Updated September 2022
Ball State University Master of Science & Dietetic Internship Program
Admission & Application Overview
PRESELECT ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS & APPLICATION PROCESS
The Preselect Admission Option offers qualified Ball State University students the opportunity to apply for
admission and be granted direct admission into the program upon completion of the DPD and Bachelor of
Science program requirements. Students accepted as a preselect student agree to commit to attend Ball State
University Master of Science & Dietetic Internship (BSU MS/DI) the following school year immediately
following completion of their undergraduate degree and will bypass the computer matching application
process.
Preselect Admission Requirements:
• A minimum of a 3.5* cumulative GPA** on a 4.0 scale
• Current enrollment or completion of the core upper division nutrition courses (NUTR 455: Lifecycle
Nutrition; NUTR 446: Medical Nutrition Therapy I) at Ball State University
• Completion of DPD and Bachelor of Science program requirements prior to beginning MS/DI
• Students that meet the above requirements*** will receive the Preselect Admission Packet via email
by the first week of October.
*The cumulative GPA cut-off may be re-determined every year
**If applicable, undergraduate and graduate coursework will be considered in the cumulative GPA
*** The number of spots filled via the Preselect Admission Option will vary year to year (not to exceed 12 out
of 24). The remainder of spots will be filled by computer matching.
Preselect Application Process:
1. Apply to the Ball State University Graduate School
All applicants to the Dietetic Internship at Ball State University must be accepted into the Graduate
School at Ball State University and the Department of Nutrition and Health Science to be considered an
applicant to the Dietetic Internship.
• GRE is not required
• Select “MS Nutrition and Dietetics” (do NOT select MS Nutrition and Dietetics-Online)
• Ball State must receive transcripts from all colleges and universities you attended (this includes
dual credit courses earned while in high school) in order for you to be admitted to your
program of interest.
o You may provide unofficial or official transcripts when you apply.
▪ Unofficial transcripts - Unofficial transcripts are copies of transcripts that you
directly upload to your applicant status portal. Each document uploaded must
include your name, the institution's name, the degree you have earned/are in
the process of completing, and your cumulative GPA. (By choosing to submit
unofficial transcripts, you acknowledge that your application is being reviewed
based upon the information you provided; an official transcript may be
requested if further information is needed; and, after recommended for
Updated September 2022
admission, that you will provide your official transcripts to complete the
admission process).
▪ Official transcripts - Official transcripts are transcripts that are sent
directly (electronically, by mail, or received in an official sealed envelope) to Ball
State University’s Graduate Admissions Office from the issuing institution. You
may order official transcripts to include with your application, rather than wait
until after you're recommended for admission to provide them. This means any
former or current institutions you attended will need to submit the official
transcripts to Ball State.
o You do not need to submit Ball State transcripts with your Graduate School Application;
Ball State transcripts will be automatically uploaded in your application portal.
• Your Preselect Admission Packet includes everything the Dietetic Internship Selection
Committee will review; you do NOT need to submit a letter of intent or any additional
references to your Graduate School application.
• Apply at www.bsu.edu/gradschool
o At the top right, click “Apply”
o The first time you enter information, click “First Time User”
o Remember what username/password you used
o You can return to the application at any time; but when you do, click “Returning User”
• Attend a Graduate School information session or the Dietetic Internship Director’s information
session at a fall semester BSDA meeting and/or class lecture for Medical Nutrition Therapy I and
your $60 application fee will be waived.
2. Complete the Preselect Admission Packet
The Preselect Admission Packet will be emailed to eligible students by the end of the first week of
October. The Preselect Admission Packet must be scanned and submitted via email to Natalie
Kruzliakova ([email protected]) by the last Friday in December. Please note the instructions
below; you will submit only two files, one compiled PDF and one Excel spreadsheet.
Send as one PDF, scanned in the following order:
• Preselect Admission Option Checklist (Form A)
• Supplemental Supervised Practice Selection Form (Form B)
• Preselect Admission Option Application (Form C)
• Waiver and Recommendation Form (Form D) for one supervisor reference *
• Official Transcripts from every college attended (must include transcripts from every college
attended that include the fall semester grades; both front and back of transcripts should be
scanned) **
Send as one Excel spreadsheet:
• Preselect Admission Option GPA Worksheet (Form E)
*If the applicant chooses to waive access to the supervisor reference, the Waiver and
Recommendation Form can be mailed directly to the address below.
