Certifications and Licensures

Completion of the Community Health major establishes eligibility to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist examination (CHES). The CHES exam measures the possession, application, and interpretation of knowledge essential to the practice of community health/health education. The CHES certification is a national standard for health education practice and assists employers in identifying qualified health education practitioners.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association provides opportunities to become a certified personal trainer or a certified strength coach.

The American College of Sports Medicine, the premier organization for health/fitness professionals and clinicians, offers the Health/Fitness Instructor and Exercise Test Technologist certifications at sanctioned test locations throughout the Pacific Northwest. The certification exams include written and practical components that emphasize the application of knowledge and hands-on skills typically acquired in an undergraduate Exercise Science or Kinesiology program.

To become a Licensed Nutritionist by the Board of Medical Examiners in the state of Montana, you must be a Registered Dietitian and have completed the following requirements:

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree from a US regionally accredited institution
• Academic requirements from an ACEND-accredited DPD (MSU Food and Nutrition major - dietetics option)
• A dietetic internship from an ACEND-accredited program
• Successfully passed the registration examination for dietitians administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.