This 24 credit-hour program prepares graduates to work as a Registered Dietitian in a variety of settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, foodservice, schools, community health programs, food companies and wellness centers.
This program is designed exclusively for students holding a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a didactic program in nutrition and dietetics from a U.S. college or university or a foreign equivalent accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). For admission requirements, please contact the Admissions Outreach Office at 847.925.6700 or visit harpercollege.edu.
Graduates of this certificate program receive a verification statement and are eligible to take the registration examination for dietitians to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| NTR 296 | Dietetic Internship Preparation I | 6 |
Description: Focuses on medical nutrition therapy for health conditions and disease states. Prepares students through case studies, simulations and hands-on learning activities. Prerequisite: Admission to Dietetic Internship program and consent of program coordinator required. Concurrent Enrollment: Must be enrolled in NTR 298 or NTR 299. Lecture Hours: 6 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 6 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| NTR 297 | Dietetic Internship Preparation II | 6 |
Description: Focuses on principles of management, food service, community nutrition and wellness as it relates to nutrition. Prepares students through projects, field trips, simulations and other alternate practice experiences. Prerequisite: NTR 296 with a grade of B or better and consent of program coordinator required. Concurrent Enrollment: Must be enrolled in either NTR 298 or NTR 299. Lecture Hours: 6 Lab Hours: 0 Contact Hours: 6 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| NTR 298 | Dietetic Internship Rotation I | 6 |
Description: Offers students assigned clinical experience in approved health care and community agencies. Emphasis is placed on the Nutrition Care Process. Prerequisite: Consent of program coordinator required. Concurrent Enrollment: Must be enrolled in NTR 296 or NTR 297. Lecture Hours: 0 Lab Hours: 32 Contact Hours: 32 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| NTR 299 | Dietetic Internship Rotation II | 6 |
Description: Offers students assigned internship experiences in food service operations, wellness, health care and community agencies. Prerequisite: Consent of program coordinator required. Concurrent Enrollment: Must be enrolled in NTR 296 or 297. Lecture Hours: 0 Lab Hours: 32 Contact Hours: 32 Class Schedule: Summer 2025 | Fall 2025 | ||
| Total Hours | 24 | |
Once you successfully meet the Harper College Dietetic Internship graduation requirements, you will receive a verification statement. This allows you to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Licensure is dependent on the state in which you work. Illinois requires licensure of all registered dietitian nutritionists. Review the Commission on Dietetic Registration's (CDR) Licensure Map for licensure statutes and board information by state.
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.
The length of the internship will depend on the track the intern chooses. The Harper College timeline for completing a certificate is a maximum of 10 years. However, interns in the Dietetic Internship program are expected to complete the program in the following timeframe below:
All interns will complete their rotations in a consecutive 9 months. The extended length of the internship for tracks B and C is for completion of a master’s degree. The internship rotations do not take place during the summer months. This must be considered when extending the length of the internship.
The program requires distance education for very few educational experiences. When distance education is required, the intern must have their web camera on during distance instruction to verify their identity.
The Dietetic Internship requires basic computer skills to be successful. This includes creating and saving documents, organizing files and folders on storage devices, performing Internet searches, sending email messages, and using word processing programs. The College uses Blackboard, and training can be provided if needed. In addition to those skills, an intern in the program will need the following:
The college has a loaner program through the library which can be found here:
https://www.harpercollege.edu/library/services/semester-loan-technology.php
Interns needing assistance with technology can contact the Student Service Desk: https://www.harpercollege.edu/services/techsupport/index.php