Berkeley Public Health Dietetic Internship

1. Complete one of the following programs. Graduates are then eligible to write CDR’s Registration Examination for Dietitians to become credentialed as registered dietitians. Please note, effective January 1, 2024, CDR began requiring a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the exam. More information is available on CDR’s 2024 Graduate Degree Requirement
   1. Option 1 – Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) + Dietetic Internship (DI)
      1. ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) (bachelor’s and graduate-level) dietitian coursework only, which must be completed before the DI.
      2. ACEND accredited DI (post-bachelor’s) at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice only. Some programs offer a graduate degree in conjunction with supervised practice. The Berkeley Public Health program is a DI that offers a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) in conjunction with supervised practice.
   2. Option 2 – Coordinated Program (CP)
      1. ACEND accredited (bachelor’s and graduate-level) dietitian coursework and at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice.
   3. Option 3 – Graduate Program (GP)
      1. ACEND accredited (graduate-level) competency-based dietitian nutritionist program that integrates coursework and at least 1,000 hours of experiential learning. Please see the 21-month Master of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics (MNSD) program offered in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, which is a Graduate Program and provides the required coursework and supervised practice hours for RD credentialing examination eligibility.
2. Passed a national examination administered by CDR. For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR’s website.
3. Completed continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice, however, California does not require licensure at this time. For more information regarding licensure, refer to AND’s Licensure webpage or CDR’s State Licensure Map for state and U.S. territory licensure and certification laws.

It’s an exciting time for the field of nutrition and dietetics! Both the number and variety of job prospects for RDs are expanding. Learn more about the roles and career opportunities for RDs on the AND Information for Students webpage.

We welcome all prospective students to apply to a UC Berkeley graduate program that best matches their career and research goals. Programs noted with “Dietitian” provide the requirements for RD credentialing examination eligibility.

We have a precious opportunity to prepare future practitioners to not only be competent (positivist) dietitians but socially responsible dietitian-citizens that engage in and contribute to their communities and matters of national and global concern. Our vision is to create an avenue through which dietetic students can be prepared with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to step into roles as social justice advocates and activists to effect structural, systemic change.

We aim to re-envision what it means to be a Registered Dietitian (RD) and create a new public health dietetic internship model with a Critical Dietetics guiding framework that will prepare students to tackle adaptive changes from clinic to the community, and from research (qualitative and quantitative) to policy and food systems. Our mission is to develop public health nutrition leaders who are rooted in cultural humility, able to recognize and analyze systems of inequality in the field of nutrition and dietetics, and experts in working with diverse communities and workplaces to inform programs and policies that address structural determinants of health.

Program Goal No. 1

Graduates will be culturally-sensitive practitioners and demonstrate competence in the knowledge and skills required of entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists.

Objectives:

• At least 80% of interns complete program requirements within 3 years (150% of planned program length).
• Of graduates who seek employment, at least 80% percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
• At least 80% percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
• The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
• 80% of employers who respond to a survey on program graduates in their first year of employment report ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ regarding the graduate’s knowledge and skill preparation for entry-level practice.
• Within one year of graduation, at least 75% of graduate survey respondents will agree or strongly agree that they received adequate training during the program to be a culturally-sensitive practitioner.

Program Goal #2

Graduates will be well-prepared for careers in public health nutrition and expand their impact in the field of dietetics through leadership opportunities within the communities they serve.

Objectives:

• Within one year of graduation, at least 50% of graduate survey respondents will report serving in a nutrition or dietetics-related leadership position.
• Within one year of graduation, at least 50% of graduate survey respondents will agree or strongly agree that they are comfortable contributing to the solution of public health priorities.
• Program outcomes data are available upon request by contacting the Dietetic Internship Director.

Public Health Nutrition

384 Hours

The public health rotation will offer experiences with leading nutrition professionals in public health, research, public policy, and food systems and matched based on student interest. This experience, used to satisfy the required MPH practicum, will provide the opportunity to integrate classroom learning and practice in a public health work environment. Sites are chosen from a wide range of public health organizations and interns are matched based on their own objectives for professional development and the needs of the organization. For example, students with an interest in serving WIC populations will spend their public health nutrition rotation fully immersed in WIC – understanding rules and regulations surrounding WIC and dynamics within a government agency (WIC Branch of the California Department of Public Health, CDPH), participating in advocacy to promote WIC, public health, and health care reform (California WIC Association), and working directly with WIC families (local WIC agencies).

