Dietetic Internship

Program Expenses

The Dietetic Internship program fee is $7,150* for the 2008-09 academic year. Upon acceptance to the program, a nonrefundable $100 down payment is due. Remaining payments follow this schedule:

• $100 down payment due upon notification of acceptance into program
• $7,050 due first day of orientation (August 18, 2008)

Summary of Internship Expenses

1. Health insurance may be purchased through a private carrier or HMO if interns are not already covered by a policy.
2. Liability insurance is available through providers affiliated with the American Dietetic Association.
3. Estimates only.
4. MSU Dietetic Internship program application fee.
5. Nonrefundable deposit is paid upon acceptance in the program. This deposit is credited to the first installment of the program fee due in August.

Interns are responsible for their own living arrangements and expenses. A wide variety of housing possibilities are available in the Lansing, Grand Rapids and Muskegon, Michigan areas, with prices dependent on specific type of arrangement and location. While a limited number of dormitory rooms may be available to interns, most choose to live off campus. The Student Services Program, located in the Student Services Building, maintains lists of apartments and houses available for rent in the Lansing area. That office can be accessed at the MSU Web site. In addition, interns must arrange for their own transportation, since supervised practice facilities where interns receive the majority of their training are not easily accessible by public transportation. 

Interns are required to carry their own health and professional liability insurance. This insurance is available from Marsh Affinity Group Services. The price is approximately $20 per year. It is the intern's responsibility to carry the appropriate health and automobile insurance policy to cover liability in travel related to the internship and in assigned work during the internship. MSU offers a health insurance plan to eligible students and their dependents through The Chickering Group of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Prices vary based on the health insurance plan selected. Interns are covered for injury while working in the facilities for supervised practice by each facility’s liability insurance carrier.

All interns are required to enroll in a 1-credit seminar course both fall and spring semesters through MSU’s Lifelong Education program. Enrollment information will be provided upon acceptance to the MSU Dietetic Internship program. The tuition for the seminar class is included in the MSU Dietetic Internship program fee.

Federal financial aid is only available to interns who are concurrently enrolled as regular status graduate students at MSU. Alternative student loans are available to interns, however, and information on these can be obtained from the MSU's Financial Aid office.

All interns are expected to hold ADA Affiliate Membership. This membership costs about $49 per year and includes a subscription to The Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

During the internship, interns are expected to attend a professional conference and there will be some out-of-pocket expenses associated with this activity. The American Dietetic Association Annual Conference is in Chicago October 25-28th 2008 and interns will be encouraged to attend as a group.

Clinical and some food service management field sites require a lab coat worn over professional clothing, which interns must provide. Other miscellaneous costs may arise that will be the responsibility of the intern.

Part-time work may be difficult to schedule given the expectations of the internship.  The schedule of any outside jobs must be flexible enough to accommodate the schedule of facilities to which interns are assigned or course work in which they are enrolled.

Interns are eligible to apply for two scholarships through the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University that apply to the internship program. If interested in applying for these scholarships, information can be obtained from the Program Director.

Program Contact
Gail J. Rogers, MS, RD, Dietetic Internship Director
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
208B Trout FSHN Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1224
Phone: (517) 355-8474 x 183
Cell: (517) 449-2911
E-mail: rogersg3@msu.edu

*Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read PDF documents.