Pathways to RDN
What is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are food and nutrition experts who have met the following criteria to earn the RDN credential:
- Completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a US regionally accredited university or college and course work accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Completed an ACEND®-accredited supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies. Typically, a practice program will run six to 12 months in length.
- Completed a graduate degree program (this is a requirement starting in January 2024).
- Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
- In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. View more information about state licensure requirements. RDNs in Ohio require licensure that can be obtained through the Ohio Medical Board.
- Completed continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.
How Can I Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?
The University of Cincinnati has a graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics that offers several pathways for you to become an RDN. Your path will depend on your current educational credentials. Please use the appropriate tab to determine which pathway is right for you.
Begin your UC journey by applying to the Nutrition & Dietetics program. From there you can apply to the graduate Coordinated Program through the Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist Program pathway when you are a sophomore.
You will need to complete the graduate Coordinated Program prerequisite courses or a Didactic Program in Dietetics and then once you complete that, apply for the MS in Nutrition Sciences - Clinical Nutrition concentration. Please reach out to Sarah Couch at Sarah.Couch@uc.edu to ensure your eligibility before applying.
Transfer or transition into the Nutrition & Dietetics program. From there you can apply to the graduate Coordinated Program through the Accelerated Dietitian Nutritionist Program pathway.
If you have or will have completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and can provide a DPD verification statement you can apply directly to the MS in Nutrition Sciences - Clinical Nutrition concentration. This program combines the Supervised Practice Certificate with a master's degree. Please reach out to Sarah Couch at Sarah.Couch@uc.edu to ensure your eligibility before applying.
If you have a foreign degree, you will need to ensure you have completed the program prerequisites or a DPD Verification Statement from an ACEND accredited institution. Please review ACEND's Education and Credentialing Requirements for Those with Foreign Degrees, for additional information including where you can get your degree validated.
If your academic degree(s) is validated as equivalent to the bachelor's or master's degree conferred by a US regionally-accredited college or university and you can provide a transcript evaluation that shows completion of prerequisite coursework or a DPD verification statement, then you can apply directly to the MS in Nutrition Sciences - Clinical Nutrition concentration This program combines the Supervised Practice Certificate with a master's degree. Please reach out to Sarah Couch at Sarah.Couch@uc.edu to ensure your eligibility before applying.
Additional Resources
The following links and resources from the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics may help you learn more about the RDN credential and how it is changing.
