The Dietetic Internship at CSULB

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Program Description

The Dietetic Internship (DI) originates in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) in the College of Health and Human Services. The FCS Department is characterized by an applied orientation to education using a humanistic approach. Our focus is on students.

The Nutrition, Foodservice Administration and Food Science faculty and Supervisory RDs at training affiliations prepare Interns to work in a multicultural environment. Graduates of this DI are a corp of new professionals who will possess realistic expectations of the profession and have an outstanding perspective on performance in metropolitan areas.

A new class of 12 Interns begins each fall. The practicum (FCS 591A) consists of over 1200 hours of full-time experience for 32 weeks. This includes both the fall and spring semesters in one academic year, for example, fall 2008 and spring 2009.

Interns enroll (as a graduate student FCS_MS03PB) in FCS 591A for 11 non-credit units each semester. Following the Orientation Week, Interns spend a minimum of 6 weeks in each major component (nutrition therapy, foodservice and community) at appropriate facilities: medical centers, school districts and community health facilities. Two weeks of staff experience end each major rotation. An additional 3-week assignment involves a business/entrepreneurial experience. The Director assigns Interns to each site.

Each Intern enrolls in a 1-unit seminar (FCS 591B) consisting of weekly lectures and meetings with the Director. Each Intern is required to complete two graduate courses in nutrition by choosing from four graduate courses:

The Intern takes one of these courses each semester. The Intern is not required to complete the M.S. degree in Nutritional Sciences in order to complete the DI.