Lydia Ballenger, MA, RDN, LD

Director of the Dietetic Internship
Phillips Hall 100C
513-529-8501
ballenl@¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒOH.edu
¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ's Dietetic Internship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The mission of the ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ Dietetic Internship is to provide evidenced-based learning experiences in dietetics that will prepare graduates to be competent for practice as an entry-level dietitian nutritionist in a variety of healthcare and community environments. The program will focus on educating graduates to be capable practitioners dedicated to the service of others and to the profession.
¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ's full-time, 16-month Combined Master's Degree and Dietetic Internship is designed to prepare you for successful practice as a professional registered dietitian nutritionist. Fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), successful completion qualifies you to sit for the exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
The five steps required to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist are as follows:
*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). Read information about to become an RDN.
Specifics from DICAS will be utilized to determine suitable candidates for acceptance into the internship program as follows:
All candidates apply directly through . Upon DICAS verification, the DICAS application will be transferred to the ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ graduate application portal. After DICAS is transferred, you will receive an email from the ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ Graduate School with graduate school account information. There is not a graduate school application fee. Admission into the MS/DI program is contingent upon admittance into the ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ Graduate School (e.g. minimum overall GPA 2.75 or greater). Visit the Graduate School for more information.
If you wish to be considered for a GA position in the department, please submit your DICAS application by January 15th. This will allow enough time for you to be in the university system and be sent an electronic GA inquiry form.
DICAS due dates (for a Fall 2026 MS/DI start)
Note: BAMA students apply through DICAS using rolling admission. Contact DI Director for details.
The dietetic internship program and nutrition courses are housed in the Masters of Science in Kinesiology, Nutrition & Health- . The graduate program is a minimum of 30 credits with thesis and non-thesis options available. Below is an example plan of study.
Course | Credit Hours |
---|---|
EHS 668 Behavioral Statistics II | 3 |
KNH 621 Research Foundations in Kinesiology and Health | 3 |
KNH 642 Nutrition Assessment in Dietetics | 3 |
Total | 9 |
Course | Credit Hours |
---|---|
KNH 640 Internship | 3 |
KNH 609 Nutrition for Sports and Fitness | 3 |
KNH 654 Physical Activity Motivation | 3 |
Total | 9 |
Course | Credit Hours |
---|---|
KNH 640 Internship | 3 |
Total | 3 |
Course | Credit Hours |
---|---|
KNH 640 Internship | 3 |
KNH 647 Obesity and Weight Management | 3 |
KNH 685 Exercise, Aging, and Health | 3 |
Total | 9 |
Term | Rotation | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week |
---|---|---|---|
Fall 1 | Master's Coursework | 15 | |
Spring 1 | Inpatient Foodservice | 6 | 32 |
Spring 1 | Clinical - Medical/Surgery | 7 | 32 |
Summer 1 | Clinical - Medical Surgery | 3 | 40 |
Summer 1 | Elective | 2 | 40 |
Summer 1 | Community | 4 | 40 |
Fall 2 | Food Systems | 2 | 32 |
Fall 2 | Community | 5 | 32 |
Fall 2 | Research | 2 | 32 |
Total Hours | 1,064 |
The ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ MS/DI follows the academic calendar.
Please refer to the Graduate School Tuition and Funding page and ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ's Scholarships and Financial Aid page for current information on university costs and expenses as well as financial awards and assistantships.
Fees are subject to change.
Interns must have transportation to and from supervised practice rotations.
Currently, liability insurance is provided and maintained by the University for each student enrolled in supervised practice experiences approved by the University.
Graduates will be able to apply the principles of each of the five domains below into the practice of nutrition/dietetics:
An Ohio Public Ivy founded in 1809, ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ bears the name of the Myaamia people whose homelands are here in the ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ Valley. The university maintains a strong reciprocal relationship with the ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ Tribe of Oklahoma grounded in our shared commitment to learning from each other.
The main campus is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton, Ohio; Middletown, Ohio; the Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester, Ohio; and the John E. Dolibois European Center in Luxembourg.
In the fall of 2022, there were 16,500+ undergraduates and 2,200+ graduate students studying at our Oxford campus, 3,500+ studying on regional campuses, and nearly 300 students per year studying in Luxembourg. These students came from 48 states and 101 countries to study at ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ.
On the Oxford campus, ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ offers in over 120 areas of study. Graduate students choose from more than 70 . Several associate degrees, as well as bachelor's degrees, are also offered through study at our regional campuses and locations.
Nutrition and Dietetics has a longstanding history at ¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ with food science courses offered beginning in 1908-09. Following in 1915, the Home Economics Department of the College of Arts and Sciences was established and offered food and nutrition courses. The Dietetics program first appeared in 1945-46. The Didactic Program in Dietetics was first established in 1974 and was subsequently granted accreditation in 2004 by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association. The DPD program received full accreditation from the in and generally graduates approximately 30 students each year. Graduate outcomes have been strong with a 95% pass rate on the registration exam and 100% placement rate in internships for the previous five years. The graduate placement rate in internships was 100% in 2015.
The Combined Master’s Degree and Dietetics Internship is the most recent expansion to provide students with the ability to complete a Master’s degree and the required internship to become a Registered Dietitian. This is in response to growing advanced professional need in the community for more qualified nutrition professionals.
Director of the Dietetic Internship
Phillips Hall 100C
513-529-8501
ballenl@¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒOH.edu
Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics
Phillips Hall 100A
513-529-5036
matuszg@¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒOH.edu
Assistant Professor
Phillips Hall 100E
513-529-2619
mille736@¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒOH.edu
Associate Clinical Instructor
Phillips Hall 100B
513-529-2709
parkinns@¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒOH.edu
Assistant Professor
Phillips Hall 205A
513-529-2700
wux57@¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒOH.edu
For more information about the MS/DI, review the Program Handbook or contact Lydia Ballenger, Dietetic Internship Director.
¾Ã¾ÃË®ÃÛÌÒ's Dietetic Internship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
Accreditation by ACEND ensures that graduates are eligible to apply to and, upon acceptance, enter into a supervised practice program in Dietetics. Completing a supervised practice leads to eligibility to take the exam to earn Dietitian Nutritionist status.
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Graduates of the DI program who earn their RDN credential and want to practice as Dietitians/Nutritionists may need to apply for licensure before they are eligible to practice dietetics/nutrition. Licensing statutes include an explicitly defined scope of practice, and the performance of the profession is illegal without first obtaining a license. A list of the states that require licensure is available on the .
Student grievances about academic concerns should first be addressed with a faculty member or instructor. If the problem is not resolved, the student should then discuss their concern with the Department Chair. If the problem is still not resolved, the student may discuss their concern with the Dean of Education, Health & Society. The grievance procedure is outlined in the Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health Governance.
NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO FILE COMPLAINTS WITH THE Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) will review complaints that relate to a program's compliance with the accreditation/approval standards. ACEND is interested in the sustained quality and continued improvement of dietetics education programs but does not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal for individuals in matters of admission, appointment, promotion, or dismissal of faculty, staff, or students.
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