Educational and Professional Requirements

Registered Dietitians (RDs) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are food and nutrition experts who have met the following criteria and earned the RD or RDN credential:

• Enroll in an Accredited Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CP) at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college (or foreign equivalent)
• Complete the DPD or CP program and obtain at least a bachelor’s degree in dietetics with the verification statement
• Apply to an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship (DI), Coordinated Program in Dietetics or an Individual Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) offered through an ACEND accredited program
• Complete 1000 hours of supervised practice through an ACEND accredited DI program and receive the verification statement
• Apply for registration eligibility with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)
• Receive a passing score on the national registration examination for dietitians administered by CDR (refer to CDR’s website at: http://www.cdrnet.org)
• Maintain R.D. credentials by completing continuing professional educational requirements

Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Careers in Dietetics: Becoming a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.  “Educational and Professional Requirements”

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree 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 most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here.