Registered Dietitian Pathway

My goal is to be a Registered Dietitian (RD) in the state of Florida. This will allow me to be more qualified to advise people’s nutrient intake, habits, and confusion. RD qualifications require a master’s degree, a thousand-hour internship, an exam, and a state license.

Having RD qualifications allows an important legal practice that online certification-earned nutritionists can’t provide: Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), a specialized area of nutrition practice that involves the use of individualized nutrition interventions to treat or manage medical conditions and diseases.

I will be enrolling in Arkansas State University’s M.S. Nutrition and Dietetics Registered Dietitian Track Online. This allows me to work full-time whilst studying. Once I complete the online coursework, I will then quit my job to undergo the thousand-hour internship training.

To earn the M.S. in Nutrition & Dietetics – RD online, 53 credit hours of coursework must be completed – 12 credit hours of core courses, 15 credit hours of major requirements, 9 credit hours of support courses and 17 hours of practicum courses.

Alas, here are the trials towards becoming a Registered Dietitian.

CalendarTask
2026 SummerPre-requisite Courses:
Applied Statistics (STAT 3233)
Lifecycle Nutrition (NS 3113)
Community Nutrition (NS 4453)
Nutritional Biochemistry (NS 3123)
Nutrition Assessment (NS 3253)
2026 FallPre-requisite Courses:
Medical Nutrition Therapy (NS 4113)
Food Science (NS 3143)
Nutrition Counseling (NS 4553)
2027 SpringApplication: Nutrition & Dietetics – RD cohort
2027 SummerM.S. Courses – Year 1 [START]
2028 SummerM.S. Courses – Year 2 [START]
2029 Summer900-hour Internship
2029 WinterSend transcripts to Tallahassee
2029 SpringTake Registration Examination for Dietitians (RE) administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)
2029 SpringSend scored to the Florida Dietetic and Nutrition Practice Council
2029 SpringOnce the FL Department receives the CDR passing scores, a license number will be issued within 2 weeks