Answer:
The requirements for licensure as a dietitian/nutritionist, as set forth in the Dietetics/Nutrition Practice Act under N.C. General Statute § 90-357.5, are as follows:
(a) Each applicant for a license as a licensed dietitian/nutritionist shall submit a completed application as required by the Board, submit any fees as required by the Board, and meet one of the following criteria:
(1) The applicant shall submit proof of completion for the following educational, supervised practice experience and examination requirements:
a. The applicant has received a baccalaureate degree, master's, or doctoral degree or validated foreign equivalent with a major in human nutrition, foods and nutrition, dietetics, food systems management, community nutrition, public health nutrition, nutrition education, nutrition, nutrition science, clinical nutrition, applied clinical nutrition, nutrition counseling, nutrition and functional medicine, nutritional biochemistry, nutrition and integrative health, or an equivalent course of study, from a college or university accredited at the time of graduation from the appropriate regional accrediting agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation and the United States Department of Education and that, as approved by the Board, meets the competency requirements of an ACEND accredited didactic program in dietetics that shall, at a minimum, include the following courses:
1. Fifteen semester hours of clinical or life sciences. These hours must include human anatomy and physiology or the equivalent, microbiology or the equivalent, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.
2. Three semester hours of behavioral sciences, such as psychology, sociology, cultural anthropology, counseling, or educational psychology.
3.Twenty four semester hours of food and nutrition. At least three semester hours must have been received in each of the following categories:
I. Diet therapy, medical dietetics, clinical nutrition, or the equivalent.
II. Nutrition through life cycle, applied human nutrition, advanced human nutrition, or the equivalent.
III. Foods, food science, food composition and menu planning, food service management, or the equivalent.
b. The applicant has completed a Board approved internship or documented, supervised practice experience that meets the competency requirements of an ACEND accredited, supervised practice experience and is not less than 1000 hours under the supervision of a Certified Nutrition Specialist, a Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, a licensed dietitian/nutritionist, a licensed nutritionist, a State licensed health care practitioner whose licensed scope of practice includes dietetics or nutrition, or an individual with a doctoral degree conferred by a United States regionally accredited college or university with a major course of study in human nutrition, foods and nutrition, dietetics, food systems management, community nutrition, public health nutrition, nutrition education, nutrition, nutrition science, clinical nutrition, applied clinical nutrition, nutrition counseling, nutrition and functional medicine, nutritional biochemistry, nutrition and integrative health, or an equivalent course of study, with a reasonable threshold of academic credits in nutrition and nutrition sciences as described in sub subdivision a. of this subdivision. Supervisors who obtained their doctoral degree outside of the United States and its territories must have their degrees validated by the Board as equivalent to the doctoral degree conferred by a United States regionally accredited college or university.
c. The applicant has successfully completed the registration examination for dietitian nutritionists administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
(2) The applicant has a valid current registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration that gives the applicant the right to use the term "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist" or "RDN."