Outpatient Clinical 1 & 2

176 Hours

Outpatient clinical rotations offer opportunities for interns to practice their motivational interviewing skills, utilize principles of cultural humility, and demonstrate active listening in real world settings. BPH DI outpatient clinical sites are all outpatient community-based organizations that offer nutrition services and counseling to underserved populations. It is critical to the BPH DI program that interns increase their confidence in practicing patient-centered care and are positioned to empower patients and clients while providing nutrition counseling, education, and support. To the best of the program’s ability, interns will be matched with the communities they represent.

Foodservice Management

160 Hours

While RDs in food management are frequently employed in acute care, the BPH DI offers nontraditional opportunities for interns to expand to other settings in which management of nutrition and foodservice is required. Interns will rotate at either a school district, community kitchen, or a private restaurant management company. The foodservice rotation will reinforce the skills and practices learned during the first summer seminar that are essential to create work environments that support high quality customer-centered care and services, attract and retain talented staff, and foster an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation.

Clinical

96 Hours

The clinical rotation offers opportunities for interns to provide medical nutrition therapy for high acuity patients in community settings, such as long-term care facilities or skilled nursing facilities. During this rotation, interns will work in an interprofessional setting with the supervising dietitian, nurses, speech therapists and other healthcare professionals.

Summer 1

During the first summer seminar, students will learn tools to apply leadership frameworks in the dietetics field, undergo motivational interviewing training based in cultural humility and responsiveness, engage in discussions related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) DEI principles in dietetics, and participate in other public health-oriented sessions to increase confidence and create a foundation for continuous growth and learning throughout the program and beyond. The Summer 1 Seminar, Advancing Equity in Nutrition Practice, will set the stage for producing not only competent professionals, but dietitian “citizens,” who are attuned to DEIB issues that impact the delivery of nutrition services, appreciate the impact diversity has on health issues in society, and recognize the need for diversity in the profession.

Summer 2

This rigorous course will be structured to follow the human life cycle and offer opportunities to engage with dietitians who have experience working with multiple disease states and a diverse range of populations, cultures, and age groups in a clinical setting. Dietitians will walk interns through case studies, facilitate group discussion, and answer questions.

Successful BPH dietetic interns will demonstrate a commitment to anti-oppression, critical praxis, and reflexivity – the core tenets of Critical Dietetics. See the MPH in FNPH webpage for more characteristics of strong FNPH MPH applicants.

• Commitment to Anti-Oppression: This means that those in privileged positions, namely, health professionals (dietitians) who are generally privileged by virtue of their education, position of authority, ethnicity, class, ability, appearance, and gender, must learn when and how to speak out against oppression but also, and perhaps more importantly, how and when to step back and listen to the voices of oppressed communities themselves.
• Commitment to Critical Praxis: This means that we are not necessarily advancing social justice just because we count a commitment to these principles. It is necessary to translate our commitments into action. A crucial piece of using one’s voice to effect change is being aware of how that voice is positioned in relation to the systems of power, privilege, and oppression.
• Commitment to Reflexivity: This means practicing: open and honest engagement with others; willingness to say “I don’t know” and to admit mistakes; authentic examination of feelings, including feelings of overwhelm or guilt; ongoing self-care, particularly for those who work closely within marginalized position(s); active self-compassion coupled with commitment to unpack privilege and strive for equity; relationality, meaning that an open acknowledgement exists that all people are interconnected and interdependent; and an orientation to learning/unlearning, growing, sharpening awareness, and ongoing commitment to all of the above.

To be considered for admission to Berkeley Public Health’s DI Program, all prospective interns must have:

• Completed a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college/university or foreign equivalent.
• Completed an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and provide a DPD verification statement or declaration of intent..
• Applied and been accepted into the Food, Nutrition and Population Health (FNPH) program at Berkeley Public Health.
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 (B average) or equivalent is required. However, if your undergraduate GPA is below this threshold, you are still encouraged to apply. Each application is reviewed individually and holistically, allowing for exceptions to the GPA requirement for outstanding candidates.

DICAS, SOPHAS and UC Berkeley Graduate applications must be submitted by December 2, 2024 at 8:59pm PST to be considered for admission and awards (no separate application process is necessary for award consideration). Late applications will not be accepted.

