The primary job of a nutritionist is to help a person establish a healthy diet based on the nutrition that they may lack/need. People with illness may need proper diets to control their weight and improve their health which is why they may need a professional. A certified nutritionist can either work on their own or as part of a healthcare institute.
What’s Needed to Become a Nutritionist?
An individual needs a bachelor’s degree as a minimum educational requirement to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. Various colleges offer students several degrees in dieticians and nutritional sciences. If one wants to become a certified dietitian, they should apply to a school that has a didactic program in dietitian. The work taught in an educational program has been authorized through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.
Students who are opting to become a nutritionist are most likely to study sciences as well as nutrition. These courses are a mix of subjects such as chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, counseling strategies, nutrition, and diseases. Once they get their bachelors degree, they should take up an internship in the relative field. Internees are placed with various clinical agencies, food service agencies, etc. to get as much hands-on experience as possible during the allotted time frame. It is recommended that these internees should work for about six to twelve months under professional supervision.
State Requirements
Each state has its own licensing requirements to become a nutritionist. However, a majority of states set a required standard to obtain that title. In several states, individuals are required to become a registered dietitian nutritionist or meet specific requirements, for instance, a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or at least 800 to 900 hours of work under a supervised professional.
It can take around five years to become a registered dietitian nutritionist; this would include four whole years of completing the bachelor’s degree and another year of an internship. In the year 2012, the average salary per year for a nutritionist was around $55,000. And in the year 2013, this average salary went up to $60,000. The job prospects of a registered dietitian nutritionist have been growing immensely over the past few years.
Finding a Work
A small percentage of registered dietitian nutritionist works independently while the majority percentages work in health care agencies. Moreover, a considerable percentage of nutritionists are also known to work in nursing homes. During your internship period, the contact you make with the supervised professionals can help you get a job in the related field.
Can I Obtain this Certification Online?
There are several accredited places online that can help you get a bachelor’s or master’s degree to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. The University of Georgia is one of them where the online nutrition program is dually accredited. Once students manage to complete their degree in the Master of Science in foods and nutrition, they can become a certified nutrition director at the school. Another school that individuals can study from is the University of Arizona which offers a bachelor’s degree in nutritional science. This degree will include courses related to therapeutic diets, food science, and safety, etc.
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