The registered dietitian (RD or RDN) is the most widely recognized national and international credential for practice in the field of nutrition and dietetics. The RD qualifies credentialed professionals for employment in a variety of food and nutrition-related positions. Beginning in 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing organization for RDs, will require a master’s degree for entry level practice in dietetics, also known as Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist (RDN).
Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ graduates of the Master of science in Nutrition and Dietetics may immediately sit for the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) examination. Passing the exam qualifies them to attain entry-level or higher-level employment in a variety of settings, like:
- Acute care/inpatient nutrition
- Ambulatory care, long-term care
- Community and public health nutrition programs (food banks, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC Program, school meal programs, etc.)
- Health and wellness programs (corporate wellness, fitness center programs, community wellness programs, etc.)
- Food and nutrition management (culinary, restaurant management, entrepreneurship, etc.)
- Nutrition counseling (private practice, outpatient counseling, clinics, etc.)
- The food and nutrition industry (brand management, recipe development, marketing, advertising)
- Nutrition education (programs for at-risk populations, farmers markets, schools, corporations)
- Nutrition/health journalism (developing content for websites, newspapers, editing, etc.)
- Epidemiology/research (academic, foundations, corporate- or government-sponsored research (NIH).
- Entrepreneurial jobs (starting a food and nutrition company or service, partnering with other dietitians to provide a product or service)
Students may also choose to apply for the Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (CDN) credential, which is a credential recognized in New York State.