Dietetics Program Details
A Dietetics major prepares students to meet the educational knowledge and skills specified by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) as part of the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Upon completing the required dietetics coursework, you are awarded a bachelor's degree.
You are then issued a Verification Statement, signifying that all the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) degree requirements have been met and you are eligible to apply for dietetics internships or the Future Education Graduate Model (FEM). After completing an internship and a graduate degree or FEM, you will be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) registration examination for dieticians to become credentialed as an RDN.
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Educational and professional requirements
Central Michigan University Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) provides a curriculum that is based upon the foundation knowledge requirements and learning outcomes specified by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This program is currently accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) through June 30, 2030. For additional information, please review the dietetics handbook.
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Upon completion of this required coursework, you are awarded a bachelor's degree. You are then issued a Verification Statement, signifying that all DPD degree requirements have been met and you are eligible to apply for dietetic internships or the FEM graduate model. After completing an internship and a graduate degree or FEM, you will be eligible to take CDR's Registration Examination for Dietitians to become credentialed as a Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN).
- A Verification Statement (VS) is an official document generated by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, to provide evidence that a DPD student has completed all the DPD requirements (Knowledge for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (KRDN) for dietetic education within the program. At CMU, a Verification Statement is awarded to a student who has successfully completed all the DPD requirements, has met the criteria of the Professional Phase (adherence to the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics Professional Code of Ethics; maintaining a 3.0 overall GPA and 3.0 overall GPA in the DPD required courses, which include completion of the KRDN requirements listed by ACEND), and has been cleared for graduation by the registrar.
"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). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor's degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement, visit the CDR website. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited dietetics program at Central Michigan University are eligible to apply to an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program/apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN."
Licensure
Forty-seven states have laws governing the field of dietetics. Licensing registered dietitians assures the public that individuals providing nutrition advice have the appropriate education and experience. A list of states with licensure can be obtained at the Commission on Dietetic Registration website. Licensure in Michigan is pending. Read online about current events in Michigan regarding licensure for registered dieticians.
Filing a complaint with ACEND
ACEND® has established a process for reviewing complaints against
accredited programs in order to fulfill its public responsibility for assuring
the quality and integrity of the educational programs that it accredits. Any
individual, for example, student, faculty, dietetics practitioner and/or member
of the public may submit a complaint against any accredited program to ACEND®.
However, the ACEND® board does not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as
a court of appeal for individuals in matters of admissions, appointment,
promotion or dismissal of faculty or students. It acts only upon a signed
allegation that the program may not be in compliance with the Accreditation
Standards or policies. The complaint must be signed by the complainant.
Anonymous complaints are not considered. View the website for ACEND.