Guideline D on Doctoral-level Supervisor Qualifications

Supervisor Eligibility Criteria


Each supervisor must have at least one of the following professional designations, and they must have held the designation at the time of supervision:

  • Certified Nutrition Specialist
  • Diplomate of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition
  • Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
  • Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist
  • Licensed Nutritionist
  • North Carolina licensed health care practitioner whose licensed scope of practice includes dietetics or nutrition
  • Individual with a doctoral degree conferred by a United States regionally accredited college or university with a major course of study in human nutrition, foods and nutrition, dietetics, nutrition education, nutrition, nutrition science, clinical nutrition, applied clinical nutrition, nutrition counseling, nutrition and functional medicine, nutritional biochemistry, nutrition and integrative health, or an equivalent course of study, with a reasonable threshold of academic credits in nutrition and nutrition sciences as described in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-357.5 (c)(1).

notice-icon-greenNote: Supervisors who obtained their doctoral degree outside of the United States and its territories must have their degrees validated by the Board as equivalent to the doctoral degree conferred by a United States regionally accredited college or university.

If your supervisor only holds a doctoral-level degree in a field NOT listed above (i.e. human nutrition, foods and nutrition, dietetics, nutrition education, nutrition, nutrition science, clinical nutrition, applied clinical nutrition, nutrition counseling, nutrition and functional medicine, nutritional biochemistry, nutrition and integrative health) then please review Guideline D to determine if the NCBDN would deem that they have completed an equivalent course of study with a reasonable threshold of academic credits in nutrition and nutrition sciences.