Interested in Registered Dietetic Nutritionist Credentials
M.A.S. Maternal and Child Nutrition satisfies the requirement for one of the pathways to RDN credentials. If you completed a DPD program during your undergraduate degree, this master's program with an additional dietetic internship qualifies you to apply for the RDN exam.
If you did NOT complete a DPD program in your undergraduate work, you may elect to enroll in additional courses to meet the didactic requirements necessary to pursue the Registered Dietitian (RD) credential as specified by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If you enroll in additional courses, you will be required to pay additional tuition and fees. More information on the RD credential didactic requirements is available from the Undergraduate Staff Advisor for Nutrition.
Please review the information below to learn more about opportunities and for more information about becoming an RDN.
MCN Dietetic Internship Partnerships
MCN has multiple partnerships with both UCDMC and CA WIC programs. Please see below for more information and links to DIs.
MCN has a unique opportunity with UCDMC:
A newly established internal UCD applicant pathway for our UCD Nutrition graduate students (including MCN) is for students who are interested in pursuing a career in Dietetics. This new opportunity allows MCN students who have already completed a DPD to apply early for consideration before the national application pool opens for the UCD Med center DI program.
This pathway is for those who are currently enrolled in GGNB and MCN programs, who have completed dietetics coursework and have a DPD verification statement, and who will have completed a MS, M.A.S., or PhD degree at the time of entry to the Dietetic Internship supervised practice program. The application for entry to the upcoming internship class is DUE: October 1 via the DICAS portal platform.
Please see the linked flyer and the program website for more information.
MCN has partnerships with some WIC programs
Coursework and Other Requirements for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
Certification
There are 2 main pathways toward pursuing the RDN credential.
Pathway 1) Individuals completing an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD), such as the UC Davis undergraduate program, then go on to accredited Dietetic Internships and Master's, Coordinated Graduate, or Graduate Programs.
Pathway 2) Individuals completing an accredited Coordinated Graduate or Future Graduate Program.
The Clinical Nutrition undergraduate major at UC Davis is an accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics, preparing one to apply to Supervised Practice/Dietetic Internships. Beginning 1/1/24 one must have a graduate degree to sit for the national Registration Exam. MCN fulfills the master's requirement. The MCN program is not a DPD and does not prepare one to enter Supervised Practice / Dietetic Internships or facilitate SP/DI placements. MCN does have partnerships with select CA WIC programs and UC Davis Health. See partnerships above for more information
For information on UC Davis undergraduate coursework, please see UC Davis Nutrition DPD Coursework
If you did not complete a DPD, then you would not have a Verification Statement to enter a DI/SP program, you would need to follow pathway 2 above. At UC Davis, this is outlined below:
1) You could attempt to take classes through the UC Davis Continuing & Professional Education Open Campus. You would have to enroll on the first day of classes. This will take approximately 1-2 years, depending upon your meeting prerequisites, and then a stand-alone dietetic internship of 6-12 months. This would require transcript review prior to entry into the program. The courses required to receive a Verification Statement.
2) The Academy’s Accredited Program Directory. Lists combined/coordinated/graduate MS/RD programs. Look specifically at the Graduate Programs (GP) and the Coordinated programs (CP). If you have a science background, you should meet the prerequisites.
We have had students complete the Verification Statement along with a master's here at UC Davis, but this will take approximately one year of undergraduate courses. The MS coursework would take priority. You may elect to enroll in additional courses to meet the didactic requirements necessary to pursue the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN) credential as specified by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If you enroll in additional courses, you will be required to pay additional tuition and fees.
More information on the RD credential didactic requirements is available from Joan Frank, who can answer many questions you might have regarding the DICAS application. She has provided information from presentation recordings (https://www.careers4rdn.com/workshops-podcasts). She also provides a Senior Seminar in the fall that covers the application process. All presentation recordings are on the website. www.Careers4RDN.com. (The numbered ones are the Sr. Seminar recordings)