Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department of Nutrition

Texas A&M Non-Degree Dietetic Internship

The Texas A&M Dietetic Internship Program consists of two options, the Master’s in Clinical Nutrition and the Non-Degree Dietetic Internship (Non-Degree DI) option. 

Please visit the MCN Program website for specific MCN program information.   

The Non-Degree DI option includes the supervised practice to meet the required competencies of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for dietetic internship programs. Successful completion of the Non-Degree option allows the graduate to take the registration exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. * 

Spring 2022 Dietetic Internship Match will be the last cohort of applications to the Non-Degree DI option.  This last cohort will start the supervised practice in August 2022 and graduate in May 2023.  This option will be phased out in May of 2023.  

*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 an 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. 

Program information:

Other information Regarding the Texas A&M Dietetic Internship Non-Degree Option 

  • The supervised practice will meet the 1200-hour minimum criteria established by ACEND.  During these 9 months, the intern will be assigned a variety of professional experiences in clinical nutrition, community nutrition, and management. 
  • Locations of supervised practice rotation sites include facilities located primarily in Temple, Texas, with other rotations in the College Station/Bryan, Texas areas. 
  • Other supervised practice locations include Houston, Dallas, and Waco.  For more information on the supervised practice sites, click here. 
  • For students in the Texas A&M DPD Program may be eligible for the Pre-Select option.  Please visit the Pre-Select webpage for more information. 
  • Prior experience or learning will not be granted for prior learning. 
  • The Non-Degree DI is a certificate program sponsored by the Department of Nutrition.  Interns accepted into this option are not classified as students of Texas A&M University; therefore, these interns are not candidates for conventional student loans or financial aid.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation and the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation offer scholarships to qualified intern applicants.  For more information, visit the Academy’s Foundation or Texas Academy’s Foundation web sites for more information. 

Admission Criteria for the Non-Degree DI Option 

  • Application via DICAS and matching via Digital & Digital (D&D, please refer to the Application Process for more information on the DICAS and D&D) 
  • Application fee of $25.00 made payable to the Texas A&M Dietetic Internship Program and mailed to:
    • Karen Geismar, MS, RDN, LD
      Dietetic Internship Director
      2253 TAMU
      College Station, TX  77843
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 (on 4.0 scale) with 3.25 preferred 
  • Completion of an ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics as confirmed by a verification statement from this program by the start of the supervised practice 
  • Minimum of a bachelor’s of science degree from an accredited college or university as confirmed by an official transcript submitted by August 8, 2022.
  • The fee for the Non-Degree DI program is $7,500, plus additional expenses. The fee is due by the start of the DI program.  Interns will have the option of paying the fee in full or in two payments during the nine-month rotation.  You will find more information on other expected expenses here. 

Note:  While not part of the program admission requirements, participation in the supervised practice or internship component of the A&M Dietetic Internship Program requires proof of vaccination status, including:

  • Hepatitis B Virus
  • Measles, mumps & rubella
  • Varicella
  • Tetanus, diphtheria & pertussis
  • Meningococcal
  • Seasonal flu
  • COVID -19 (currently required by clinical partners for most sites)

Failure to provide proof of these vaccinations may negatively impact the intern’s ability to participate in supervised practice experiences, particularly at clinical sites, that are required for completion of the dietetic internship and acquisition of a verification statement.

Application and Selection Process to the Non-Degree Option 

Admission is open to qualified individuals regardless of race, national origin, sex, religion, age, veteran status, or disability.  Applications must meet the academic requirements of a Didactic Program in Dietetics accredited by The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).  A selection committee comprised of departmental faculty, preceptors and area dietitians review all applications that meet the minimum requirements and are received on or before the deadline established by DICAS. Applications are evaluated in the areas of academic record (including overall GPA), work and volunteer experience, letter of recommendations, and applicant’s personal statement.  Qualified applicants will be asked to complete a phone interview.   

