Dietitian Requirements
Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) means following a carefully designed educational and training pathway that prepares you to excel in the field of nutrition. This journey includes completing rigorous academic coursework grounded in nutrition science, gaining hands-on experience through supervised practice, and successfully passing a national credentialing exam.
This structured process ensures you develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to provide expert nutrition care, lead health initiatives, and make a meaningful impact in diverse professional settings. If you’re passionate about science, health, and helping others, becoming an RDN offers a rewarding career with strong job prospects and opportunities for growth.
How to Become an RDN
The first step is to obtain a BS degree from a regionally accredited US colleges/universities or foreign equivalents at an ACEND®-accredited education programs.
Dietitians apply the science of nutrition to help individuals, families, and communities achieve optimal health. Nutrition is the application of biochemistry to the human body. Thus, a BS degree includes lots of science courses. Dietitians also need to have strong math and writing skills, as well as a good understanding of management and human psychology. It's a comprehensive education!
When you finish your undergraduate degree, you'll receive a DPD Program Verification Statement, which allows you to apply for an internship.
ISU offers a combined masters degree/supervised practice program. The Master in Nutrition expands your understanding of the science of nutrition. The ISU 1,000-hour, supervised practice program, called a Dietetic Internship (DI), is ACEND® accredited. When you finish, you will receive a DI Verification Statement, which confirms your eligibility to take the national exam (administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration).
ISU MS/Dietetic Interns:
- Train with a small group of dietetic interns
- Complete the required training hours and learning activities within a 16-month time frame
- Earn a Master of Science in Nutrition
The last step is to sign up to take the credentialing exam.
To sit for the national exam, you'll need to provide two verification statements:
- DPD Program Verification Statement
- DI Verification Statement
When you successfully pass the exam, you may use the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) credential.
Some states require that RDNs also obtain a state license. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has lots of information on licensure rules across the U.S.