1. Submit a SOPHAS application. Applicants interested in applying to the BPH DI must file an application to the UC Berkeley School of Public Health for the two-year Master of Public Health (MPH) graduate program in Food, Nutrition and Population Health (FNPH). This includes CV/Resume, Statement of Purpose, Personal History Statement, Three Letters of Recommendation, Official Transcripts, and SOPHAS application fee ($150) or fee waiver. See the Berkeley Public Health admissions webpage for more information about SOPHAS.
2. Submit DICAS application. Specific Program Materials are not required in DICAS for the Berkeley Public Health DI. We will review your SOPHAS application for additional information, letters, transcripts, etc.
3. Submit a UC Berkeley Graduate Application. Once you submit your SOPHAS application, you will receive an email with instructions to create a login for the mandatory supplemental UC Berkeley Graduate Application portal. The supplemental application portal costs $100 and there are fee waivers available for individuals who meet the eligibility criteria. Completion of this step is required in order for your application to be complete and reviewed.

Please note, per UC Berkeley policy, applicants may only apply to one degree program per application term. You may not submit an application to both the MNSD and MPH/DI program in the same admissions cycle.

What is a DPD Verification Statement?

A Verification Statement is an official document signed by the Director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) certifying a student has successfully completed both a baccalaureate degree and the program’s ACEND-accredited dietetics coursework requirements. The Verification Statement can only be issued after a student has completed all degree and DPD course requirements. A signed Verification Statement is required for admission to a dietetic internship program.

What is a DPD Declaration of Intent?

A Declaration of Intent form signed by the DPD Director verifies the student’s intent to complete the baccalaureate degree and/or ACEND minimum academic requirements. This intent is based upon the courses that a student has already completed and the projected courses that the student has yet to complete. These remaining courses are documented on the Declaration of Intent form. This form is completed during the last semester of intended degree and dietetics program completion and allows students to apply for a dietetic internship during this final semester.

What is DICAS & D&D Digital?

DICAS is a web-based application service used by students to apply to multiple programs by completing a single online application. D&D Digital is a web-based service that matches applicants to dietetic internships. Please note, ACEND-accredited programs are no longer participating in “the match” nor using D&D Digital.

• August 13, 2024 – DICAS Application Portal Opens.
• August 13 – SOPHAS Application Portal Opens
• September 12 – UC Berkeley Graduate Application Portal Opens
• December 2 at 8:59pm PST – Deadline for DICAS, SOPHAS, and UC Berkeley Graduate Applications
• January 30 – Admission Letters Sent – Prospective graduate students notified of admission into the two-year MPH and BPH DI.
• Mid-March – Spring Visit Day – Students have the opportunity to visit the UC Berkeley campus and School of Public Health before deciding which program to commit to.
• April 15 – Deadline to Submit Intent to Register for the two-year MPH and BPH DI.
• August 20 – Fall Semester Begins

For questions about the centralized application, please contact DICAS customer support at (617) 612-2855 or dicasinfo@dicas.org.

For assistance with computer matching, please contact D&D Digital customer support at (515) 292-0490 or dnd@singler.com.

For questions about the graduate school application, please email fnph@berkeley.edu.

Tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by State funding reductions. To view current fee rates, please visit the UC Berkeley’s Office of the Registrar’s website and scroll down to the tab labeled “Graduate: Professional-School of Public Health.” As an MPH student, you are required to pay professional degree supplemental tuition each semester.

Note: Estimated Fees are per semester.

Beginning Fall 2022, the Instructional Resilience and Enhancement Fee (IREF) of $106/semester will be assessed to all enrolled students. This is a Course Materials & Services Fee and is not listed in the tables below. For more information, please see the IREF FAQs page.

Each summer, students will pay $3,366 in unit fees ($561 per unit) and a $431 campus fee to enroll in two 3-unit courses via Berkeley Summer Sessions. In addition to unit fees, students pay a $9,000 program fee.

Students will be eligible for financial aid. As a dietetic intern, you could also be eligible for additional funding or opportunities through the MCH Nutrition Trainee Program.

For information on financial aid for the BPH DI, visit the Summer Financial Aid and Loan webpage.

For information on financial aid for the MPH program, visit the Berkeley Public Health Fees and Financial Aid webpage.