Graduate Education

Start your master’s degree during the Massachusetts General Hospital Dietetic Internship.

The Boston-area nutrition graduate programs offer degrees that focus on nutrition communication, public health, health promotion, business, management, public policy and health care administration.

The internship year at Mass General is an opportunity to explore and to discover a passion in the nutrition profession. Interns are often surprised at what experiences peak their interest and lead to fulfilling careers. Graduate programs in nutrition also are an opportunity to explore and discover the many possibilities from business policy to world health, from lab research to direct patient care, from community nutrition to management.

As of April 2013, CDR has passed the following motion related to the minimum degree requirements for for taking the entry-level registration examination for dietitians:

"Move to change the entry-level registration eligibility education requirements for dietitians, beginning January 1, 2024, from a baccalaureate degree to a minimum of a graduate degree. All other entry-level dietitian registration eligibility requirements remain the same."

The Mass General Department of Nutrition & Food Services encourages advanced degrees for staff and sees this new opportunity for interns as a step toward a successful career. The department believes that entry level dietitians will benefit from advanced level education.

The Mass General Dietetic Internship has formed partnerships with the MGH Institute of Health Professions, Simmons University and Boston University. You can earn a master’s degree at any one of these Boston-area organizations.

Each of these graduate programs have courses for evening hours, online or weekends avoiding conflicts with internship rotations.

If students decide to take courses during the internship year, they are expected to meet internship requirements as well as those of the course(s). Tuition payments are payable directly to the school and are the responsibility of the intern.

There is also a MS+DI preselect option with each of these organizations. During the application process, applicants can elect to be considered for our partnerships programs. Each program has different application requirements.

More information can be found on the individual organization’s web sites listed below.

• Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions
• Boston University
• Simmons University

Please contact Patricia Engel for more information on the combined dietetic internship/graduate programs.