Section Navigation  

Announcements

Contact Information

Chair: Dr. Sarah Jordan

Office: 828-262-3120
Fax: 828-265-8620
Location: LS Dougherty Hall
ASU Box 32056

map

get_acrobat

Change Text Size

A     A      A

Undergraduate Internships

Foods and Nutrition, Dietetics Concentration

  • Students who are majoring in Foods and Nutrition with a Dietetics emphasis must complete their internship competencies in the following three areas:
    • Food Service (100 hours)
    • Community (100 hours)
    • Clinical (200 hours)
  • In addition to the information on this page, read the General Information section of the internship page and the Internship Manual prior to identifying an internship site and writing your proposal.
  • List of Competencies that must be met by Dietetics Majors
  • Internship checklist
  • When can students start the internship?
    • Students typically complete the internship experience in all of the areas during the summer; however, a student may complete a portion of the internship during the spring of their last year at ASU. Students can only complete Food Service and Community portion of the internship during the spring semester of the last year.  Consultation with the faculty advisor can determine the best scenario. Plans should be reflected on the Internship Planning Form and the Internship Approval Form.
  • Students must do these steps before starting an internship:
  •  When to begin to identify your internship site
    • Establishing an internship may take 6 weeks or longer to complete – you should start this process at least 3 months before your internship proposal is due.
    • Most medical establishments will not allow an intern to work until both the condition of the affiliation agreement/contract and the required liability insurance is in place and the student has written verification of these conditions. Furthermore, background checks and additional immunizations may be required.
  • How to identify an internship site and find a Preceptor
    • Internship experiences may take place at sites in Boone and the surrounding counties or at a site outside of the region. Most students have obtained internships in sites outside of Boone (including out of state).
    • Go to the FCS departmental main office to look through the list of current contracts we have with internship sites.  If we currently have a contract, then it is likely the site will be willing to accept and work with ASU students.
    • Contact the Registered Dietitian at the internship site to determine willingness to work with an intern.   Use the following tips:
        • Identify yourself as an ASU student and be prepared to explain the undergraduate internship and the departmental expectations for the experience.
        • Be prepared to give them the list of competencies the student must complete to fulfill the internship requirements.
        • If this is a site that has not taken ASU students before, please clarify that this experience is NOT for the post-baccaulaureate ADA internship.
        • Clarify that this is not considered a “volunteer” position rather it is an intern experience that will have specific responsibilities that will meet the competencies set by the ASU FCS department. This experience generally is unpaid because the student is expected to gain experience in a variety of areas rather than fulfilling the requirements of a position in that agency or institution.
    • Internship Site Options in the local area

Food Service

Community

Clinical

ASU Food Service: Pam Cline, MS, RD

NC County Extension: Margie Mansure, RD

 

 

Boone Recreation Center: Paul Moore, MS, RD

 
  • What to do once the internship sites are identified
    • Obtain approval from your faculty advisor
    • Determine if additional requirements exist for that agency/institution (such as liability coverage, background checks, additional immunizations, etc.).
    • Determine if the facility needs a contract with the University.  This is common when working with medical facilities.  If ASU does not currently have a contract with a site, it can take at least 6 weeks to complete this process so start early! Current contracts can be found in the FCS main departmental office.
    • Complete the Internship Proposal and get it approved by the department chair who will give a permit to enroll in FCS 4900.
    • Students need to register for FCS 4900.
    • Students who need Financial Aid MUST register for enough hours to be a full-time student to qualify and receive Financial Aid.  For the summer internship, this MUST be done before the end of the spring semester.
  • Internship Proposal