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Becoming a Registered Dietitian


Becoming a Registered Dietitian

 The Dietetic Internship at Western Kentucky University (WKU) will fulfill the second step of a three-step process to become a Registered Dietitian.

1)  The first step is completion of a minimum of a Bachelor's degree and receipt of a verification statement from a Didactic Program in Dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

2)  The second step is completion of an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship as evidenced by a dietetic internship verification statement.  To receive the dietetic internship verification statement from WKU, the intern must also successfully complete the coursework and supervised practice requirements.

3)  The third step is the successful completion of the Commission on Dietetic Registration's examination for registered dietitians.

For complete information on becoming a registered dietitian, see: http://www.eatright.org/students/education

Licensure

Some states require licensure, which is an additional step necessary to practice as a RD.  Be sure to check with your state of residence to see if licensure will be required.

In the State of Kentucky, one must be licensed by Kentucky Board of Licensure and Certification for Dietitians and Nutritionists to engage in dietetic practice. Information about licensure for dietitians in Kentucky can be obtained at: http://bdn.ky.gov

RD Registration Exam

The application fee to sit for the registration examination is $200.  The exam is given throughout the year by the Commission on Dietetic Registration's (CDR) testing agency, Pearson VUE.  The program director submits registration eligibility forms for students at the end of the program.  The examinations will be administrated year round at over 250 Pearson VUE test centers nationwide.  Test sites are typically open Monday- Friday, with some some centers also open on Saturdays.  Candidates will receive the most updated test center listing at the time of test registration.  Center locations are subject to change.

  • 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 addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supeervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).  Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Nutrition & Dietetics program (Didactic Program in Dietetics) at Western Kentucky University are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program.

        In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice.  For more information about state licensure requirements, click here.

For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN, click here.

       

 

  

 

The Western Kentucky University Dietetic Internship is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

NOTE: 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 addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). In most states, an RDN must also obtain licensure to practice. For information on dietetic program accreditation, refer to: http://www.eatrightPRO.org/ACEND 

Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics

120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190

Chicago, IL 60606-6995

(800)-877-1600 (ext. 5400)


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 Last Modified 11/20/20