No.  Students who complete the undergraduate nutrition major requirements MUST meet the requirements for and complete the RD internship at the master’s level in order to become a registered dietitian. They also must pass the national registration exam. Ask your advisor for more details.

Because the ADA requires an internship and the responsibilities for dietitians are ever increasing, we strongly encourage our qualified undergraduates to continue into our graduate program and become registered dietitians. 

What happens if I don’t go on to become an RD?  Can I still get a job with my bachelor’s degree?

Yes!  There are many opportunities for graduates of our major. Talk to your advisor or visit WCU Career Services for information and advice.

What is required of a student to obtain a Dietetic Internship?

The Dietetic Internship is designed to provide clinical experiences established by the Standards of Education of the American Dietetic Association. Students who successfully complete the internship are eligible to take the national registration exam of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), and on passing the examination become registered dieticians (RD) and active members of the ADA.

To obtain a Dietetic Internship a student must successfully complete an undergraduate degree from an ADA-accredited program, or have a baccalaureate degree from anywhere but have all of the didactic courses completed from an ADA-accredited program.

If someone has a bachelor’s degree in an area other than nutrition, they do not have to obtain a second degree, but they do have to complete all of the ADA-required courses from an ADA-accredited program. Well-qualified students admitted to an internship had a mean GPA of 3.45.