 Preparation
Becoming a dietitian
or nutritionist usually requires at least a bachelor's degree in
dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a
related area. Graduate degrees also are available. College students in
these majors take courses in foods, nutrition, institution management,
chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, and physiology. Other
suggested courses include business, mathematics, statistics, computer
science, psychology, sociology, and economics. High school students
interested in becoming a dietitian or nutritionist should take courses
in biology, chemistry, mathematics, health, and communications.
There are currently
close to three
hundred
degree programs approved by the
American Dietetic Association's Commission on Accreditation for
Dietetics Education.
Of the 46 States and
jurisdictions with laws governing dietetics, 33 require licensure, 12
require statutory certification, and 1 requires registration. Specific
requirements vary by State. As a result, interested candidates should
determine the requirements of the State in which they want to work
before sitting for any exam.
 In states that require licensure, only people who are licensed can work as
dietitians and nutritionists. States that require statutory
certification limit the use of occupational titles to people who meet
certain requirements; individuals without certification can still
practice as a dietitian or nutritionist but without using certain
titles. Registration is the least restrictive form of State regulation
of dietitians and nutritionists. Unregistered people are permitted to
practice as a dietitian or nutritionist.
Although not required,
the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic
Association awards the Registered Dietitian credential to those who pass
an exam after completing academic coursework and a supervised
internship. This certification is different from the statutory
certification regulated by some States and discussed in the previous
section. To maintain a Registered Dietitian status, workers must
complete at least 75 credit hours in approved continuing education
classes every 5 years.
 A
supervised internship, required for certification, can be completed in
one of two ways. The first requires the completion of a program
accredited by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Recently, there
were 51 accredited programs that combined academic and supervised
practice experience and generally lasted 4 to 5 years. The second option
requires the completion of 900 hours of supervised practice experience
in any of the 243 accredited internships. These internships may be
full-time programs lasting 6 to 12 months or part-time programs lasting
2 years.
Experienced dietitians
may advance to management positions, such as assistant director,
associate director, or director of a dietetic department, or may become
self-employed. Some dietitians specialize in areas such as renal,
diabetic, cardiovascular, or pediatric dietetics. Others leave the
occupation to become sales representatives for equipment,
pharmaceutical, or food manufacturers. A master's degree can help some
workers to advance their careers, particularly in career paths related
to research, advanced clinical positions, or public health.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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