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Healthcare

Dietitian

Dietitians assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems. You need an approved degree or postgraduate qualification in dietetics or human nutrition and HCPC registration.

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Career fit

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Entry level
£32,000 (starter)
Mid-career (typical)
£32k – £48k
Senior / lead
£48,000 (experienced)
What you'll do

A day in the life

  • Assess patients' nutritional needs
  • Create diet plans for health conditions
  • Run clinics and group education
  • Work with doctors and nurses on care
  • Monitor progress and adjust plans
The path

Your career roadmap

Every milestone from school to senior. Track progress as you complete each stage.

  1. 1

    GCSEs / Level 2

    education
    Usually 2 years at school; resits vary

    Build foundations in English, maths and science for entry to further study leading towards dietetics.

  2. 2

    A Levels or equivalent

    education
    Usually 2 years; Access courses often 1 year

    Complete Level 3 qualifications with the science content required by your chosen dietetics courses.

  3. 3

    Dietetics / Human Nutrition degree

    qualification
    Usually 3–4 years undergraduate or 2 years postgraduate, including placements

    Study an HCPC-approved dietetics programme covering nutrition, disease and dietary treatment; a human nutrition degree alone does not qualify you as a dietitian.

  4. 4

    Clinical placements

    experience
    Several blocks within the degree; timing varies by programme

    Complete supervised practice placements within your approved programme, assessing nutritional needs and planning dietary care with patients and healthcare teams.

  5. 5

    Degree completion

    qualification
    Final part of the programme; no separate study period

    Pass the remaining academic assessments and placement competencies to receive your approved dietetics qualification.

  6. 6

    HCPC registration

    certification
    Allow several weeks; processing times vary

    Apply to HCPC with your approved qualification and required declarations before practising under the protected title of dietitian.

  7. 7

    Dietitian

    role
    Often several years before senior progression; varies

    Work as a registered dietitian, assessing patients, developing dietary treatment plans and reviewing outcomes with multidisciplinary colleagues.

  8. 8

    Senior / specialist Dietitian

    role
    Ongoing; progression depends on experience and vacancies

    Develop specialist expertise, manage more complex caseloads and often supervise colleagues or lead service improvements.

What you need

Skills you'll build

Qualifications
  • Approved dietetics degree
  • Dietitian degree apprenticeship (Level 6)
Certifications
  • HCPC registration
  • British Dietetic Association membership