Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist听 听听
There are many career paths you can take after graduation depending on your future goals. You can earn credentials as a , attend graduate school, or enter the workforce.
If your goal is to become a
After graduating from Concordia鈥檚 DPD program with a 3.0 minimum GPA, you will be eligible to apply to supervised practice programs, otherwise known as dietetic internships, where you will complete a minimum of 1,200 hours of practical training. Programs are located across the country and are generally nine to 12 months in length (internship only) or longer if the internship is combined with graduate studies.听For more information on the internship application process, please see the 听or the
After successful completion of your dietetic internship, you will be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) registration exam, which is a computerized test that graduates must pass in order to receive the RD/RDN credential. Additional information about the Registration Exam can be found on the听. For more information on the exam and licensure in Minnesota, see the .
Note:听Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master鈥檚 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鈥檚 degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR鈥檚 Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before听12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR鈥檚 website:听. In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements听.
If your goal is to become a
After graduating with a degree in food, nutrition, and dietetics from Concordia, you will be eligible to take the Registration Exam for Dietetic Technicians, which is a computerized test that graduates must pass in order to receive the NDTR credential. For more information about the exam, visit the听.
If your goal is to continue your education or to enter the workforce:
After graduating with a degree in food, nutrition, and dietetics from Concordia, you will be eligible apply for:
- Graduate programs (minimum GPAs and course requirements vary with programs)
- Nutrition/health-related jobs that do not require the RDN credential, including many that are listed above