Speak with an admissions advisor. 562-475-4604
Speak with an admissions advisor. 602-887-5780
10 Terms | 3 years and 4 months
12 Terms | 4 years
Spring: January 8th, 2024
Summer: May 6th, 2024
Fall: September 3rd, 2024
*based on admissions requirements
Chiropractic care treats the whole person, not just one symptom or set of symptoms. SCU’s curriculum is built around interprofessional collaboration for whole-body wellness. Learn multiple manipulation and other treatment techniques to care for your patients in a personalized fashion.
The Los Angeles College of Chiropractic has been educating future chiropractors for over 100 years. Our evidence-based, whole-person approach to practice and our University-wide commitment to interprofessional education set our graduates apart. SCU’s curriculum is built around interprofessional collaboration so you can gain both essential clinical chiropractic skills and vital new perspectives to advance your career. Located in one of the most vibrant areas of the country, SCU gives students the benefits of learning and practicing in culturally and clinically diverse settings.
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.
SCU uses competency exams that mimic the board certification. The competency exams give students feedback on how they are doing, and offer us insights into our performance as a program.
SCU offers multiple paths to specialize your academic experience with 22 credits of electives that include courses in Sports Medicine, Eastern Medicine, Functional Medicine, Diagnostic Imaging, and more. Customize your education to best fit your interests and career goals.
Our practitioner faculty bring timely experience to the classroom every day, supplementing their lectures with practical advice. Discover real-world insights from faculty who currently practice chiropractic care, and who are deeply connected to the field beyond a theoretical and academic perspective. At the intersection of two worlds, our practitioner faculty help guide your first steps into the world of practice, paving the way for a more gentle and gradual transition from student to professional.
You will be introduced to multiple care settings and business structures. Students start their clinical studies on-campus at the University Health Center, which has an enriched teaching environment and the Human Performance Optimization Center. The SCU Health Systems provides integrative care to over 45,000 patients per year. The University Health Center is equipped with an expansive herbal pharmacy, diagnostic imaging, and an electronic health record system. You will interact with other health professions and disciplines and learn how to co-manage patients in an integrated setting within an interdisciplinary team environment. Read more at our Clinical Experiences page.
After your first clinical term, you can expand your clinical experience to partner health centers, private practice rotations, and Veterans’ Health Administration (VA) hospitals. The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities. SCU students have the opportunity for clinical experience at many locations. These include Greater Los Angeles, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.
Cadaver-based anatomy is a classic teaching method that offers invaluable lessons and insight into the shape, feel, and function of the body. During this unique experience for future chiropractors, students express reverence and awe as they approach the body to make their first cut in real tissues and structures. The cadaver lab offers unparalleled insight into anatomical variation, structure, and function to help you become an outstanding provider.
Education at SCU is supplemented by advanced anatomical teaching tools. All learning technologies are available on site, and many are also accessible at home. SCU offers convenient access to anatomy educational materials outside of normal classroom hours. Advanced learning technologies include:
Sports Medicine Chiropractors help people of all activity levels, from high-caliber athletes, recreational athletes, and those seeking to feel great engaging in daily activities, to optimize their athletic performance. Work with elite faculty like Dr. Joe Horrigan, Conditioning Coach for the LA Kings NHL team. Learn More.
You have the opportunity to learn through direct experience in a private practice setting. Private Practice Rotations (PPR) provide students with an opportunity to gain clinical experience at roughly 100 private practice locations. You can gain invaluable insight that will better prepare you for private practice after graduation.
SCU’s Doctor of Chiropractic program teaches an evidence-based, whole-person approach to practice. Our University-wide commitment to Interprofessional Education sets our program apart. Our innovative curriculum is built around interprofessional collaboration so you can gain both essential clinical skills and vital new perspectives to advance your career.
For full program information, view the catalog.
Concentrate on the foundational health sciences to understand the human body. Begin hands-on experience in Chiropractic skills courses in your first term.
Go more in-depth and gain critical exposure to other schools of thought with interprofessional education courses. Start to develop an understanding of how to read the human body for signs of health and disease.
Put foundational health and clinical science knowledge to work as you consult, diagnose, and treat real patients under the supervision of licensed doctors while working with peers training for other healthcare professions. Be prepared to lead in today’s evolving healthcare environment.
View the entire course curriculum by visiting the SCU Course Catalog.
Interested applicants should email Admissions@scuhs.edu. Interested applicants will be asked to review their specific licensure prerequisite needs with the Dean’s Office, to determine if they can be met by LACC.
For over 100 years, the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (LACC) has focused on making a difference in the world by preparing students to become whole-person healthcare practitioners through excellence in healthcare education. Through our demanding chiropractic curriculum, our dedicated faculty strive to educate evidence-informed, compassionate, skilled, and integrative chiropractors who are also sensitive to current healthcare needs.
Our outstanding faculty and staff are motivated by our mission and core values, and they strive to deliver the knowledge, skills, and tools you will need to excel in your career as a Doctor of Chiropractic. As the program is academically challenging, SCU provides the support and resources necessary to help you achieve success – while maintaining academic rigor and consistency.
We are passionate about helping others, and about educating students to help others along their own journeys to health. Our excellence comes from a solid curricular foundation, a person-centered and outcome-focused approach, and a diverse and inspiring campus community.
We look forward to welcoming you to LACC!
Dean, Los Angeles College of Chiropractic
Southern California University of Health Sciences
Jacqueline Beres, DC, cert-PSP, cert-MDT
Assistant Dean, Chiropractic Clinical Education (LACC)
Director, Spine Care Department