Speak with an admissions advisor. 562-475-4604
Flexible learning options:
10 Terms | 3 Years and 4 Months, Full-time Daytime1
12 TERMS | 4 YEARS, FULL-TIME EVENING2
PART-TIME OPTION (FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE WITH DAY, EVENING, AND WEEKEND CLASSES)
Fall: September 6th, 2022
Spring: January 9th, 2023
Summer: May 8th, 2023
SCU’s collaborative, contemporary approach to ancient medicine will prepare you to improve patient outcomes by treating the whole person. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine were established thousands of years ago and have developed into a well-established, effective, and popular form of healing for countless patients around the world. SCU’s comprehensive program honors the tradition and embraces the modern while preparing students to formulate and prescribe therapies such as acupuncture needling, cupping, moxibustion, herbal medicine, and many others to help individuals with a wide variety of conditions.
The University combines highly educated faculty who are active leaders in their fields with technologically advanced classrooms and labs, unique clinical learning opportunities, and a fun and engaging college campus experience. Completion of SCU’s Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) program prepares students to be eligible for the California Acupuncture Licensing Examination (CALE) as well as the National Certification Commission For Acupuncture And Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), which enable students to become licensed in the U.S.
SCU’s model of experiential learning in interprofessional settings combines learning alongside other healthcare disciplines, coursework, clinical experiences, community engagement, and campus clubs to expose students to a variety of philosophies, practices and treatment options; help students develop a broad base of knowledge; and prepare future healthcare professionals with a deep understanding of integrative, evidence and team-based, whole-person healthcare.
Students have two class options, daytime or evening. Daytime students can complete the program in as little as three years and four months. Evening students can complete the program in as little as four years taking courses in the evening and on select Saturdays. Students interested in working while they study should consider the part-time option. SCU’s part-time option is designed to provide students with the ability to extend their time to completion.
Real patients. Real practice. The SCU University Health Center provides care to over 45,000 patients per year and is equipped with an expansive herbal pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, and an electronic health record system. DACM students typically begin clinical training in their second term.
Virtual anatomy with SynDavers and 3D4Medical to help you view all the intricacies of the human body and Draw It to Know It is an interactive online learning tool that promotes hand-eye coordination and reinforces memory to help you grasp content more effectively. Echo360 lecture capture gives you access to your lectures and Draw It to Know It to accelerate your education.
You’ll learn from faculty who are skilled teachers of high-level degree programs and are currently practicing, infusing their teaching with timely real-world experience that they bring to the classroom every day. Among the examples of faculty leading in their field and the community is Dr. Sivarama “Prasad” Vinjamury, part of a World Health Organization panel.
SCU offers three specialized concentration areas including Acupuncture Orthopedics, Healthy Aging, and Women’s Health with both classroom and clinical learning experiences.
Gain an experience that books cannot teach and technology cannot replicate by studying at one of the only acupuncture schools in the nation with a cadaver lab.
The scholarship award amount covers 50% of the DACM program tuition each term the student remains eligible. Visit Available Scholarships for more information.
According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, health care systems and programs are now focusing more on whole-person health. At SCU, you will learn to go beyond just looking at separate organs or body systems—to considering multiple factors that promote either health or disease. You’ll learn to help and empower patients to improve their health in multiple interconnected biological, behavioral, social, and environmental areas. Instead of treating a specific disease, whole-person health focuses on restoring health, promoting resilience, and preventing diseases across a lifespan. You’ll learn to go beyond in helping people achieve their best possible health.
the average annual wage for an acupuncturist in the United States3
expected growth from 2018 to 2028 in California, faster than the average for all occupations4
Our understanding and respect for Chinese medicine’s cultural and philosophical roots form the foundation of our program. SCU students will learn from expert faculty, combined with the latest classroom, online learning, and lab technologies. The curriculum covers the areas of anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, clinical laboratory diagnosis, pharmacology, nutrition, emergency procedures, traditional Chinese classical medical theory and related techniques, acupuncture and meridians, Chinese herbology, business management, exercises such as tai chi and qi gong, integrative clinical education, and chosen areas of concentration are offered. Upon graduation graduates will have gained a unique education based on an innovative approach to patient care through the understanding of integrating classical Chinese medical theories with biomedicine.