**Please note: All official transcripts should be hand delivered to the Department of Nutrition and
Health Science or mailed to:
Dietetic Internship Steering Committee c/o Natalie Kruzliakova
Updated September 2022
Department of Nutrition and Health Science
HB 530
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
Preselect Review & Notification Process:
Preselect applicants will be contacted by the Dietetic Internship Director to set up an interview on campus the
first week of spring semester. The interviews will be recorded and available for the Dietetic Internship
Steering Committee to review. The review and notification process is detailed below:
a. Applications and interviews will be reviewed by the Dietetic Internship Steering Committee.
Applicants will be notified of their acceptance or rejection into the BSU MS/DI by the end of the
third week in January. Those that are rejected may still participate in computer matching and still
designate Ball State as an option if they choose.
b. Selection criteria include academic performance, faculty recommendations, personal statement,
interview, participation in professional or community organizations, extracurricular
activities/sports, and honors and awards. Meeting minimum requirements for the Preselect
Admission Option does not guarantee acceptance into the BSU MS/DI.
c. Written confirmation to the Dietetic Internship Director accepting the MS/DI position is required by
the last Friday in January. Students preselected for positions are required to notify and withdraw
from the computer match if they have previous registered to participate in computer match.
d. Admittance into the BSU MS/DI is contingent on maintaining cumulative GPA of at least 3.5, a
minimum grade of a B in all DPD course requirements, and completion of all DPD requirements.
3. If you would like to apply for Nutrition and Health Science graduate assistant position, complete the
application found here and submit by March 1, 2023.
Updated September 2022
COMPUTER MATCHING ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS & APPLICATION PROCESS
The Ball State Dietetic Internship uses the online dietetic internship centralized application service (DICAS) and
D&D Digital for the fall and spring computer match periods. DICAS is a convenient service for applicants to
apply to multiple dietetics programs with a single application. DICAS, a service of the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics, can be accessed here: https://page.liaisonedu.com/dicas/apply. In addition to completing the
application in DICAS, applicants must also register online with D&D Digital, a web-based service that matches
applicants to dietetic internships each spring and fall based on both the applicants and programs ranked order
of preference. Those rank order lists are "matched" with each other to select which (if any) program an
applicant would be "matched" with. Access D&D Digital at https://dnddigital.com/.
Computer Matching Admission Requirements:
• A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale is preferred
• A minimum 3.0 DPD GPA on a 4.0 scale is preferred
• A minimum 2.75 Science GPA on a 4.0 scale is preferred
• Completion of DPD and Bachelor of Science program requirements prior to beginning MS/DI
Computer Matching Application Process:
1. Apply to the Ball State University Graduate School
All applicants to the Dietetic Internship at Ball State University must be accepted into the Graduate
School at Ball State University and the Department of Nutrition and Health Science to be considered an
applicant to the Dietetic Internship.
• GRE is not required
• Select “MS Nutrition and Dietetics” (do NOT select MS Nutrition and Dietetics-Online)
• Ball State must receive transcripts from all colleges and universities you attended (this includes
dual credit courses earned while in high school) in order for you to be admitted to your
program of interest.
o You may provide unofficial or official transcripts when you apply.
▪ Unofficial transcripts - Unofficial transcripts are copies of transcripts that you
directly upload to your applicant status portal. Each document uploaded must
include your name, the institution's name, the degree you have earned/are in
the process of completing, and your cumulative GPA. (By choosing to submit
unofficial transcripts, you acknowledge that your application is being reviewed
based upon the information you provided; an official transcript may be
requested if further information is needed; and, after recommended for
admission, that you will provide your official transcripts to complete the
admission process).
▪ Official transcripts - Official transcripts are transcripts that are sent
directly (electronically, by mail, or received in an official sealed envelope) to Ball
State University’s Graduate Admissions Office from the issuing institution. You
may order official transcripts to include with your application, rather than wait
until after you're recommended for admission to provide them. This means any
Updated September 2022
former or current institutions you attended will need to submit the official
transcripts to Ball State.
o You do not need to submit Ball State transcripts with your Graduate School Application;
Ball State transcripts will be automatically uploaded in your application portal.
• You do NOT need to submit a letter of intent or any additional references to your Graduate
School application; your personal statement and references submitted to DICAS will be
reviewed by the Dietetic Internship Selection Committee.
