• The primary mission of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program is to prepare students to compete for internships accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that lead to eligibility for the ACEND Registration Examination and, thus, to “Registered Dietitian/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist” designation.
  • Students are provided educational experiences to prepare them to effectively fulfill duties of entry-level dietetics positions and to manage others who provide dietetic-related services. Students emerge from the program with information and management skills which enable them to creatively solve problems in the delivery of dietetic services.
  • As a part of accreditation, the program has established goals for performance. Programs outcome data are available upon request.

    • Becoming a Registered Dietitian: 3-step process

    • Complete at least a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university in the United States and complete course work approved by ACEND. Completion of the CFND concentration, within the HMD major, at Western Kentucky University allows for the completion of the bachelor's degree and the necessary course work.
    • Complete an internship that has been accredited by ACEND. Students apply to programs in their last year at Western Kentucky University and complete the internships after graduating from the University. Entrance into internships is highly competitive. An undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.3 and relevant work experience and/or volunteer experience aid in the preparation for a supervised practice program.Note: Nationally, there is a shortage of internships available; there are only internship openings for about half of the students which apply to internships. Some internships require taking the GRE for program admission.
    • Pass a national examination administered by ACEND.

    Maintaining registration status as a Registered Dietitian

    • After becoming an RD/RDN, continued learning is required. This continued education involves the generation of a professional development portfolio. Dietitians must earn 75 hours of continuing professional development related to self-selected goals within a five year period. More about the process of professional development may be found on the website of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
    • In addition to earning registration status through the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, individual states may have laws regarding licensure/certification regarding dietitians and nutritionists. For example, the Kentucky Division of Occupations and Professions has a Board of Dietitians and Nutritionists. In order to be licensed in Kentucky, the RD/RDN Credential and 15 hours of continuing education per year are required.

    Career Opportunities

    • medical nutrition therapy in hospitals and long-term care facilities
    • sports nutrition and wellness
    • public health nutrition
    • private practice
    • food service management in schools, hospitals, or long-term care
    • business, research & education