How to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
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To become a registered dietitian nutritionist, a path of higher education is a must as well as a dietetic internship from an ACEND-accredited program, and passing the national registration examination. The exam requirements are set by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
The Georgia Southern University Dietetic Internship Certificate Program provides you the opportunity to complete the required ACEND-accredited supervised practice (Step 2 in the 5 step process outlined below). You are eligible to take the CDR Dietetic examination upon completion of the Georgia Southern University Dietetic Internship Certificate Program.
The 5 Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
- Complete a bachelor’s degree and receive a verification statement from an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)-accredited program (Didactic Program in Dietetics) Note, effective January 1, 2024, a graduate degree will be required to be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration Exam.
- Complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice dietetic internship program or Individual Supervised Practice Pathway of at least 1000 hours. Supervised practice/experiential learning can also be combined with the coursework in options such as: Coordinated Program, Future Graduate Program, and International Dietitian Education Program.
- Pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s dietetic registration exam
- Gain licensure in your state of practice. In the State of Georgia, and in many other states, you must hold a valid license issued by the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed dietitians in order to practice dietetics. For more information on Licensure for Registered Dietitians in the State of Georgia, visit https://www.cdrnet.org/licensure.
- Maintain continuing education.
Last updated: 12/5/2023