Virginia Tech Internship in Nutrition and Dietetics

Our mission: preparing confident, competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists who can balance evidence-based practice with client-centered care.

Program Highlights:

• Individualization of Experiences - Interns' experiences are tailored to their learning needs and interests. Program directors arrange all rotations for interns.
• Leadership Skill Development - Interns explore and reflect on their own unique strengths. Graduates are prepared to be leaders in their worksites, communities, and within the dietetics profession.
• Two program locations -Blacksburg and Northern Virginia (Washington, D.C. metro area) with additional opportunities for those who would like to live in other areas of Virginia
• Supportive learning environment- a combination of in-person and virtual meetings allow for networking with other professionals, exposure to unique practice areas, and shared learning among peers. 

Two options for completing our program:

All applicants must earn a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) verification statement before the start of the internship.

• Complete only the internship (9 months or less): If you already have a graduate degree, you can complete the internship by April, allowing for early job availability.
• Complete the internship and a graduate degree (15 months)  You can complete the internship simultaneously and cost-effectively with Virginia Tech's 30-credit Online Master of Science in Agriculture and Life Science (OMALS). Matching with the internship guarantees you admission to the OMALS program following established procedures. You can also integrate a different graduate degree of your choice.

Note: if you are in the process of pursuing a graduate degree from another program, you are also eligible to apply to our internship. You will need to demonstrate a plan for completing that graduate program before the end of the internship.

Individuals who do not have a DPD verification statement and are seeking the RD credential may want to consider Virginia Tech’s Master of Science Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Virginia Tech's Internship in Nutrition and Dietetics meets the supervised practice requirement for eligibility to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. Licensing requirements vary by state and can be found here. The program provides 1200 hours of supervised practice, which meets typical state requirements for licensure. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics provides information on the requirements and pathways to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 a.m. Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement, visit CDR’s website. CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).