Track 1: Master's Degree/Dietetic Internship
The Central Valley WIC Dietetic Internship, in collaboration with Russell Sage College, is proud to offer a Master's Degree in Applied Nutrition combined with a Community Nutrition Dietetic Internship. The master's degree is 100% online, and is designed for interns who would like to work full-time, while finishing the majority of their graduate coursework. Interns complete their internship rotations (supervised practice) onsite in the Fresno/Central Valley area during the final year of their master's degree.
Founded in New York in 1916, Russell Sage College is nationally accredited by the US Department of Education, and regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Russell Sage has two campuses in Albany and Troy, and they offer many courses and degrees online. Russell Sage provides 50 bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees, including 23 degrees in the health sciences.
Founded in New York in 1916, Russell Sage College is nationally accredited by the US Department of Education, and regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Russell Sage has two campuses in Albany and Troy, and they offer many courses and degrees online. Russell Sage provides 50 bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees, including 23 degrees in the health sciences.
Course Schedule
The table below outlines the number of MS courses planned per semester for interns selected in the Spring of 2023. The schedule also shows when the DI rotations will take place. The MS/DI Track provides a total of 39 credits, with 30 credits for master's degree coursework, and 9 credits for internship rotations/practicum. More details about the courses can be found in the Russell Sage College Graduate Catalog. The Academic Calendar for Russell Sage can be found here https://www.sage.edu/academics/academic-calendars/, and will be followed for the coursework year. The DI rotations (supervised practice) will be similar to the Sample Rotation Schedule.
Admission Requirements
- Current employment with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) WIC Program. Applicants also need to have worked for WIC for at least six consecutive months prior to the preselection deadline.
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
- Verification Statement indicating completion of an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) within the last 5 years. If more than 5 years have passed since the student completed the DPD program, the student may be able to take additional classes to qualify for internship application. Please contact the Internship Coordinator for more information.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 on last 60 semester/90 quarter units.
- If native language is not English and applicant did not graduate from a college or university in the United States, a minimum TOEFL score of either 560 (paperbased test), 241 (computer-based test), or 83 (internet-based test) is required.
- Three letters of recommendation: 1 from a work supervisor (from a paid work position), 1 from a college/university instructor, 1 from a person of applicant's choice. WIC employee applicants must have letter of recommendation from their WIC Supervisor and be an employee in good standing.
- Demonstration of desire to stay and work in the Central Valley of California is a desired criteria, but not required.
- Applicants who have worked as paid employees for the CDPH WIC Program for 6 consecutive months, prior to the pre-selection deadline, will be eligible for the pre-selection process.
- Reliable transportation is required.
- We are unable to accept international students at this time.
Once acceptance to the dietetic internship is confirmed, interns need to obtain a self-managed application packet from the Russell Sage Graduate Schools Office of Admission. The packet will include instructions to collect the following items and forward them as a package to the Office of Admission:
- A completed application
- A current resume
- A one-to-three page career goals essay (typewritten and double-spaced) indicating the reasons for seeking a graduate degree from Russell Sage
- Official transcripts from each previous college attended
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals able to assess the applicant’s ability to successfully complete graduate-level academic work.
- Official transcripts will also be evaluated by Russell Sage. A maximum of six graduate credits may be transferred from another institution if such work was completed within five years. Transferred credits must be a “B” or better.
- GRE scores are not required
Graduation and Program Completion Requirements
Graduation from the Master's Degree/Dietetic Internship is expected by the end of the program with successful completion and documentation to demonstrate:
The combined MS/DI program is 32 months long. If the intern is not able to complete the program in 32 months due to illness or other authorized reasons, the internship may be extended to a maximum of 150% (48 months/4 years) of time, per ACEND requirements.
Interns who meet the graduation requirements above, and upon validation by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, are eligible to take the registration exam for dietitians.
As part of the Fall Practicum course, interns participate in a free Registration Exam Study Program after completing all supervised practice hours. The study program is a structured, online program provided by the California WIC Career Development Coordinator. Guided instruction and support, as well as access to valuable study materials, are given to interns to help prepare them for the exam.
- Ability to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher for graduate level courses at Russell Sage
- Completion of all required courses for the MS in Applied Nutrition Degree for interns enrolled at Russell Sage
- Completion of a minimum of 1000 supervised practice hours
- Successful completion of all supervised practice rotations, competencies, didactic assignments as determined by preceptors, the Program Director and the Program Coordinator
The combined MS/DI program is 32 months long. If the intern is not able to complete the program in 32 months due to illness or other authorized reasons, the internship may be extended to a maximum of 150% (48 months/4 years) of time, per ACEND requirements.
Interns who meet the graduation requirements above, and upon validation by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, are eligible to take the registration exam for dietitians.
As part of the Fall Practicum course, interns participate in a free Registration Exam Study Program after completing all supervised practice hours. The study program is a structured, online program provided by the California WIC Career Development Coordinator. Guided instruction and support, as well as access to valuable study materials, are given to interns to help prepare them for the exam.
Scholarships, Financial Aid, and Tuition
California WIC employees are eligible to apply for a California Nutrition Corps (CNC) Scholarship through the California WIC Association at www.calwic.org. Additional scholarships are available through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.eatright.org and the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.dietitian.org.
Financial aid is available for students enrolled in Russell Sage. Please see the “Federal and State Aid” webpage on the Sage website, at https://www.sage.edu/admission/financial-aid/federal-state-aid/.
Program tuition and costs are listed below and are meant as a guideline:
Financial aid is available for students enrolled in Russell Sage. Please see the “Federal and State Aid” webpage on the Sage website, at https://www.sage.edu/admission/financial-aid/federal-state-aid/.
Program tuition and costs are listed below and are meant as a guideline:
Requirements to Become an RDN
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 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 Master’s Degree in Applied Nutrition at Russell Sage College, and supervised practice hours provided by the Central Valley WIC Dietetic Internship, will be eligible to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
Acceptance into this program is not influenced by age, sex, language, race, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, or ancestry.