Doctoral Standards and Templates

Proposed Standards

The ACEND Standards Committee has been developing standards and competencies for new doctoral standards for education in nutrition and dietetics for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RD/RDN) with a minimum of three years full-time post-credentialing work experience or equivalent. The proposed terminal degree is a professional practice doctorate and not a PhD.

The ACEND Board has released the proposed draft for the Advanced Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Standards for Doctoral Education Programs for public comment and encourages all interested parties to provide input by completing the survey.

• Read the proposed draft
• Complete the survey
• View the FAQs for the proposed doctoral standards

This survey will close November 5, 2023.

Interested in learning more about these standards? ACEND is offering an informational session at FNCE^®, titled Beyond Entry Level: New Advanced Practice Doctoral Standards for the RDN on Monday, October 9, 2023 from 1:30 - 3 p.m. A recording of the session will be posted as soon as it is made available.

Additional information will continue to be added to this webpage as it becomes available, including the FNCE^® recording and a rationale document on the development of these standards.