Public Health Nutrition (M.S.) with Dietetic Internship
This program is on Administrative Hold and is not admitting any new students as of Fall 2024.
The Keene State College combined Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition with Dietetic Internship cultivates leaders as Public Health Dietitian Nutritionists to inform, educate, and empower the public about health and nutrition issues. Through a policy, systems, and environmental focus, graduates will form community, state and national partnerships and collaborate to identify and solve pressing health and nutrition concerns.
The Dietetic Internship was granted provisional accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) in 1998 with the first full accreditation occurring in 2003. In 2010, the Dietetic Internship applied for and received approval for a second track for distance clinical. In the past 15 years the Dietetic Internship has earned a fully accredited status without recommendations through ACEND. In conjunction with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), ACEND is working towards the new education model for practice in nutrition and dietetics requiring a master’s degree to qualify for the national registration exam to be credentialed as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. The combined Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Dietetic Internship will meet all requirements established by ACEND and CDR.
In the combined Master in Public Health Nutrition and Dietetic Internship, graduate students will complete a minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised practice in clinical, food service management, community, and specialty rotations (14 credits) in addition to 24 credit hours of online graduate coursework. The 1,200 hours of supervised practice will be completed in New Hampshire. Dietetic Interns will primarily practice within a county-based model where they will complete a majority of their rotations. Individualized specialty rotations may take dietetic interns outside of their assigned county.
The 13-month Accelerated MSDI will begin in Mid-July and conclude the following August.
The Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition with Dietetic Internship accepts 10 graduate students/interns annually. There are two ways to apply to the MSDI program:
- Pre-Select Program – The pre-select program is open to all MSDI applicants who have graduated from an ACEND-accredited DPD program. Applicants admitted and committed to the Keene State College pre-select program are not eligible to apply to another supervised practice option through the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS). To apply, please follow the MSDI: Pre-Select Application Instructions below.
- DICAS/DI Match Program – After the pre-select application phase, prospective students can apply for any remaining openings to the MSDI program using the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics national computer matching process through the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) system and through D&D Digital. For detailed information about the DICAS computer matching process, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Dietetic Internship Match website. To apply, please follow the MSDI: DICAS Match Application Instructions below.
MSDI: Pre-Select Application Instructions
Pre-select applicants should apply online using the Keene State College Graduate School Application.
- Transcripts
- Professional Resume
- Letters of Recommendation
Three (3) letters of recommendation are required and should be completed by individuals familiar with your academic ability and professional work experience. Letters of recommendation must be submitted online through the Keene State College Application.
Statement of Professional and Career Goals
Specific questions we want you to address in your personal statement for KSC:
- Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
- What are some experiences that have helped to prepare you for your career? Give a specific example of how you have demonstrated each of the following characteristics (if possible, relate your examples to work you have done within the community or in public health settings):
- Flexibility
- Teamwork
- Self-direction
- Organizational skills
- Communication skills
- What are your short- and long-term goals?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses/areas needing improvement? What have you learned from your successes? Your mistakes?
- Because we consider leadership skills important, describe a situation or project in which you took a leadership role. How did you move the project forward? What roadblocks did you encounter and how did you overcome them?
- What other information do you consider important for the selection decision?
Application Fee
Application Fees have been waived for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Interview
Once applications are received and reviewed, candidates will be asked to participate in a brief virtual interview with the MSDI Director.
DPD Verification Statement
MSDI applicants should be currently working towards their DPD Verification Statement or already have one. While the DPD Verification Statement does not need to be submitted when applying, it must be completed and sent to the MSDI Director prior to the start of the academic program.
Pre-select applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through January 15th. Pre-select applicants will be notified of their admission decision by January 26th. A non-refundable $500 deposit is due upon receipt of your acceptance.
MSDI DICAS Match Application Instructions:
Applying to the program is a multi-step process completed through the Dietetic Internship Computerized Application Services (DICAS), D&D Digital, and the College.
Dietetic Internship Computerized Application Services (DICAS)
We will be participating in the online centralized internship application, DICAS, which may be found here, for any remaining openings in the MSDI program. DICAS will be available in early December for the Spring match. The online application must be completed for our program by 11:59 p.m. central time on February 15. These dates may vary; please make sure to check the DICAS website to verify. The DICAS fee is $50 for the first application you submit and $25 for each additional application.
