What are the steps to becoming an RDN?
- 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). Note: Individuals who established eligibility for the registration examination for dietitians on or before December 31, 2023 are not required by CDR to obtain a graduate degree.
- Step 1: Completion of an ACEND accredited graduate-level program that integrates coursework and minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice.
- Step 2: After successful completion of graduate coursework for a Master’s degree and an ACEND accredited supervised practice dietetics program, graduates need to pass the CDR’s RDN exam to become a credentialed practitioner.
- Step 3: All RDNs must maintain continuing professional education to maintain their credential.
- Step 4: In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For national licensure information, please visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) State Licensure website.
- For NJ Licensure Updates.
Do I need to find my own rotation sites and preceptors?
Our faculty will be coordinating the preceptors and supervised practice placement sites for all students. However, to allow students the freedom in tailoring their own educational experiences, our program is open to considering others sites that may be of interest to students enrolled in the program.
Licensure
In January 2020, Governor Murphy signed into law the Dietetics and Nutrition Licensing Act which establishes a dual pathway for licensure for Dietitians and Nutritionists. Both licensure pathways will require coursework, experience requirements demonstrating competency in nutrition care service, and examination. The new law will license individuals who have met the following criteria: completion of an ACEND accredited supervised practice program (dietetic internship) and passage of the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s credentialing exam. Updates for NJ Licensure for Dietitians.
For national licensure information, please visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) State Licensure website.
RDN Videos
To learn more about the role of an RDN, please click the links below to watch these short videos created by the New Jersey Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: