Why is the Degree Requirement for Registration Examination Eligibility Changing?

The 2013 joint consensus agreement decision made by the ACEND, CDR, CFP, Academy BOD Education Committee, and NDEP DPG to change the entry-level degree requirement from a bachelor's degree to a graduate degree was based on the recommendations of the Council on Future Practice Visioning Report (2012). The recommendation was made based on the fact that almost all other health care professions had already increased entry-level educational standards beyond bachelor's degrees and that moving the entry-level RD education to a graduate level is consistent with the knowledge, skills, and research base required in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

It was agreed that a graduate degree would better prepare individuals to enter the profession as an RD or RDN based on the roles, knowledge, skills, and curriculum required to meet client and customer needs for food and nutrition services. The graduate degree will address the diversity of the profession's practice areas and help develop leaders in advancing the profession.

• Final Report of the Joint Meeting of ACEND, CDR, CFP, Academy Education Committee, and NDEP DPG (March 2013)
• Council on Future Practice Visioning Report (September 2012)
• Job Satisfaction and Professional Characteristics of Registered Dietitians
• Dietitians on Demand Episode - Graduate Degree Requirement: Discussion with CDR