Become an RDN or Advance Your Nutrition Career
Pursue a rewarding career in food and wellness
Do you aspire to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or professional nutrition specialist? Simmons University offers the education, clinical training, and personalized support to achieve your career goals. Earn your master's degree, gain experience in leading facilities in Boston and beyond, and build a future helping others optimize their health.
For over 100 years, Simmons has provided exceptional nutrition education. Our graduates consistently surpass the national pass rate on the Registration Exam for Dietitian Nutritionists.
Generous scholarships are available.
Nutrition Programs & Deadlines
| Nutrition Program | Format | Fall (September) | Spring (January) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS in Nutrition and Health Promotion | On campus, online | Priority: May 1 | Priority: October 15 |
| Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) Certificate | On campus | Priority: May 1 | Priority: October 15 |
| Graduate Certificate in Sports Nutrition | Online | Priority: May 1 | Priority: October 15 |
| Dietetic Internship Program | On campus | Priority: October 8 |
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Simmons Dietetic Internship Program RDN Exam Pass Rate
Simmons graduates consistently surpass the national pass rate average on the Registration Exam for Dietitian Nutritionists. The national average is 85%.
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Years of History of Nutrition Education at Simmons
Simmons’ history of nutrition education spans more than a century, highlighted by our department’s many contributions to nutrition science, health, and wellness.
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Pathways
The MS in Nutrition and Health Promotion offers specializations in Applied Nutrition and Nutrition Entrepreneurship.
Your Nutrition Experience at Simmons
Simmons’ graduate nutrition programs give you the flexibility to tailor your education to your career goals. You’ll join a community of students from diverse academic backgrounds. Some are career changers from outside the sciences, while others have strong foundations in scientific study. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared for careers in research, community nutrition, private practice, and more.
Everything You Need to Become an RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are nationally credentialed healthcare professionals who promote health and manage disease with medical nutrition therapy in settings such as hospitals, clinics, community programs, and private practice.
To sit for the RDN registration exam, you’ll need:
- Didactic Program in Dietetics: Complete the required nutrition coursework through an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)
- Master’s degree: Earn a master’s degree, which is now required to become an RDN.
- Dietetic Internship: Complete supervised practice through an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship.
At Simmons University, you can complete these requirements through a coordinated pathway that will prepare you for the RDN exam and your career.
Flexible Pathways to Becoming an RDN
Whether you want to become an RDN, advance your nutrition career, or develop specialized expertise, Simmons offers a path that fits your goals.
- MS + Dietetic Internship: Combine our Master of Science with the ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics and a Dietetic Internship (DI). Choose a concentration in community nutrition and wellness, eating disorder treatment, or pediatrics. Gain real-world experience in top facilities. You can also complete your DI with one of our partner institutions, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, Wellness Workdays, and BeWell Solutions.
- MS in Nutrition & Health Promotion: Our MS degree gives you advanced expertise in nutrition, fitness, and wellness plus the leadership skills to make an impact. Choose to study fully online or on our Boston campus. Specialize in either applied nutrition science or entrepreneurship.
- Didactic Program in Dietetics: Our in-person, ACEND-accredited Certificate in the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) fulfills the nutrition coursework component to become an RDN. It is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- Standalone Dietetic Internship: Gain the foundational supervised experience needed to launch your RDN career. The standalone option is for students with a master’s degree and a DPD verification statement.
- Sports Nutrition Certificate: Build specialized knowledge in sports nutrition and expand your expertise in an area of growing interest across nutrition, fitness, and wellness.
What Simmons Nutrition Students Say
I knew that Simmons had a strong reputation for dietitians, and the Department of Nutrition offers a great nutrition program. A lot of schools do not offer an internship path to become a dietitian, so I realized that Simmons would create an easy pathway to obtain my license to become a registered dietitian.
- Clarissa Palencia ’24
One of the things I love about Simmons, and especially the dietetic program, is that being at the graduate level, you really feel like you are transitioning into a career, rather than just being a student.
- Helena Greenslit ’24 ’25MS
Where Simmons Graduates Work
Alumnae/i of our health science graduate programs go on to work in a variety of locations, including:
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Research Registered Dietitian
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Clinical Nutrition Specialist
- The University of Alabama, Performance Nutrition Specialist
- Sodexo, Clinical Dietitian
- Mind Belly Soul Nutrition, RDN
- Mount Auburn Hospital, Clinical Oncology Dietitian
- Mount Sinai, Inpatient Dietitian
- New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, RDN
Upcoming Information Sessions
Get started by meeting our expert faculty and staff at an information session.
Chart Your Path to Becoming a Registered Dietitian (RD) with Simmons!
- Nov 17, 2026
- 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Virtual