Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the UNC Dietetic Internship, the prospective intern, sponsoring facility and the preceptors must all meet certain requirements. TOGETHER they are evaluated for potential success.

Minimum Requirements for Applicants:

• Completion of an approved / accredited undergraduate program resulting in a Baccalaureate degree from a U.S. Institutionally Accredited college / university or a foreign degree equivalent to at least a U.S. baccalaureate degree.
• Verification of Completion form or Intent to Complete form signed by DPD Program Director of college/university where dietetics courses were taken.
• Grade Point Average (GPA) requirements for all Undergraduate and Graduate courses combined:
  • 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for MSDI applicants
  • 2.8 on a 4.0 scale for DI applicants 
• GPA for DI applicants must be at least 2.8. 
  • For DI only: MANDATORY ESSAY QUESTION IF YOUR CUMULATIVE GPA is EQUAL to or BELOW a 3.0 -  please write in fewer than 300 words an explanation of what factors contributed to your GPA and how you changed the way you approached your courses or the resources you utilized. 
• E-mail address that is active throughout the program, as well as reliable internet access, reliable computer, and webcam with video and microphone. 
• A quiet, private place to participate in remote student hours and learning activities. 
• Exceptions to requirements will be considered by the review committee.

Additional requirement for admission to the Supervised Practice (DI) without a graduate degree:

• Confirmation of enrollment in a graduate degree program with no more than 2 semesters remaining prior to beginning the DI program. Confirmation of enrollment will be done with an official transcript from the graduate program, and a letter from the applicant’s graduate advisor stating that only 2 semesters remain until degree will be confirmed and that the student is in good academic standing. 

Minimum Requirements for Preceptors/Facilities:

• Your clinical preceptors must be RDNs.
• For rotations besides clinical, RDN preceptors are encouraged but not mandatory. 
• Preceptors must have adequate time to provide required supervision of the student.
• A minimum of three preceptors must be included in your internship schedule.
• Preceptor and Facility form must be on file for every primary preceptor. 
• At least one facility that is JCAHO or DNV accredited.
• Educational resources to support an intern must be available.
• Sufficient variety in the overall combination of facilities must be available to support the breadth and depth of experiences required by the ACEND^® Accreditation Standards. 

Preference for admission will be given to:

• Applicants that have demonstrated leadership skills in past experiences.
• Applicants who show flexibility and ability to work independently.