Sports Dietetics Certification
Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
The Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) is the premier professional sports nutrition credential in the U.S.
The CSSD is offered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for registered dietitians (RDs) who have specialized experience in sports dietetics. Being Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics designates specific knowledge, skills, and expertise for competency in sports dietetics practice.
2013 CSSD exam window
The 2013 application and examination dates will be available in June, 2012.
NEW! Access CDR's website for Feb 2011 revision to the eligibility instruction booklet and application form for the CSSD certification: http://www.cdrnet.org/whatsnew/SportsEligiblityRequirements.cfm
Why Certification? The Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics credential is the way to advance your career in sports dietetics, gain a competitive edge in employment, and provide unique benefits to clients and employers, such as sports medical nutrition therapy for special populations. CSSDs apply sports nutrition science to fueling fitness, sport, and athletic performance. Specialty certification differentiates sports dietitians from those who are less qualified to provide sports nutrition services. Credibility, visibility, and marketability of sports dietitians is enhanced by specialty certification. Specialty certification facilitates networking and partnering with organizations that share common goals.
Where do CSSDs work? Employers are already requiring the CSSD for sports nutrition positions. Employment opportunities exist in these areas:
- Athletic performance companies
- Colleges and universities (athletics, student health, campus wellness, faculty and staff)
- Corporations (wellness, food industry)
- Health care organizations (hospitals, clinics, eating disorder treatment)
- Hospitals and clinics
- Military bases and affiliates
- Online nutrition coaching
- Professional sports organizations
- Private practice
- U.S. Olympic Committee and training facilities
Application Process: Application forms, eligibility criteria, exam content outline, reference list, and exam locations and dates are available on CDR's website: http://www.cdrnet.org/certifications/spec/sports.cfm
Cost: The cost of the specialty certification examination is $250.
CDR Sports Dietetics Self-Assessment: CDR has launched an online “Assess and Learn: Sports Dietetics: Nutrition for Athletic Performance” self-assessment module. The module has been approved for 5 CPEUs. Link to CDR’s website: http://www.cdrnet.org/products/product007.cfm
Eligibility: Minimum requirements for specialty certification are established and approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. In order to be eligible to become a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Current Registered Dietitian (RD) status by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
- Maintenance of the RD status, for a minimum of two years from the original examination date (by the date of the specialty examination).
- Initial Certification: Documentation of 1,500 hours of specialty practice experience as an RD within the past five years (by the date the application is due).
Recertification: Documentation of 1,000 hours of specialty practice experience as an RD within the past five years by the date the application is due (effective until 2014).
Specialty Exam: The CSSD exam is offered within a 3-week time period two times a year. During those periods the computer-based exam is available at about 100 locations in the United States. Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc. administers the exam. Successful completion of the eligibility application and the CSSD exam earns the applicant a five-year CSSD certification and satisfies CDR's five-year CPEU requirement for Registered Dietitians.
History of the CSSD: In summer 2005 CDR appointed SCAN members to a Sports Dietetics Specialty Practice Analysis Workgroup (SPAW). SPAW members assisted CDR in developing a Sports Dietetics Practice Analysis Survey that was conducted in fall 2005. The survey data were used to develop a content outline and items for the CSSD specialty examination. SPAW also successfully completed the following:
- Identified knowledge, skills, and abilities for competency in sports dietetics practice
- Developed a sports dietetics practitioner definition (see below)
- Assisted in developing eligibility requirements for sports dietetics specialty certification
- Identified sports nutrition resources applicable to sports dietetics practice
- Assisted in developing a CSSD specialty exam and a content outline for the exam
SPAW transitioned into the Sports Dietetics Specialty Examination Workgroup (SSEW) that assists CDR with the following:
- Write and review specialty exam items
- Update the sports nutrition reference list
Original SSEW Members: Steven E. Black, Lt Col, USAF, BSC, PhD, RD, CSSD; Kim Crawford, PhD, RD, CSSD; Nancy DiMarco, PhD, RD, CSSD, LD; Christopher Halagarda, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS; Diane King, MS, ATC, RD, CSSD; Susie H. Langley, MS, RD, CSSD; Michele A. Macedonio, MS, RD, CSSD, LD; Bob Seebohar, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS: Ingrid Skoog, MS, RD, CSSD; and Patti Steinmuller, MS, RD, CSSD, LD.
Definition - Sports Dietetics Practitioner: Sports Dietitians are experienced registered dietitians who apply evidence-based nutrition knowledge in exercise and sports. They assess, educate, and counsel athletes and active individuals. They design, implement, and manage safe and effective nutrition strategies that enhance lifelong health, fitness, and optimal performance.
Need More Information?
Contact CDR with questions regarding the CSSD credential: specialists@eatright.org
Page updated December 30, 2011