• Apply at www.bsu.edu/gradschool
o At the top right, click “Apply”
o The first time you enter information, click “First Time User”
o Remember what username/password you used
o You can return to the application at any time; but when you do, click “Returning User”
• Attend a Graduate School information session or the Dietetic Internship Director’s information
session at a fall semester BSDA meeting and/or class lecture for Medical Nutrition Therapy I and
your $60 application fee will be waived.
2. Prepare to complete your application in DICAS and log in to the matching and rank ordering service
via D&D Digital.
Review the two important links below:
• This website details your responsibilities as an applicant for computer matching:
https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/application-process-
for-students/computer-matching-applicant-responsibilities.
• This website displays the computer matching calendar: https://www.eatrightpro.org/-
/media/eatrightpro-files/acend/program-directors/april-2023-computer-matching-
calendar.pdf?la=en&hash=BD9131552B1BC49C3F060D2105C00971538BA9A6.
When you are ready, complete your application and rank order programs:
• DICAS: Complete and submit your application in DICAS at
https://page.liaisonedu.com/dicas/apply. Follow the instructions in the DICAS portal. Your
applications and letters of reference must be submitted through DICAS by February 15, 2023, at
11:59pm (Central). As part of the application, official transcripts from all colleges and
universities attended should be sent, postmarked by February 15, 2023 to the following
address:
DICAS Transcript Processing Center
PO Box 9118
Watertown, MA 02471
• D&D Digital: Your list of rank ordered programs must be submitted to D&D Digital by February
15, 2023, at 11:59pm (Central) at https://dnddigital.com/.
Updated September 2022
Notification and Appointment
• Applicant matching results will be posted on www.dnddigital.com from 6:00 PM Central Time, April 2,
2023, through April 3, 2023 (Appointment Day). This is the ONLY source of notification for applicants.
All applicants who receive ONE MATCH will find the matched DI program name and contact
information to accept the matched appointment. The MATCHED DI program is planning that the
MATCH will be accepted.
• Matched applicants must contact the DI Program by 6:00 p.m. (time zone of the program), Monday,
April 3, 2023 to confirm acceptance of the match. No arrangements should be made with any other DI
programs. Applicants who receive NO MATCH will be given other instructions.
Please note the following:
• If you need assistance with the centralized application or have questions about fees, please contact
DICAS customer support at 617/612-2855 or [email protected]. If you need assistance with
computer matching or have questions about fees, please contact D&D Digital customer support at
515/292-0490 or [email protected]. If you have specific questions related to the BSU MS/DI
requirements or program, please contact the Dietetic Internship Director
• Applicants may be interviewed by the Dietetic Internship Director via virtual conference. The
interviews will be recorded and available for the Dietetic Internship Selection Committee to review.
• The BSU MS/DI does not require a separate program application fee in addition to the $60 Graduate
School application fee.
• The same letters of reference from the DICAS application will be used to determine acceptance into
the Graduate School at Ball State University and the Department of Nutrition and Health Science. No
need to submit additional letters of reference. The Graduate School will require official transcripts be
sent directly to them.
• Once accepted in the BSU MS/DI, interns must provide the following to the internship director prior to
starting the program:
o Official transcript showing completion of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or
foreign equivalent
o Verification Statement from an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics
Second Round Match Information
• If the program enters into second round matching, the BSU MS/DI program will be listed on the D&D
Digital website as a program with openings. To be eligible for the second-round application process,
you must have received a “No Match” through the D&D Digital computer match process for the 2022
Spring Match and you must also meet the program admission requirements for application (listed
above). Individuals who applied to the BSU MS/DI Program during the first round do not need to re-
apply. If the BSU MS/DI is participating, the second round DICAS applications will be accepted
Wednesday, April 5 at 11:00 am Central Time) through Friday, April 7 at 4:00 pm Central Time.
• Applicants apply through DICAS and will be reviewed in the order that they are received until the class
is full. All applications will be reviewed and scored by the program director & committee according to
the selection review process as outlined in the program application materials. GRE scores are NOT
required. There is NOT an additional DI application fee. Applicants will be ranked by the program
Updated September 2022
director based on the score received in the review process and appointment offers will begin. You will
be contacted via email or telephone if additional information is needed. If you are selected as a second
round appointment, you will be notified by phone. At the conclusion of the process, the program
director will notify unsuccessful applicants via email that the internship class is complete. Upon
appointment to the BSU MS/DI through the second round, you must apply to and be accepted into to
the Ball State University Graduate School (see #2 above).
3. If you would like to apply for Nutrition and Health Science graduate assistant position, complete the
application found here and submit by March 1, 2023.
