What do Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) do?

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) apply their expertise in nutrition and health in a wide range of practice settings. They provide medical nutrition therapy in clinical specialty areas such as diabetes, critical care, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, and disordered eating. They are also employed in community nutrition organizations, in wellness and health promotion roles, as directors of healthcare or school foodservice operations, or in novel career paths such as sports nutrition. Becoming a RDN requires completion of both a master’s degree or higher and, an accredited supervised practice program, as well as passing the national RDN credentialing exam. At the University of Tennessee, we prepare students to become RDNs through two programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND): the Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in Dietetics (ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics) and the Master of Science degree with a concentration in Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics (ACEND-accredited Graduate Program in Nutrition and Dietetics). Exceptional students in the undergraduate program may apply to the master’s program and, if accepted, complete both of these degrees in five years.

Find out more about careers in nutrition and dietetics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.