Focus on the basic sciences to set your foundation of the body’s organization on a cellular, tissue, and organ level, along with regional interrelationships. Learn traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) foundations, acupuncture needling technique, single herbs, meridian points, and begin clinical observations, integrating classroom learning with clinical skills.
Build upon the previous year by focusing on the ways TCM principles and basic science knowledge translate into the clinical presentation of a patient in both health and disease. Begin guided clinical practice treating patients under the supervision of licensed doctors and with peers in other professions in SCU’s on-campus University Health Center.
Your final year combines your classroom learning and clinical skills into the practice of treating patients. You will be fully prepared to lead in today’s evolving healthcare environment.
At SCU, we want you to understand when you start the program what you will know, be able to do, and value as a result of taking a course or completing the program. Our full course curriculum includes detailed learning outcomes to guide and sharpen your learning throughout your individual courses and overall program during your time with SCU.
Excellence in healthcare begins with excellence in education. Our vision at the Eastern Medicine Department is to make a difference in the world through education and healthcare. It motivates our administrators, faculty, and staff, by nurturing future generations of integrative healthcare practitioners who are passionate about helping others. We commit profoundly to the University, to our community, and more importantly, to our students.
The students at the Eastern Medicine Department experience unique education by taking courses alongside students in multiple healthcare programs and truly uncover integrative awareness. The early exposure to clinical education in our state-of-the-art health centers enhances their knowledge learned in the classroom with the coalitions of hands-on practice to connect between classroom theory and the reality of presenting these services to the community. Our rigorous curriculum strives to educate skilled integrative practitioners who are sensitive to current healthcare needs. Our outstanding and experienced faculty has taken a leadership role in ensuring that we offer our students a comprehensive and stimulating course of study.
At the Eastern Medicine Department, student success means being student-centered, treating all students with dignity and respect, and ensuring that we are serving all of our students. We have been providing an integrative education of honoring the tradition and yet embracing the modern for over two decades. We focus not just on enrolling students, but furthermore to support them in achieving success while maintaining academic rigor and relevance. Our faculty and staff members work diligently to provide students with optimal, diverse, and personal educational experiences.
At a time when healthcare education and practice are rapidly growing and transforming, we are witnessing an intersection of great challenge and a great opportunity. At the same time, we are determined to prepare practitioners who will continue to excel, shape, and promote health care in this environment of healing evolved.
We welcome and heartily invite you to embark on this sensational journey at the Eastern Medicine Department at Southern California University of Health Sciences. Together, we will make a difference in the world.
Dean, Eastern Medicine Department
Southern California University of Health Sciences
SCU faculty are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.
Our DACM program is overseen by our advisory board members which are composed of senior university academics, industry leaders, and content experts from around the world focused on continually improving the program.
Upon completion of the DACM program, SCU students are qualified to sit for the California state licensure exams (CALE) as well as the National Certification Commission For Acupuncture And Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), which enable students to become licensed in the U.S.
3 NCCAOM advances the professional practice of acupuncture by establishing and promoting national evidence-based standards of competence. https://www.nccaom.org/
4 SCU California Acupuncture Board (CAB) Pass Rates for students taking the test are reported annually.
Neither acceptance for admission into the program nor the subsequent earning of a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine degree guarantees that a state or a foreign country will grant a graduate a license to practice. Each state and foreign country, through its legislative and administrative process, defines the standards of competency and scope of practice within its jurisdiction.
In compliance with 34 CFR 668.43, the Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) Master of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (MACM) and Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) programs provide information pertaining to professional licensure for the programs. Students should refer to the information below and contact the appropriate licensing board to ensure they will meet the licensure requirements in the state(s) in which they intend to practice upon graduation.
