Becoming a Dietitian

If you do not have a bachelor’s degree and you want to become a nutrition counselor or a registered dietitian.

To become a Registered Dietitian you need to do four things. You need to complete a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, meet the current academic requirements set by the American Dietetic Association at an accredited dietetics program, complete an American Dietetic Association accredited supervised field experience and successfully write the Registration Examination for Dietitians.

There are two kinds of dietetic education programs available in the US. In the most common kind of program, the four-year undergraduate program, you would earn a bachelor’s degree and then complete a dietetic internship in the fifth year. The second type of program, the coordinated program, includes the internship component in the undergraduate preparation.

Unfortunately, we do not have either type of program at IUPUI, although some of the required courses are available on this campus. IUPUI offers many of the required science courses and the food service courses. Before enrolling in courses at IUPUI, decide which dietetic education program you will attend. Talk with the advisors at this program and find out which IUPUI courses their program will accept as transfer courses. There is no point in taking a class that will not transfer!!

A complete listing of both four-year undergraduate programs and coordinated programs in the United States is available at the American Dietetic Association website www.eatright.org. Dietetic education programs available in Indiana are attached. Please contact these programs directly.

There are several websites that provide information on your current opportunities in dietetics: The U.S. Department of Labor, the American Medical Association Allied Health and the American Dietetic Association.

Best wishes and good luck to you.