What degree do I need to be a dietitian?
Are you constantly searching for ways to make healthy changes in dietary habits of those around you? If so, perhaps a career as a dietitian is your future. As with many other careers in health care, becoming a dietitian requires specialized training and nationally-recognized certification. While schooling may be intense, the rewards of helping others shape their health and prolong their life is well worth the time and financial investment.
Dietitian Degree Options
Dietitian degree seekers are typically after the title of Registered Dietitian, or RD. In order to become an RD, you must first obtain a bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) as well as by the U.S. Department of Education.
Subjects covered through this college coursework cover a wide variety of concentrations, which include: nutritional science, biology, sociology, business and science-based coursework such as physiology, microbiology and anatomy.
Practical Experience
In order to qualify for the registered dietitian certification exam, students in undergraduate and graduate programs must complete 1,200 hours of supervised training through an ACEND-accredited program. Throughout the course of the program, aspiring dietitians learn through hands-on interaction with patients, physicians or consumers. Such programs are often found at community agencies or health care clinics.
Certification Examination
While there are several ways an aspiring dietitian may qualify for examination, the most common consist of earning at least a baccalaureate degree and completing the required hours of supervised practical training. Once these, and any other, qualifications are met, you may qualify for RD certification through the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
The exam consists of four primary elements: Nutrition Care for Individuals and Groups, Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and Services, Food Service Systems and Food and Nutrition Sciences. In all, the exam encompasses 125-145 questions. Upon passing each of the four exam domains, you’ll be awarded the title of Certified Registered Dietitian.
State Licensure
Every state except Arizona, New Jersey and Colorado require licensure or state-specific certification. Qualifications vary dramatically; however, typical eligibility requirements involve an undergraduate/graduate degree and national certification. Determine licensure or certification requirements in your state by visiting the Division of Professional Licensure for your particular region.
