Verification Statement Requirements

All students must successfully fulfill the following program requirements to complete the Master of Science in Nutrition and Human Performance Dietetics Concentration degree program in order to receive a verification statement. The verification statement proves eligibility for the graduate to take the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) exam through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). 

• Complete all didactic courses with a letter grade of C or better and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• Complete at least 1000 hours of supervised experiential learning; subtracting any waived by prior assessment of learning (PAL).
• Complete program within 33 months (150% program length) unless there are extenuating circumstances that have been approved by the Program Director.
• Receive a satisfactory score on all preceptor/instructor/Program Director evaluations.
• Successful completion of the 125-question 2.5 hour Cumulative Mock Exam provided in the Portal prior to program completion. Must receive a passing score of at least 100 correct answers (80%), and upload a copy of the score to the learning plan in the Portal. If the score is below this, the student must repeat the exam, and upload the passing score in the Portal to the learning plan. If a student does not pass, they must contact the Program Director to discuss possible reasons for not passing, and they may need to seek further help with test taking (such as testing for learning disabilities).
• Complete a student self-evaluation, all preceptor evaluations, and overall program evaluation.
• Fulfill all financial obligations.
• Complete an application for graduation through Graceland University.
• Provide the Program Director with official transcripts for the submission to the Commission on Dietetic Registration as proof of eligibility to take the national registered dietitian nutritionist exam.
• FEM GP faculty confirmation that all FEM GP competencies were fulfilled by the student.

When all program requirements have been verified as “met” by the Program Director, a Verification Statement will be provided to students within 2 weeks. Additionally, the verification statement will be saved in the graduate’s file indefinitely. Verification Statements that are issued on and file will be retained in a secure location; signed either electronically or in a color other than black ink; never be posted online; not be filed or issued without a signature or graduate name. Our program offers a graduation ceremony in-person at Graceland University’s Independence Campus in Missouri, or virtually with NutraCo.

The graduate is responsible to submit the application to take the RDN exam through CDR in a timely manner. Graduates should review the state licensure information on CDR’s website to determine if the state they plan to practice in also requires a separate state license or certification.

The NutraCo-Graceland University Partnership is not responsible nor liable for a graduate’s failure to pass the RDN examination.