To become a registered dietitian nutritionist, a path of higher education is a must as well as a dietetic internship from an ACEND-accredited program, and passing the national registration examination. The pathway listed below is a common route many traditional students take, but it is not the only path to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Upon successful completion of the DI/MS program at Concordia College, the DI/MS director will issue the graduate a verification statement, which indicates completion of supervised practice requirements for eligibility to write the Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialing exam. The combined program is designed so that students must complete both components — dietetic internship and graduate program — to receive a Master of Science degree in nutrition and a verification statement. Students cannot receive a verification for the dietetic internship without completing the master’s degree, and they cannot receive the master’s degree without completion of the dietetic internship.
In addition to the registration requirements, the state of Minnesota has a licensure requirement for dietitians. Minnesota statutes define licensure and states in 148.630(a): No person may engage in dietetics or nutrition practice unless the person is licensed as a dietitian or nutritionist by the board. Additional information is available from the state's Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice website. Several other states also have licensure/certification requirements for dietitians, including North Dakota, Florida, Arkansas, New Mexico, Montana, and Nebraska. For more information about licensure requirements in these states, see the state licensure agency contact list posted on the CDR website.