The Texas A&M Dietetic Internship program participates in the computerized Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) for the spring application process.  Specific instructions on the DICAS application process as available from the DICAS portal. Following are some of the items that should be included with the DICAS application: 

  • Applicant needs to make a Digital DI Application File through DICAS. 
  • Transcripts and three letters of recommendation are a required part of the application submitted to DICAS. Letters of recommendation should include at least one DPD academic reference from DPD program and one from a current or recent employer. 
  • A personal statement must also be included. Recommended Personal Statement Guidelines can assist the applicant in preparing this letter. 
  • An interview by the Dietetic Internship Selection Committee may be requested. 
  • Application and ranking set with D&D Digital Systems; 
  • A non-refundable application fee of $25.00.  Send a check or money order made payable to “TAMU Dietetic Internship Program” mailed to the following address:
    • Karen Geismar, MS, RDN, LD
      Dietetic Internship Director
      2253 TAMU
      College Station, TX  77843
  • Applicants must register online with D&D Digital Systems for selection of DI program priority and computer matching. This request should be made early to allow turnaround time to submit internship preferences to D&D Digital Systems. D&D Digital charged a $50 computer-matching fee. 
  • D&D Digital Systems will provide all applicants their personal matching results via posting on the D&D Digital Systems Web Site.  D&D Digital Systems will provide all DI Directors the list of applicants matched to their program on match date. Applicants should contact D&D Digital Systems if matching results are not available to them via the Web site. 
  • Applicants who receive a computer match are responsible for contacting the DI Director and accepting or rejecting that match by email to the program director. 
  • As a participant in computer matching, it is expected that applicants who receive a match will adhere to the results of the match and accept the match. It is unacceptable to decline a match in order to pursue appointment to another supervised practice program. 
  • As a participant in the computer matching process, it is expected that applicants who do not receive a computer match will not contact any program with open positions until the allowed D&D date. This will allow the programs time to confirm acceptance from their matched applicants and determine the process they will use to fill open positions. In addition, please do not ask your Didactic Program Director to inquire about or contact programs with open positions prior to the allowed date. 

D & D Digital Systems 
3100 S. Riverside Dr. 
PO Box 887 
Ames, Iowa 50010 
Phone: (515) 292-0409 
Web site: Email: dnd@netins.net 
Web site: www.dnddigital.com 

Expected Schedule 

The Non-Degree Option 38-week (or approximately 9 months) program. The supervised practice begins the second week of August and finishes in May of the following year. 

The 2022-2023 Supervised Practice Calendar follows: 

  • Expected Program Calendar: 
  • Spring 2022: Acceptance to the Non-Degree DI via Digital and Digital match 
  • August 8, 2022:  Start of the Non-Degree Dietetic Internship Program 
  • November 24-25, 2022:  Thanksgiving off 
  • December 26, 2022-January 6, 2023: Holiday break 
  • May 12, 2023:  Completion of the program 

Program Completion Requirements: 

To be eligible to take the examination to become a registered dietitian nutritionist, interns in the Non-Degree DI option must receive a verification statement that confirms successful completion of the supervised practice. To receive a verification statement, interns must accomplish the following: 

  • Complete a minimum of 1200 hours of supervised practice rotation hours 
  • Earn an overall evaluation score of 80% or better for each rotation of the supervised practice; 
  • If an intern receives an evaluation score less than 80% for a particular rotation, the intern must repeat these hours. 
  • Meet all core competencies for the registered dietitian nutritionist during the supervised practice and Professional Internship course. 
  • Complete all course assignments for the Professional Internship course. 
  • Completion of preceptor evaluations 

Contact Information:   

For inquiries regarding the Texas A&M Dietetic Internship Program, please contact: 

Karen Geismar, MS, RDN, LD 
Dietetic Internship Director, Senior Lecturer 
Department of Nutrition 
2253 TAMU 
College Station, TX  77843 
(979) 845-5713 
karen.geismar@agnet.tamu.edu 

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