SCU’s MACM and DACM programs are approved by the California Acupuncture Board and Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). Currently, graduates of SCU’s MACM and DACM programs are eligible to sit for the California Acupuncture Licensing Exam (CALE), as well as the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM®) certification exam.
A passing score on the CALE certification examination is documentation of competency for licensure as an acupuncturist in California.
A passing score on the NCCAOM certification examination is documentation of competency for licensure as an acupuncturist by 43 states plus the District of Columbia.
Several states, including California, have a governmental agency that governs, supervises, and controls the licensure and practice of acupuncture. In California, the Acupuncture Board is responsible for such duties. If you desire to practice in another state, it is recommended that you contact that state’s medical board or other appropriate agency, for licensure requirements, as these agencies may have requirements other than the passage of the competency exam.
SCU’s MACM and DACM programs meet the educational requirements for licensure in all states that license acupuncturists.
The following states do not license acupuncturists: Alabama, Oklahoma, South Dakota.
Please note that licensure requirements are always subject to change. Although SCU will confirm the licensure requirements on a routine basis, we strongly recommend that you inquire with the licensing agency to confirm that you understand and will meet the requirements for licensure before enrolling in your program of choice. Additionally, while progressing through the program, we recommend that you check licensing agency requirements regularly to monitor whether they have changed in a manner that impacts your licensure plans.
All international students are strongly encouraged to check the credentialing requirements in the country where they intend to practice.
One of the great things about SCU is we do have a campus layout, so all your classes aren't in a single room. We have our cadaver lab. We have different specialty rooms for physical assessment classes vs. acupuncture classes. All our acupuncture-specific classes have all the herbs in the room. You can pull out the herbs and look at them, whether in class or in between classes to get that extra studying in.
My favorite part of SCU is the collaboration from our beginning terms. We were working alongside chiropractor students, PA students, and ayurvedic students. It's a unique community where we get to learn about these different fields and sit in classrooms with them and work with them in the clinic. It allows you to get an understanding of all the different fields and how they can work together, and what is unique about your field. I think that is a wonderful aspect that I didn't think was going to be as prominent as it is here; even now, in my upper term classes and I am not in class with chiropractic students, I can still reach out to them about a certain aspect I may not understand or if I am working on a case. I want another perspective I know I have them to reach out to, so that has been a great networking community to have resources for.
$79,130 tuition to complete the 10 terms program.*
SCU’s distinctive Fixed Rate Tuition Guarantee for degree programs provides students with confidence in planning for their educational investment.
Fixed Tuition Guarantee Benefits:
Some limitations apply. View the Fixed Rate Tuition Program page for more information.
If you would like to learn more about fixed rate tuition, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at FinancialAid@scuhs.edu.
*Tuition rate reflected above represents the fixed rate for a student entering during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Note: Tuition rates are subject to change and may not be reflected on this website or other SCU materials. Please contact us for the most updated information.
