Didactic Program in Dietetics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

The field of nutrition and dietetics is dynamic, diverse, and continuously evolving. Dietitians provide medical nutrition therapy in hospitals and clinics. They are also employed as consultants and managers, in public relations, and food and culinary positions where they manage food service operations in health care or other institutional and commercial settings. They write books, articles, and newsletters. Dietitians are active in the health and wellness industry and in corporate wellness where they address health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Dietitians also work in national, international, and state government agencies for programs such as Women Infants and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-ED), as well as agencies such as the USDA and FDA. A growing number of RDNs work in private practice or as entrepreneurs providing nutrition products and services to consumers. RDNs also work as humanitarians around the world in the area of public policy to help during times of nutritional crises.

Dietetic Major at UMass Amherst

The dietetics track at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is accredited with ACEND (ACEND [at] eatright [dot] org (ACEND[at]eatright[dot]org)). The track is for students who wish to apply for an internship to become an RDN.

The accredited dietetics track fulfills the ACEND Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) requirements, and is the first step toward becoming an RDN. Following completion of the degree requirements of the dietetics track, graduates will receive a Verification Statement, which is necessary to apply to a Supervised Practice or Dietetic Internship. Registration also requires passing a national Registration Examination.

More information on the nutrition and dietetics profession can be found at Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) website. (http://www.eatright.org/) AND is located at 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995; 312-899-0040.

For more information on the dietetics track and the DPD at the university please refer to the Undergraduate DPD handbook.

Steps needed to be become an RDN

The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian/nutritionist (RDN).

Here are the steps that show the options UMass Amherst BS graduates have to meet the RDN requirements.

Step 1. Complete the coursework in the UMass Amherst Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), which is accredited by ACEND, by following the undergraduate dietetics track in the nutrition department. Graduates receive the DPD Verification Statement upon completion of these requirements.

Step 2: Complete one of the following

1. The 4+1 master's in nutrition program at UMass Amherst, which allows students to complete the BS and MS in five years and then apply to a “stand alone dietetic internship – many of these are housed in hospitals. Entry requirements will usually state that you need a DPD and graduate degree, or they will ask that you complete the optional masters program affiliated with their dietetic internship.
2. An MS, MPH, MA, MBA in another department or college (these may be one or two years in duration), then apply to a dietetic internship, which is not associated with a graduate degree (as in option a above)
3. A dietetic internship that is combined with an MS degree, typically an MS or MPH, while also completing a dietetic internship (these are usually two years in duration.

There is information on the location of these different programs on the AND website https://www.eatrightpro.org/

While at UMass Amherst, DPD students are given guidance on the process of applying to a dietetic internship. 

Admission to the Didactic Program in Dietetics at UMass Amherst depends on admittance to the university:

https://www.umass.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions

We adhere to the standards of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Code of Ethics and Professional Practices (link below). 

https://www.nacacnet.org/advocacy--ethics/NACAC-Guide-to-Ethical-Practice-in-College-Admission/

Nutrition students who wish to major in the dietetics track must earn a GPA of 2.5 or above. For more information about the Didactic Program in Dietetics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, including required courses and recommended course sequence, as well as other information on our career preparation, please go to our undergraduate program information webpage: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/academics/bs-nutrition

Required courses and course sequence for the DPD can be found on the Dietetics track page.

The cost of attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst can be found at the bursar’s webpage:

https://www.umass.edu/bursar/tuition/undergraduate-tuition-rates

Please refer to the Undergraduate DPD Handbook for more details on the cost of attending the University of Massachusetts on the dietetics track.

Some, but not most of the nutrition classes needed for the DPD are available online. Please note that enrolling in an online class at the University of Massachusetts costs $525/credit, plus university + Campus Fee $256/credit (total $781/credit) during the regular semester as well as during intersession. Most financial aid will not cover this cost.

The academic calendar of the University of Massachusetts Amherst can be found on the registrar’s webpage:

https://www.umass.edu/registrar/calendars/academic-calendar

For more information on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the dietetics profession, please visit the AND website at www.eatright.org.

Licensed Nutritionist Dietitian (LDN)

In most states, RDNs also must obtain licensure or certification to practice.

Most people are unaware of the fact that, in Massachusetts, individuals do not need to be licensed to call themselves a “nutritionist.” The term “nutritionist” is not protected. However, the term “Licensed Nutritionist/Dietitian” is protected by licensure in Massachusetts. Most positions will require licensure or RDN certification, and frequently both.

Here are the educational and experiential prerequisites for obtaining the LDN in Massachusetts:

The LDN Licensure Board accepts the CDR (Commission on Dietetic Registration) internship and examination as equivalent to the statutory requirements for professional experience and a Board-administered examination. So, the fully qualified RDN only has to pay a licensure fee for the LDN license in Massachusetts.

Without the RDN credential, graduates who wish to become licensed must meet one of the following criteria:

1. You must have a bachelor's degree or higher for licensure. Your major course of study should be in dietetics and nutrition, human nutrition, nutrition education, public health nutrition, or a very similar field.
2. The law requires professional experience prior to licensure. The experience may be a Board-approved formal, post-baccalaureate internship of not less than 900 hours in the Field of Dietetics and Nutrition and supervised by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist, or it may be paid professional experience. The length of that experience depends on your level of nutrition education:
   • An individual with a doctoral degree must have one year of post-degree experience.
   • An individual with a master's degree must have two years of post-degree experience.
   • An individual with a bachelor's degree must have three years of post-degree experience.

For information on Massachusetts state licensure, visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-of-dietitians-and-nutritionists or contact the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure, 1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston; 617-727-9925 or visit the licensure website at https://www.mass.gov/ocabr/government/oca-agencies/dpl-lp (click on “Division of Professional Licensure Boards” and then “Dietitians and Nutritionists”).

For more information about state licensure requirements in other states in the U.S., please refer to the state licensure board of the state in which you are interested. 

Here is state licensure information developed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: https://www.cdrnet.org/LicensureMap