Becoming a Registered Dietitian

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Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  1. Students must earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition, Dietetics option, and earn their Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) verification statement from CU – Mansfield DPD to be eligible to apply for an ACEND accredited dietetic supervised practice program.
  2. Be accepted to and complete an ACEND accredited dietetic supervised practice program after completing the degree at CU – Mansfield.

There are 3 types of accredited Dietetic Supervised Practice Programs that students can choose to apply to:

  1. Dietetic Internship
  2. Future Education Model Graduate Program
  3. Coordinated Master’s Program

Information can be obtained on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend#accredited-programs

Dietetic Supervised Practice Programs require a minimum of 1,000 hours of ACEND accredited supervised practice program.  There are 3 major areas of dietetics which include clinical dietetics, community and nutrition education, and food-systems management.  Additional experiences that might be provided include research, sports nutrition, pediatrics, culinary nutrition, retail nutrition, informatics, food sustainability, and other related areas.  The additional experiences vary by program.  For more information, view the ACEND Accredited Program Directory: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/accredited-programs/accredited-programs-directory

Students apply for dietetic supervised practice programs during their senior year of the baccalaureate degree.  Dietetic supervised practice programs are highly competitive.

  1. Pass the Registration Examination for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN). The Registration Examination is a national board registration examination, which leads to the credential of Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.  The Commission of Dietetic Registration (CDR) sets the requirements for the RDN exam (https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree).  The RDN exam is a computer-based exam that covers the content in the three major areas of dietetics: Clinical, Community, and Food Service and Food-systems Management. Once students complete the dietetic supervised practice programs and earn the dietetic supervised practice program’s Verification Statement, they are eligible to sit for the RDN examination.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master's degree (the master’s degree does not need to be in the area of nutrition) to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).  In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor's degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at CU - Mansfield are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program.

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice.  For more information about state licensure requirements click here: https://www.cdrnet.org/licensure

 For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here.

 Graduates who do not complete ACEND-approved dietetic internships after graduation are eligible to take the national dietetic technician, registered (DTR) exam and work as dietetic technicians in long-term care, community nutrition programs such as WIC, other health care settings; food service managers in schools, health care institutions, and additional settings.  Graduates may also continue their education by attending graduate school.