Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Status

A Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is recognized as the food and nutrition expert in the United States. Many jobs in food and nutrition fields require this credential.

Criteria to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  1. NOTE: As of January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires an advanced degree (minimum of a Master’s degree) as well as a Bachelor’s degree to be eligible to sit for the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). Learn more here.

  2. You must complete a series of courses required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) known as the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or a Foreign Dietitian Education Program (FDE) either as part of an academic degree or by themselves. (Note that the Dietetics Track of the Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and the DPD/MS+DI graduate program at BU meets all of these requirements.) Recently, ACEND has accredited Future Education Model programs that require students to complete a set of competencies rather than the DPD program. Completion of either a Future Education Model (Graduate Degree) Program OR a DPD program will allow students to enter supervised practice followed by eligibility to sit for the national registration exam.

  3. You must complete an ACEND accredited supervised practice experience.  The Dietetic Internship associated with the BU MS+DI and DPD/MS+DI as well as our DI Partnership Programs meets this requirement.

  4. You must pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) national registration exam.

  5. While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND’s considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state’s licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure.”