Íæż½ã½ã

Nutrition, Hospitality and Human Services

College of Education and Human Development

Steps to Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

To become an RDN, an individual must:

  1. Earn a bachelor’s degree/complete all Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) required courses to receive a verification statement from a program accredited by ACEND (e.g., Íæż½ã½ã’s Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD)).
  2. Successfully complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice dietetic internship (e.g. Íæż½ã½ã’s Dietetic Internship Program).
  3. Take and successfully pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration Examination for Dietitians. Professional licensure requirements vary by state with some states requiring licensure—see the . The Íæż½ã½ã DPD program is located in Texas.
  4. Maintain 75 Continuing Professional Education Units (CPEUs) every five years to maintain registration status.

What Does a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Do?

A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) is a credentialed health professional qualified to provide dietary guidance and medical nutrition therapy to individuals and groups of people with the goal of promoting health and managing nutrition-related diseases.

RDNs are nutrition and food experts and can work in a variety of fields such as clinical nutrition, community nutrition, foodservice and private practice.

All RDNs are nutritionists. Not all nutritionists are RDNs. "Nutritionists" is a non-credentialed, unregulated title, meaning some states allow the title "nutritionist" to be used, regardless of education or experience.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires a minimum of a master's degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). For more information about this requirement visit . 

In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited didactic in dietetics program at Íæż½ã½ã are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program.