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Subpart 79-6, Dietetics and Nutrition

Disclaimer: Sections from the Education Law, Rules of the Board of Regents or Regulations of the Commissioner of Education are presented below for general informational purposes as a public service. Although reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that these sections are current, complete, and accurate, the State Education Department does not warrant or represent that this information is current, complete, and accurate. The statutes, rules, and regulations are subject to change on a regular basis. Readers are advised to consult McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York (West Publishing Corporation) and Title 8 of the Unofficial Version New York Codes, Rules and Regulations - Title 8 (8 NYCRR), published by the Department of State, and the State Register for the official exposition of the text of these statutes, rules and regulations, as well as for amendments and any subsequent changes or revisions thereto.

As used in this Subpart:

  1. Acceptable accrediting agency shall mean an organization accepted by the department as a reliable authority for the purpose of accreditation at the post-secondary level, applying its criteria for granting accreditation in a fair, consistent, and non-discriminatory manner, such as an agency recognized for these purposes by the United States Department of Education.
  2. Acceptable dietitian or nutritionist shall mean a dietitian or nutritionist who is certified pursuant to the requirements of this Subpart or a dietitian or nutritionist who is registered by or a member of a national dietetic association or a national nutrition association which has registration or membership standards which are satisfactory to the department, such as completion of significant post-secondary-level course work in dietetics or nutrition or a related field or completion of significant research contributing to the fields of dietetics or nutrition.
  3. Board shall mean the state board for dietetics and nutrition.
  4. Certification shall mean certification to use the title certified dietitian, certified dietician, or certified nutritionist.
  5. Education in dietetics and nutrition shall mean course work offered in a program in dietetics or nutrition that is registered by the department pursuant to section 52.25 of this Title or is accredited by an acceptable accrediting agency or is the equivalent of such a registered or accredited program; or post-secondary-level courses in the professional dietetics and nutrition content area and the human biological sciences and social and behavioral sciences content area, as defined in subdivision (a) of section 52.25 of this Title, provided that such course work is offered within a program registered by the department pursuant to Part 52 of this Title or approved by an acceptable accrediting agency or offered within a program which is the equivalent of such a registered or accredited program.
  6. Equivalent shall mean substantially the same, as determined by the department.
  7. Full-time equivalent year of education in dietetics and nutrition shall mean 30 semester hours (semester hour as defined in section 50.1(o) of this Title) of such education.
  8. Full-time equivalent year of work experience or planned work experience in dietetics and nutrition shall mean 1,600 hours of such work experience or planned work experience.
  9. Planned work experience in dietetics and nutrition shall mean a structured work experience that is either prescribed in a written plan agreed to by the applicant for certification and his or her supervisor or verified in a written document by the applicant's supervisor and is within the bounds of dietetics and nutrition practice as set forth in section 8001(3) of the Education Law, demonstrates a diverse work experience within such bounds, reflects increased levels of professional growth, is continuous in nature, and is under the supervision of an acceptable dietitian or nutritionist, as defined in this section.
  10. Work experience in dietetics and nutrition shall mean a work experience that is within the bounds of dietetics and nutrition practice as set forth in section 8001(3) of the Education Law and is under the supervision of an acceptable dietitian or nutritionist, as defined in this section.

To meet the education and work experience requirements for certification in this State, the applicant shall present satisfactory evidence of completing the requirements of either subdivision (a) or (b) of this section.

  1. Baccalaureate or higher route. An applicant shall meet the education and work experience requirements for certification by:
    1. completing a program in dietetics or nutrition leading to the baccalaureate degree or a higher academic credential that is registered by the department pursuant to section 52.25 of this title or is accredited by an acceptable accrediting agency or is the equivalent of such a registered or accredited program; and
    2. completing at least one-half of a full-time equivalent year of planned work experience in dietetics and nutrition, as defined in section 79-6.1 of this Subpart, which is either part of the educational program or occurs within any given three-year period following completion of the educational program.
  2. Associate degree route. An applicant shall meet the education and work experience requirements for certification by:
    1. completing a program in dietetics or nutrition leading to the associate degree that is registered by the department pursuant to section 52.25 of this Title or a program in dietetics or nutrition leading to the associate degree that is accredited by an acceptable accrediting agency or a program in dietetics or nutrition leading to the associate degree that is the equivalent of such a registered or accredited program; and
    2. completing in the 15 years prior to making application for certification, a combination totaling 10 full-time equivalent years of either education in dietetics and nutrition, as defined in section 79-6.1 of this Subpart, or of planned work experience in dietetics and nutrition, as defined in section 79-6.1 of this Subpart, or of work experience in dietetics and nutrition, as defined in section 79-6.1 of this Subpart; provided that a minimum of two and one-half full-time equivalent years of planned work experience in dietetics and nutrition are included in the total full-time equivalent years of combined education and work experience; and
    3. submitting to the department the written endorsement for certification by three acceptable dietitians or nutritionists, as defined in section 79-6.1 of this Subpart;
    4. (4) course work earned as part of the associate degree program in dietetics or nutrition required in paragraph (1) of this subdivision may be used as full-time equivalent years of education in dietetics and nutrition to meet the requirement in paragraph (2) of this subdivision to the extent that such course work was taken during the time frame prescribed in paragraph (2) of this subdivision.
  1. (a) Except as provided in section 79-6.4 of this Subpart, each applicant for certification shall pass an examination that is determined by the department to measure the applicant's knowledge of and judgment concerning curricular areas as defined in section 52.25 of this Title and other matters of ethics relating to practice as may be deemed appropriate by the department.
  2. (b) Education requirements for admission. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 59.2 of this Title, an applicant for certification shall not be required to satisfy all education requirements before being admitted to a professional licensing examination in dietetics and nutrition. Such education shall be completed prior to certification.
  3. (c) Grade retention. The grade retention limitations of subdivision (f) of section 59.5 of this Title shall not be applicable to a professional licensing examination in dietetics and nutrition.
  4. (d) Passing standard. The passing standard for each examination shall be determined by the board.

An applicant shall receive certification without examination provided that, prior to January 1, 1996, the applicant:

  1. files an application and pays the statutory fee to the department; and
  2. either:
    1. submits satisfactory documentation of being a dietitian or nutritionist who is registered by or a member of a national dietetic association or a national nutrition association which has registration or membership standards which are satisfactory to the department, such as completion of significant post-secondary-level course work in dietetics or nutrition or a related field or completion of significant research contributing to the fields of dietetics or nutrition; or
    2. is at least 18 years of age, meets the education requirements set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of section 79-6.2 of this Subpart, and has been actively engaged in the provision of nutrition care services for a minimum of three years during the five years immediately preceding January 1, 1993; or (3) is at least 18 years of age and meets the requirements set forth in subdivision (b) of section 79-6.2 of this Subpart.