| Term | Tuition* | Fees | Medical Equipment |
EXXAT Fees | Petition to Graduate Fee |
Total Term Cost** |
| 1 | $6,970 | $314 | $1,000 | $155 | – | $8,439 |
| 2 | $9,020 | $314 | – | – | – | $9,334 |
| 3 | $8,610 | $314 | – | – | – | $8,924 |
| 4 | $7,380 | $314 | – | – | – | $7,694 |
| 5 | $8,610 | $314 | – | – | – | $8,924 |
| 6 | $8,610 | $314 | – | – | – | $8,924 |
| 7 | $7,790 | $314 | – | – | – | $8,104 |
| 8 | $8,200 | $314 | – | – | – | $8,514 |
| 9 | $7,380 | $314 | – | – | – | $7,694 |
| 10 | $6,560 | $314 | – | – | $150 | $7,024 |
| Totals | $79,130 | $3,140 | $1,000 | $155 | $150 | $83,575 |
| Term | Tuition* | Fees | Medical Equipment |
EXXAT Fees | Petition to Graduate Fee |
Total Term Cost** |
| 1 | $5,740 | $314 | $1,000 | $155 | – | $7,209 |
| 2 | $6,560 | $314 | – | – | – | $6,874 |
| 3 | $6,970 | $314 | – | – | – | $7,284 |
| 4 | $6,560 | $314 | – | – | – | $6,874 |
| 5 | $5,740 | $314 | – | – | – | $6,054 |
| 6 | $6,150 | $314 | – | – | – | $6,464 |
| 7 | $7,790 | $314 | – | – | – | $8,104 |
| 8 | $7,380 | $314 | – | – | – | $7,694 |
| 9 | $6,970 | $314 | $7,284 | |||
| 10 | $7,380 | $314 | $7,694 | |||
| 11 | $5,330 | $314 | – | – | – | $5,644 |
| 12 | $6,560 | $314 | – | – | $150 | $7,024 |
| Totals | $79,130 | $3,768 | $1,000 | $155 | $150 | $84,203 |
*Tuition is charged at $410 per credit hour. Restrictions on our fixed rate tuition guarantee apply. To remain eligible for the fixed rate guarantee, students must graduate either on time or within one additional term of the published program length they are enrolled in. Refer to the Fixed Rate Tuition Guarantee section of the academic catalog for more information. Actual tuition per term will vary depending upon the number of credits enrolled.
**Program fees listed are for the 2022-2023 academic year and are subject to change. Program fees include charges for technology, malpractice insurance, student health, professional affiliation, and ASB, and are charged every term that the student is enrolled.
***Books, supplies, and other equipment not included in this tuition and fee schedule may be required for this program.
****Per term tuition amounts listed above were calculated using the current curriculum plan for units in the term shown times the rate per unit, and assumes that the student stays on cohort and follows normal academic progression.
SCU is an advocate for merging theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western medicine, with a commitment to enhancing student training through international learning experiences. Study abroad provides students with a global perspective on how differen
The Eastern Medicine Department (EMD) study abroad experience provides students the opportunity to learn ancient techniques and theories, paired with modern scientific research from prestigious universities and hospitals located where acupuncture and Chinese medicine originated. The EMD currently affiliates with esteemed organizations in China and Taiwan, including: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
EMD students typically study abroad during the two-week intersession between Spring and Summer terms. Due to accreditation limitations, study abroad cannot award hours or credits toward the student’s program curriculum,though it serves as an exceptional self-enrichment and learning experience.
SCU students training at China Medical University (Taichung, Taiwan)
SCU partners with universities and hospitals across the Los Angeles area and around the world
You wouldn’t be looking at this program if you weren’t interested in helping people find their healthiest life. Your dedication and enthusiasm for the growing movement toward whole-person wellness are what makes you the perfect fit for SCU. Now, begin to discover why we’re the perfect fit for you.
Our approach to Interprofessional Education is unique in California and across the country. Here, modern medicine unites with ancient and traditional healing arts to create an environment of engagement. SCU’s groundbreaking IPE model combines curriculum, clinic, community, and clubs to help you develop a broader base of knowledge and gain a deeper appreciation for different perspectives on care which leads to a seamless transition from student to practitioner.
We bring together aspiring students from different disciplines so you can learn and excel side-by-side. The depth and breadth of this dynamic experience will prepare you to one day take the lead in a collaborative, interprofessional practice.
View our application requirements above or fill out a request for information to start speaking with an enrollment advisor today.
Students at SCU have many financial assistance opportunities available to them in order to cover their educational expenses. It is the policy of the Financial Aid Office to assist our students as much as possible to afford their education. Talk with a financial counselor by calling (562) 947-8755 ext 766 or click here to learn more
Fixed Tuition Guarantee Benefits:
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