 2 year, full-time unpaid internship, combined with a masters degree. Some interns may qualify for a no-cost lunch meal while at one rotation site and/or a small stipend from a preceptor affiliate agency, if students meet that company's requirements, but are not affiliated with the university program.
All applicants to the Dietetic Internship Program should consider applying to the AND Foundation for Scholarships. Please visit the AND website at www.eatright.org for details. For additional scholarship opportunities, contact state and local dietetic associations. Be aware that most of these groups have deadline dates for scholarship applications that are about the same time that the internship applications are due. Check the dates.
Our DI Program is eligible for financial aid through the FAFSA applicant process. Please also see the "Gainful Employment" information provided under the side tab "Program Costs".
Yes. The University offers an installment payment plan for Fall and Spring semesters. The tuition fees installment plan requires that tuition fees and campus fees are paid in four installments. The down payment represents the campus fees (Instructional Related Activities, Associated Students Inc. Programs, Intercollegiate Athletics/Spirit Leaders, Recreational Sports, Transportation, Health Facilities, University Union, Health Services, and Collegian Newspaper Fee) and a one-time $33.00 non-refundable administrative fee. Please see CSU Fresno Student Registration & Advising Guide for installment plan information and due dates.
The internship director sends out a flyer on possible places to live approximately 2-3 months prior to the start of the program. Interns that come to the program from outside areas typically find housing together in the Fresno or Clovis areas. Sometimes, Interns have family in the region and have been able to coordinate housing that way.
In the last few years, we have received between 60– 85 applications.
There is a minimum cumulative AND DPD overall GPA of 3.0 in order to be accepted into our program. These are the typical characterisitcs of our past Interns:
- Cumulative GPA >3.2
- DPD GPA >3.33
- Science GPA >3.0
Work experience that has provided transferable professional skills such as, but not limited to:
- Time management
- Supervision
- Task planning and follow-through
- Self-directed behaviors
- Positive References
- Strong, positively worded letter of application
- Well-rounded, motivated and adaptable individual
The program follows the academic calendar. No intership or classes are held in the summer.
A regular job during the internship is practaclly impossible, and a part-time job is not recommended. Work performance demands are significant during the program, and extended days and weekend availability are often unpredictable. The Dietetic Internship Program strongly encourages dietetic interns to seriously consider the impact of working outside of the internship on their ability to successfully complete the internship and combined masters program. The summers are a good time to gain employment
The Dietetic Internship Program is rigorous. The intern will spend, at a minimum, between 54 and 60 hours per week on graduate classes, practicum rotations, projects, reading assignments and homework. The graduate courses include projects, assignments, quizzes and tests in addition to those assigned by the Preceptors in the practice sites. Intern will often find themselves working on several projects simultaneously. Interns are expected to drive to their practicum sites.
A car, car insurance, and a driver’s license are needed. Please consider the cost of car maintenance and fuel in budget calculations.
We follow the academic calendar - there are two weeks during winter holiday (typically the last week of December) and summers off.
Please see information about the types of supervised practice rotations interns experience in Rotations.
Yes, our program participates in DICAS.
No, the GRE is not required to apply to the graduate admissions office.
Students have reapplied a second time to our program and have been accepted. If you do not receive an internship, the best advice is to contact the program director and discuss your application materials. General advice - improve your application by obtaining work experience, receiving stronger recommendations, reassess your personal statement and revise as needed, or broaden your pool of programs that better match your profile.
Please check the academic calendar for exact dates for Fall, Winter, and Spring semesters.
Please note that the hours at each rotation can vary, depending on preceptor needs.
Also, additional time is required outside of supervised practice and classes to complete homework and assignments and to attend professional meetings. The practice sites may require that the intern be available for training in the evenings, holidays and week-ends.
- Verification statement from your didactic program
- Original degree posted transcript, when it is available
- Proof of medical and automobile insurance
- Completion of background check (required by supervised practice facilities)
- Live-Scan Fingerprinting
- Pre-Internship physical, immunizations and drug screening