M.S. Thesis/Dietetic Internship

Dietetic Interns are provided access to program and university resources to complete coursework and supervised practice experiences, and the program covers student fees for using data management systems. Students are responsible for living expenses and transportation during the Dietetic Internship during the Dietetic Internship including the items below. Some internship sites are outside of the Athens area, so it is necessary for students to have a vehicle to get to internship sites or to arrange alternative transportation. 

• Housing averages $500 per month for a single room
• Meals at the Internship facilities average $6 to $10 per day (some are free)
• Public transportation costs about $4 per day
• Liability insurance is about $42 per year
• Required Immunizations are ~$150 total for three Hepatitis B vaccinations and ~$25-$45 for 2 TB tests, each spring
• Acemapp account required for submitting paperwork for most clinical rotation sites; account setup costs $50 per student per year that they attend sites using Acemapp. Sites that use different systems will establish their own fees for students, which are usually similar to the Acemapp fee. If a student attends a site using Acemapp and a site using a different system that has a fee, the student would pay both fees that year.
• Required CPR certification cost is about $85
• Many internship sites require criminal background checks and drug tests (~$100), flu shots (~$25-$45) or fingerprinting (~$50) or a test of varicella titer (~$35)
• Estimated transportation costs to supervised practice sites outside of Athens is $300-750 in year 1 and $300-600 in year 2, but since many of our partnering sites are located locally in Athens, most students pay less than these estimates. Please note that actual travel costs vary based on many factors outside of the program’s control including current gas prices, location of supervised practice sites, and type of vehicle used. Student needs and preferences are taken into account when assigning interns to supervised practice sites. Carpooling and other cost-saving strategies are encouraged to reduce transportation time and cost and to promote sustainability (e.g., public transportation cost estimates are shown above).
• Tuition and student fees (see Financial Aid section below)

In order to work and communicate regularly and effectively with the program director, faculty, or preceptors when off-campus or remotely, students must ensure regular access to an electronic device capable of communication via Zoom (video and audio). Laptop and equipment rentals (e.g., webcams) and computer labs are available on campus, but restrictions may apply that warrant students to provide a suitable personal electronic device for communication and work purposes. For more information on equipment rentals and computer access on campus, visit:  

• UGA Libraries: https://libs.uga.edu/access-services/tech-loans and https://libs.uga.edu/mlc/techlending
• UGA Center for Teaching & Learning: https://www.ctl.uga.edu/learning-technologies/equipment-loans-and-duplication/
• College of Family & Consumer Sciences Computer Lab Hours & Information: https://www.fcs.uga.edu/otis/computer-labs

UGA also provides free software that support collaboration and remote work. For more information on what is provided by UGA, please visit:

• Office of Technology and Instructional Services: https://www.fcs.uga.edu/otis/software and https://www.fcs.uga.edu/otis/working-remotely

Assistantships, Financial Aid & Support

In select cases, graduate-dietetic students may receive financial aid in the form of teaching and research assistantships. When receiving an assistantship, students earn a stipend of $14,000 to $30,000 annually, depending on the required hours, by serving as a research or teaching assistant and tuition is waived, but students must pay UGA student fees (about $2,200 annually). Please note that while students may receive assistantships with stipends during the program (see Financial Aid section), students may not be eligible for assistantships/stipends in summers while they are doing their internships. Additional scholarships, several types of low interest loans, and other types of financial assistance for students are available at UGA, for example, through the Student Financial Aid Department and the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Additionally, UGA offers free software and equipment loans (e.g., laptop loans) for students. Applicants are encouraged to contact these and other offices at UGA to learn more, and the Dietetic Internship Director can direct applicants to additional opportunities offered through UGA or external groups if needed. 

Visit Financial Aid

Completion Requirements

In order to complete both the graduate degree and dietetic internship and to receive a Verification Statement the following are required:

• Successful completion of all rotations, totaling 1200 hours of supervised practice 
• Submission of Evaluation Forms, Competency Checklists, Work Samples as required from each rotation
• Complete an Exit Interview with the Program Director, and complete requisite CDR forms
• Completion of 31 semester credit hours, plus 26 semester credit hours for the internship supervised practice experiences (including summers)
• Maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA with no incompletes in any graduate course
• Successful completion and defense of thesis; completion of the Master's degree
• Submission of all requisite forms to the Graduate School

• Please note: When students are working at supervised practice sites, our program uses the policies of that site regarding immunizations (including for COVID-19). Thus, students may be required to show evidence of a COVID-19 vaccination to supervised practice officials to participate and complete our program. 

Becoming an RD

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 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited MS/DI program at The University of Georgia are eligible to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

In most states, including Georgia, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND's considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state's licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure Information.

Upon completion of our program, and passing the CDR credentialing exam for RDNs, graduates are eligible for licensure in Georgia. Information about licensure in Georgia can be found at this link: Georgia Licensure for RDNs. Additional information and disclosures regarding state licensure for professional practice in nutrition and dietetics can be found at the UGA Licensure Disclosure Portal.