Dieticians use food and nutrition as a tool for helping people improve their health, treat illnesses and manage chronic conditions. They work in hospitals, public health agencies and private practice, educating patients on how to consume food and how it affects their health.
You can earn a bachelor’s degree in dietetics to start your career or continue your studies with a master’s degree. Some bachelor’s degrees focus on wellness, culinary arts or nutrition science and others are designed to prepare you for a dietitian internship.
Most bachelor’s programs are four years long and require students to take coursework and complete a nutrition internship. These are great opportunities to learn more about the field of dietetics and get a hands-on experience with real-life clients.
These programs are also a good place to learn about get help the many different ways that you can get into the nutrition industry. Some schools offer online nutrition degrees, which can be helpful for those who don’t have the time to attend campus classes.
If you’re interested in becoming a dietitian, you will need to have at least a bachelor’s degree and a verification statement from a program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Then, you must take the national Registration Examination to earn your Registered Dietitian credential.
You’ll want to choose a college that has strong student-faculty interaction and high rates of graduation. You may also want to consider the student-faculty ratio and whether you will be exposed to hands-on learning with real clients.
Graduates of this program have gone on to work in the hospital, school and private practice, with government agencies, in nutrition research, in the news media and as consultants. They also have worked in corporate wellness, sports nutrition and a variety of other fields.
Some graduates go on to obtain a doctorate in dietetics. These students are also known for their high pass rates on the national RD exam.
A graduate degree can help you stand out from the crowd and make yourself more attractive to employers. If you want to specialize in a particular area, such as sports or women’s health, then a master’s might be the right choice.
The Dietetics Program at MSU is one of the largest in the country, and the student-faculty ratio is among the highest in the nation. This allows you to have the support you need when making important decisions about your future.
MSU’s bachelor’s program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Dietetics and Nutrition Education (ACEND) and is a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). A DPD is the minimum degree required to sit for the national RD examination.
If you want to become a registered dietitian, you must also complete an internship. A dietetic internship is a 9-month program that requires students to complete 1200+ hours of supervised practice under the supervision of a practicing dietitian. This will give you the experience necessary to meet the national RD exam requirements.