Distance Learning / On-Line DI Option

Academic Requirements – Online DI Format

1. Completion of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) requirements by date of admission.

2. Baccalaureate Degree

3. Minimum overall GPA 3.0 with minimum GPA of 3.2 for DPD/Nutrition courses.

4. Technology Skills:

  • E-mail
  • Chat
  • Typing
  • Downloading and uploading text and video documents
  • Saving files
  • File organization
  • Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
  • Internet browsing
  • General computer use
  • Using Skype (Faculty often Skype with students for individualized meetings. Please get some experience using Skype before you are using it for class or advisement purposes to allow for the best possible experience for all parties involved.)                                                                                                                                                     

5. Work experience in nutrition, dietetics, or food service is desirable, but not required.

6. Recency of education requirements for degrees and/or DPD requirements more than four years old. A minimum of three updated undergraduate courses equivalent to the following Russell Sage College nutrition science department courses: NTR 504/404-Medical Nutrition Therapy; NTR 313-Food Service Systems Management; and NTR 517/417-Nutrition and Human Disease.

7. PLEASE NOTE: Nutrition degrees meeting ADA's Plan IV didactic requirements are no longer valid and require recency of education and an updated Verification Statement from your undergraduate program.

8. International Applications: International students must have a foreign degree evaluation report with the statement "regionally accredited" documented along with the degree equivalency. If not, students are required to contact the Foreign Degree Equivalency Evaluation Validation Agency to obtain a revised equivalency evaluation report. In addition to the above requirements, international applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 or computerized score of 213. Please contact the office of Graduate Admission for more information, https://www.sage.edu/admission/graduate/.

Technology Requirements

Each of the following is a requirement for participation in all online dietetic internship courses.

Software

  • Microsoft Office 2007 or 2010 for PC, Microsoft Office 2008 or 2011 for Mac or latest version (Mac documents must be converted to Microsoft documents for submitting assignments)
  • Mozilla Firefox web browser (latest version)
  • E-Portfolio/Web Site, such as webs.com (there are a number of free software options)
  • QuickTime (Latest version)
  • Skype (Latest version)
  • Adobe Reader (Latest version)
  • Prezi (latest version)
  • Jing (free version)
  • Audioboo (latest version)
  • Joinme (latest version) - in place of DimDim
  • Up-to-date antivirus and spyware protection
  • Current windows updates

Hardware

  • A broadband internet connection (Cable or DSL)
  • A computer that is no more than 5 years old
  • Speakers
  • Microphone
  • Webcam
  • Access to videotaping equipment

Other

It is important to note that if you are accepted into a Sage program you will be required to use your Sage e-mail.  All official correspondence will be sent to your Sage account.

The technology requirements may change at any time as new software and hardware is released or updated.  Upgrades may be necessary throughout the program. Also refer to: http://www.sage.edu/resources/technology for more details about technology at Sage.

Application Process

NOTE: The Sage Dietetic Internship distance option was approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) on March 26, 2012. Therefore, this option was not part of the Spring 2012 DICAS application and computer match processes. However, students are expected to use their DICAS information and previous letters of recommendation.

  1. Save the DICAS application as a pdf document which can then be emailed. Transcripts should be scanned into that file or sent separately. Unofficial copies are fine at this point – official transcripts will be required after acceptance.
  2. Recommendation Letters: Request your letters of recommendation writers to email a pdf copy. The letters can be found by going back to the DICAS reference portal where they are saved, https://portal.dicas.org/evaluator12_spring/index.cgi. The username is the writer’s email address and the password should pop up if it was saved. Click on “Print”, this opens it in pdf format. Then click on “file” and “save a copy”. This gives the writer a file that can be emailed to the Sage DI Distant Program Manager, bellcm@sage.edu.
  3. Complete the Distance Track Facility Application Forms (above, right). One packet must be provided for each facility/organization or agency. One organization may provide several rotations, such as the inpatient clinical rotation and food service management rotation at their acute care hospital, the diabetes and renal rotations at their outpatient centers, and the long term care rotation at their nursing facility.
  4. The application fee of $40 made out to The Sage Colleges is to be sent to the DI Manager, Melodie Bell-Cavallino, Distance DI Program, The Sage Colleges, 65 1st St., Troy, NY 12180.           
  5. E-mail your completed application to the DI Manager, Melodie Bell-Cavallino, bellcm@sage.edu, with subject heading: Sage Online DI Application.
  6. Applications will be accepted until all 10 positions are filled.

Selection Criteria

It is the policy of The Sage Colleges to comply with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding equal opportunity and non-discrimination. Admission, financial aid, and access to programs will not be influenced or affected in an illegally discriminatory manner by an individual’s race, color, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application Form  10
Experience (work & volunteer)  35
Extracurricular Activities  16
Grades  35
Letter of Application  20
Letters of Recommendation  24
Total score possible:  140

Information Sessions

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Sage DI web site and attend an online Information Session via Skype. More detailed information about the program, work expectations and general information about Sage Graduate Schools will be discussed, an opportunity to ask questions about the internship and meet the faculty will be provided. Information Sessions are tentatively scheduled for Tuesdays, April 10th and April 17th at 1:30 eastern time. Additional sessions will be added as needed. Contact Melodie Bell-Cavallino, MS, RD, CDN, FADA, bellcm@sage.edu, (518)-244-2075 with questions concerning information sessions, to register for this session and to provide your Skype address.

Interviews

Interviews are not required, although an interview may be requested by the DI Manager via telephone or Skype.