The Path to Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) use their expertise in food and nutrition to help individuals and communities achieve better health. RDNs may work as part of a healthcare team in hospitals, private practice, or other health-related facilities. They also may work in nonprofit and public health settings, educational and research positions, in food-related businesses, and more. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook for Dietitians and Nutritionists, the opportunities for dietitians are expected to grow 7 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. 

Keep reading to learn about different kinds of Nutrition Science degrees and the steps to becoming an RDN.

The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential is a designation awarded by the Commission on Dietetic Registration to professionals who have completed a specific educational program, met supervised practice requirements, and passed a national exam.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist or RDN are the current terms for the professional credential that is sometimes also referred to as Registered Dietitian or RD. 

The RDN credential is required to use the term Registered Dietitian Nutritionist or the RDN designation with your name or on your resume. It is also required for most positions in nutrition science, whether in healthcare, government, education, or industry. 

You will need a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. You also need to complete 1,000 hours of supervised practice in a program known as a Dietetic Internship. 

After you have completed a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and a Dietetic Internship, you will have to take the Registration Examination for Registered Dietitians.  

Once you pass the exam and meet any specific state requirements, you will be eligible to call yourself a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist or RDN. You will have to participate in continuing education to maintain your credential. 

Some prospective college students already know they want to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. If this describes you, you might be interested in a Nutrition Science bachelor’s degree. A Nutrition Science bachelor’s from an ACEND-accredited program (more about that below) will include all the prerequisites you need to begin a Dietetic Internship.

That said, you can still become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in another field. You might have to take a few prerequisites before you begin the Dietetic Internship that is required to become an RDN.

The master’s degree program that you select will depend on a number of factors, including your educational background. 

For example, the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is a sequence of courses that are required to participate in a Dietetic Internship and take the registration exam for the RDN credential. Some students take DPD courses as undergraduates, and others take the courses as graduate students.

Russell Sage College has two options for a master’s degree in nutrition; both can be combined with RSC’s Dietetic Internship to meet all the requirements to take the RDN exam: 

Future Registered Dietitian Nutritionists work under the supervision of professional RDNs during a Dietetic Internship. 

During a typical Dietetic Internship, a dietetic intern will gain hands-on experience at a variety of fieldwork placements over 12 months. For example, a dietetic intern may spend several weeks working in a hospital, followed by placements in a nursing home, a community program for youth, a state or county health department, and/or with an RDN in private practice. 

After you complete your bachelor’s and master’s degree and Dietetic Internship, you will be eligible to take the registration examination for dietitians. Once you pass the exam, you can call yourself a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist or RDN. 

Your program length will depend on how many prerequisites you need to start a master’s in nutrition and whether you pursue your master’s degree and Dietetic Internship full time or part time. 

After you earn a bachelor’s degree, it generally takes about two to three more years to complete a master’s degree and Dietetic Internship if you attend the programs full time.

If your goal is to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, it is important that the educational program you select is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics — or ACEND. A degree from an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics and participation in an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship is required to take the RDN credentialing exam.

Russell Sage College’s Didactic Program in Dietetics and Dietetic Internship are both accredited by ACEND. 

A college’s overall reputation and specific reputation in the health sciences is also important. Russell Sage is one of the top three producers of nutrition graduates in New York state and is commonly looked to as a source of community health information and research.

Reach out to an undergraduate admission counselor or graduate admission counselor to learn more about Russell Sage College’s nutrition degrees and Dietetic Internship Program and decide if they are a good fit for you.