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November 05, 2024 Clouds | 55°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Section 203: Dietitians/nutritionists; application for original license, renewal or examination; educational and professional experience requirements

Section 203. An application for original license, renewal and to sit for the licensing examination shall be made on the forms approved by the board and accompanied by the appropriate fee.

The fee for original license and renewal shall be determined by the commissioner of administration and finance pursuant to the provisions of section 3B of chapter 7 which shall be established at a level sufficient to and dedicated to offsetting the cost to the department of public health for the operations of the board.

Applications for original license shall be sworn and furnish satisfactory proof that the applicant is at least 18 years old, of good moral character and has met the educational and professional experience requirements prerequisite to sitting for the licensing examination.

Educational requirements for licensure shall include:

(1) a bachelor's degree or higher with a major course of study in dietetics and nutrition, human nutrition, nutrition education, or public health nutrition; or

(2) a bachelor's degree or higher with a reasonable threshold of undergraduate level academic credit hours in nutrition and nutrition sciences as determined by the board, from a college or university regionally accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Schools, Inc./Commission on Institutions of Higher Education or equivalent.

Professional experience requirements for licensure shall include:

(3) a formal post baccalaureate internship approved by the board of not less than 900 hours in the field of dietetics and nutrition supervised by a licensed dietitian/nutritionist; or

(4) three years of post baccalaureate paid professional experience in the field of dietetics and nutrition; or

(5) two years of post master's degree paid professional experience in the field of dietetics and nutrition; or

(6) one year of post doctorate paid professional experience in the field of dietetics and nutrition; or

(7) such comparable experience which satisfies the board that the licensee is competent to practice as a licensed dietitian/nutritionist.