The following are components of your application that will be done in DICAS:
- Complete the sections for personal and academic information.
- Personal statement: In DICAS you have the ability to write multiple personal statements so that each one is tailored to the specific program for which you are applying (maximum 1,000 words per statement).
- Send Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be sent to:**
DICAS - Transcript Dept.
PO Box 9118
Watertown, MA 02472
Be sure to follow the DICAS instructions for mailing in your transcripts so DICAS receives them in a timely fashion.
Specific questions we want you to address in your personal statement for KSC:
- Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
- What are some experiences that have helped to prepare you for your career? Give a specific example of how you have demonstrated each of the following characteristics (if possible, relate your examples to work you have done within the community or in public health settings):
- Flexibility
- Teamwork
- Self-direction
- Organizational skills
- Communication skills
- What are your short- and long-term goals?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses/areas needing improvement? What have you learned from your successes? Your mistakes?
- Because we consider leadership skills important, describe a situation or project in which you took a leadership role. How did you move the project forward? What roadblocks did you encounter and how did you overcome them?
- What other information do you consider important for the selection decision?
References - When completing the application form, applicants must include the name and email address for each reference. An email will be sent to the reference requesting the completion of a reference form. The form will be completed online. Students applying to more than one program will need to use the same individuals as references for each application. Include three references in your DICAS application; of those three, one should be from a teacher/professor, one from a work or volunteer supervisor, and one other reference of your choice.
For any questions regarding DICAS, please email DICASinfo@DICAS.org
D&D Digital
The KSC MSDI selects applicants through a computer matching process. Applicants must register on the D&D Digital website, pay the $55.00 computer matching fee with a credit card and submit their prioritized list of selected programs online to D&D Digital before the designated deadline dates. You can obtain the instruction packet from your Didactic Program advisor or by contacting D&D Digital at dnd@sigler.com. Applicants should call D&D Digital prior to the deadline if they do not receive an e-mail with login information.
D&D Digital Program Code - 245
Application fee
The application fee has been waived for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Virtual Interviews
Once applicants are screened, some of you will be called to schedule a telephone interview. Current interns conduct and record the interviews for the selection committee to listen to them later.
This program is on Administrative Hold and is not admitting any new students as of Fall 2024.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements (36 credits) | ||
| PH-603 | Adv Nutrition Counseling (8-week course) | 3 |
| PH-605 | Nutritional Epidemiology (8-week course) | 3 |
| PH-608 | International Health (12-week summer session) | 3 |
| PH-612 | Public Health Nutr I: Capstone (8-week course) | 3 |
| PH-614 | Public Hlth Nutr II: Capstone (15-week course) | 3 |
| PH-616 | Research Methods & Design (8-week course) | 3 |
| PH-622 | Nutrition Problems in the U.S. (12-week summer session) | 3 |
| PH-626 | Pathophysiology of Clin Care (15-week course) | 3 |
| PH-630 | Dietetic Internship (2 to 3 credits per experience, minimum total of 12 credits) | 12 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
This program is on Administrative Hold and is not admitting any new students as of Fall 2024.
Upon completion of the Public Health Nutrition with Dietetic Internship M.S. degree, students will gain competency in Core Public Health Functions:
- Assessing the nutrition problems and needs of the population, monitoring the nutritional status of populations and related systems of care, and processing information back into the assessment functions.
- Develop policies, programs, and activities that address highest priority nutritional problems and needs.
- Assuring the implementation of effective nutrition strategies.
Upon completion of the Public Health Nutrition with Dietetic Internship M.S. degree, students will gain competency in the main functions of public health nutritionists including:
- Taking a leadership role in identifying nutrition-related needs of a community.
- Planning, directing, and evaluating health promotion and disease prevention efforts.
- Administering and managing programs, including supervising personnel.
- Developing and/or assisting in the preparation of a budget.
- Identifying and seeking resources (e.g., grants, contracts) to support programs and services.
- Collaborating with others to promote environmental and systems changes.
