To become a registered dietitian, students must have:
- Completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a US regionally accredited university or college and coursework accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 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), along with the required supervised practice provided by an internship. For more information about this requirement, visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree.
- Applied and completed an ACEND® accredited supervised practice program, such as Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship, which allows the intern to sit for the national examination to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
- Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR’s website at www.cdrnet.org.
- Once interns become an RDN, if the state they reside in requires licensure, they must follow that state's requirement to become licensed/certified. While state interpretations of statutes may vary, ACEND believes the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND-accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state's licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements needed to obtain a dietetics license, including supervised practice and examinations. More information about state licensure and certification can be found at this link: State Licensure.
Students applying to the Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship must have:
- A minimum of a Baccalaureate degree from a U.S. regionally accredited university or college or foreign equivalent as determined by a recognized credentialing agency. Students completing the internship after December 31, 2023, will be required to have a master’s degree or be enrolled in a master’s degree program along with the internship.
- Verification statement from an ACEND-approved Didactic Program in Dietetics. Suppose the Verification Statement is older than 3 years. In that case, the intern may be asked to take a refresher course with a grade in Medical Nutrition Therapy (6 credits) and Advanced Nutrition or Nutritional Biochemistry (3 credits) or graduate-level courses with similar information.
- Relevant work and volunteer experience in the food service or nutrition field
- Personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation, with at least one from an academic professional
- Resume
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- DPD Required Coursework Information
If you are in a master's degree program and will have 18 credit hours by Sept 2025, we may coordinate with you to complete your master’s degree and internship simultaneously.
If you want to start a master’s degree, we have several MSDI pathway partners and can coordinate the master's degree and the internship together. See MSDI Pathway Partners for the requirements for participating in this option.
Required Computer Skills:
- Basic computer skills
- Experience navigating the Internet and using Internet Browsers
- Basic knowledge of formatting using a word processor
- Web Netiquette– students must know the dos and don’ts of online class communication
Questions? Our program faculty is happy to answer any questions you have and can support you throughout the application process. Please send any questions to Dr. Sunitha Zechariah, Program Director at sunithazechariah@iammorrison.com
