Graduation and Program Completion Requirements

1. Successful achievement and documentation of at least 1200 hours of supervised practice hours.
2. A minimum “acceptable mastery” rating on final evaluations from all preceptors in all rotations: Acute Care, Long-term Care, Clinical Nutrition Management, Renal, Specialty, Institutional Food Service, Community Food Service, Pediatric, Critical Care, Community Wellness or Culinary Medicine Research.
3. All competencies must be met at or above the satisfactory level. Passing is defined for each competency.
4. All assignments must be submitted and deemed acceptable by the clinical director and/or program director.
5. All evaluation forms must be submitted.
6. For the comprehensive exam track, 55 hours of graduate coursework must completed with a minimum grade of “B-“to pass the MS DI. For the thesis track, 56 hours of graduate coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of “B-“ to pass the MS DI.
   
7. The student has a maximum of 26 months to complete the MS DI.

Upon successful completion of the program, the Program Director will work with each student to complete the eligibility paperwork for the registration exam for dietitian nutritionists (RDN exam). During this meeting, the Program Director will provide the students with at least three signed original copies of the verification statement, indicating successful completion of the dietetic internship. In addition, an original signed statement is maintained in the program files, indefinitely.

Following completion of all Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) paperwork, the Program Director submits registration eligibility applications electronically to CDR. Graduates should receive confirmation of their RDN exam application eligibility from CDR within approximately one week via email. Graduates will also receive their registration exam application and handbook from Pearson VUE with specific instructions for testing. It is the graduate's responsibility to follow those instructions and schedule the test in a timely manner. The program would appreciate that you release your name when signing in at Pearson VUE to take the RDN exam and to be informed on your success!

For MS DI students, verification statements will not be signed until the MS degree is conferred by UB. Degrees are not conferred by UB until the end of the term in which the student completed their degree requirements. This is typically February 1 or June 1.