- Assuring access to healthful and affordable food and nutrition-related care.
- Advocating for and participating in policy development and evaluation of the impacts and outcomes.
- Participating in research, demonstration and evaluation projects.
In addition to core public health functions, the following competencies set forth by Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) must be met for accreditation purposes:
- CRDN 1.1: Select indicators of program quality and/or measure achievement of objectives.
- CRDN 1.3: Justify programs, products, services and care using appropriate evidence or data.
- CRDN 1.4: Evaluate emerging research for application in nutrition and dietetics practice.
- CRDN 1.5: Conduct projects using appropriate research methods, ethical procedures and data analysis.
- CRDN 1.6 Incorporate critical-thinking skills in overall practice.
- CRDN 2.1: Practice in compliance with current federal regulations and state statutes and rules, as applicable and in accordance with accreditation standards and the Scope of Dietetics Practice and Code of Ethics for the Profession of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- CRDN 2.2: Demonstrate professional writing skills in preparing professional communications.
- CRDN 2.3: Demonstrate active participation, teamwork and contributions in group settings.
- CRDN 2.4: Function as a member of interprofessional teams.
- CRDN 2.5 Assign duties to NDTRs and/or support personnel as appropriate.
- CRDN 2.6: Refer clients and patients to other professionals and services when needs are beyond individual scope of practice.
- CRDN 2.7: Apply leadership principles effectively to achieve desired outcomes.
- CRDN 2.8: Demonstrate negotiation skills.
- CRDN 2.9: Participate in professional and community organizations.
- CRDN 2.10: Demonstrate professional attributes in all areas of practice.
- CRDN 2.11: Show cultural competence/sensitivity in interactions with clients, colleagues and staff.
- CRDN 2.12: Perform self-assessment; develop goals for self-improvement throughout the program.
- CRDN 2.13: Prepare a plan for professional development according to Commission on Dietetic Registration guidelines.
- CRDN 2.14: Demonstrate advocacy on local, state, or national legislative and regulatory issues or policies impacting the nutrition and dietetics profession.
- CRDN 2.15: Practice and/or role play mentoring and precepting others.
- CRDN 3.1: Perform the Nutrition Care Process and use standardized nutrition language for individuals, groups and populations of differing ages and health status, in a variety of settings.
- CRDN 3.2: Conduct nutrition focused physical exams.
- CRDN 3.3: Demonstrate effective communications skills for clinical and customer service in a variety of formats.
- CRDN 3.4: Design, implement and evaluate presentations to a target audience.
- CRDN 3.7: Develop nutrition education materials that are culturally and age appropriate and designed for the literacy level of the audience.
- CRDN 3.6: Use effective education and counseling skills to facilitate behavior change.
- CRDN 3.7: Develop and deliver products, programs or services that promote consumer health, wellness and lifestyle management.
- CRDN 3.8: Deliver respectful, science-based answers to consumer questions on emerging trends.
- CRDN 3.9: Coordinate procurement, production, distribution and service of goods and services promoting the responsible use of resources.
- CRDN 3.10: Develop and evaluate recipes, formulas and menus for acceptability and affordability that accommodates the cultural diversity and health needs of various populations, groups and individual.
- CRDN 4.1: Participate in management of human resources.
- CRDN 4.2: Perform management functions related to safety, security and sanitation that affect employees, customers, patients, facilities and food.
- CRDN 4.3: Conduct clinical and customer service quality management activities.
- CRDN 4.4: Apply current nutrition informatics to develop, store, retrieve and disseminate information and data.
- CRDN 4.5: Analyze quality, financial or productivity data to use in planning.
- CRDN 4.6: Propose and use procedures as appropriate to the practice setting to promote sustainability, reduce waste and protect the environment.
- CRDN 4.7: Conduct feasibility studies for products, programs or services with consideration of and benefits.
- CRDN 4.8: Develop a plan to provide or develop a product, program or service that includes a budget, staffing needs, equipment and supplies.
- CRDN 4.9: Explain the process for coding and billing for nutrition and dietetics services to obtain reimbursement from public or private payers, fee-for-service and value-based payment systems.
- CRDN 4.10: Analyze risk in nutrition and dietetics practice.