Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

Upon completion of all program requirements of the UCCS Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics, students will earn a verification statement resulting in eligibility to take the credentialing exam to become an RDN. Alternative pathways can be explored through the ACEND’s information for students page under “pathways to registration.” Licensure requirements for other states can be found on the Commission on Dietetic Registration state licensure webpage.

Registered dietitians work in a wide variety of employment settings, including health care, business and industry, community/public health, education, research, government agencies and private practice. Many work environments, particularly those in medical and health-care settings, require that an individual be credentialed as an RDN. RDNs work in:

• Hospitals, HMO's or other health-care facilities, educating patients about nutrition and administering medical nutrition therapy as part of the health-care team. They may also manage the foodservice operations in these settings, as well as in schools, day-care centers and correctional facilities, over-seeing everything from food purchasing and preparation to managing staff.
• Sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs, educating clients about the connection between food, fitness and health.
• Food and nutrition-related business and industries, working in communications, consumer affairs, public relations, marketing, product development or consulting with chefs in restaurants and culinary schools.
• Private practice, working under contract with health-care or food companies, or in their own business. RDs may provide services to foodservice or restaurant managers, food vendors and distributors or athletes, nursing home residents or company employees.
• Community and public health settings, teaching, monitoring and advising the public and helping improve their quality of life through healthy eating habits.
• Universities and medical centers, teaching physician’s assistants, nurses, dietetics students, dentists and others the sophisticated science of foods and nutrition.
• Research areas in food and pharmaceutical companies, universities and hospitals directing or conducting experiments to answer critical nutrition questions and find alternative foods or nutrition recommendations for the public.

See ACEND for more details.