Acupuncture Institute Graduate

Master of Science in Acupuncture with Chinese Herbology

MS Master of Science

The master’s in Acupuncture with Chinese Herbology offers comprehensive training in Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture to prepare graduates to provide their patients the full range of the benefits of Chinese medicine.

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4 yrs142.5 credits, 3,368 hours

Program length

300+The traditional Chinese Materia Medica

Individual herbs

150in your third year

Formulas studied

ACAHMMaster of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization

Accredited

The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine

“A superior doctor is able to gather all techniques and use them either together or separately.”

Curriculum

Four years, built in stages

First year

For those who pursue this program, in the first year you will study basic theory, acupuncture concepts and biomedicine.

Second year

In the second year you will gradually begin your herbal studies. You will begin a survey of the traditional Chinese Materia Medica, which encompasses over 300 individual herbs.

Third year

This herbal training continues alongside your acupuncture training and acupuncture clinical internship in your third year. In this phase you will continue to explore individual herbs and 150 formulas.

Fourth year

You will finish your education with classes in clinical applications of Chinese medicine including dietetics, acupuncture/moxibustion and herbal formulae and a herbal clinic concentration in the fourth and final year.

Individual and flexible

Unique university environment

We pride ourselves on a proven track record of working closely with students in a flexible manner. We are committed to creating individual academic plans that accommodate personal needs and goals.

Our program provides a unique opportunity to study Chinese medicine in a comprehensive, multi-purpose University, alongside students pursuing other health profession degrees. You will work closely with naturopathic, chiropractic and other students and practitioners in a supportive, integrative environment. This experience will be of lasting value in your future professional lives as healthcare providers and healers.

142.5

Credits

3,368

Hours

Admission requirements

How to apply

Program prerequisites

Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent (120 completed semester hours) from an accredited institution or a recognized international institution
Required cumulative GPA of 2.9 or higher in the science prerequisites
Biology – 6 semester hours
Chemistry – 6 semester hours
English – 6 semester hours
Psychology – 3 semester hours
Social Science – 3 semester hours
Biology and chemistry courses must include a laboratory, be passed with a grade of C or better, and be a course offered for science majors.
Prerequisites must be completed prior to matriculation.

Required materials

Application
Official transcripts from all institutions attended
Please consult our international admission requirements, or for specific queries, contact your admissions officer.

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Deadlines

April 15

Summer deadline

July 15

Fall deadline

December 1

Spring deadline

Licensure of graduates

Where UBAI programs meet state requirements

Completion of any of the UBAI programs does not guarantee licensure in any state. Most states require passage of some or all of the National Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) exam modules and the Council of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (CCAHM) Clean Needle Technique (CNT) exam for licensure.

MS-Acupuncture: meets state requirements

AK, AZ, CO, CT, GA, IA, ID, IL*, IN, KY, LA, MA*, MD, ME, MI, MN, MD, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH*, OR, PA*, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, VT*, WA, WI, WV, WY, Washington DC*. *DC, IL, MA, OH, NJ, VT and PA allow for acupuncture only licensure or licensees can choose TCM licensure including TCM Herbs. (Requires TCM degree and passage of the herb module for NCCAOM.)

MS-Traditional Chinese Medicine: herbal training required

AR, DE, HI, FL**, KS, NM, NV, TX, VT. **Florida only accepts masters-level degrees in TCM for licensure as of 2021. FL also requires training in injection therapies prior to licensure.

MS-Traditional Chinese Medicine: herbal training optional

DC, IL, MA, OH, NJ, PA, VT. The optional category also includes all of the states where MS-ACUP meets state requirements.

Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine

California, plus all of the states where MS-ACUP and MS-TCM meet state requirements, except FL. California requires passage of the California exam.

MS-Chinese Herbology

MS-CH does not lead to acupuncture licensure alone. Completion of an acupuncture degree is required.

No acupuncture licensure (2021)

AL, OK, SD.

California

In California you must take a program approved by the California Acupuncture Board (CAB) and pass the California Acupuncture exam to qualify for licensure. As of 2021, the only program at UBAI that qualifies a graduate for the California exam is the Doctor of Acupuncture with Traditional Chinese Medicine (DAc.TCM) degree.

Before you apply

Please note that legislation changes can take place and completing the program does not guarantee state licensure eligibility alone. Many states require a state-specific exam in Jurisprudence or other areas of state-specific laws in addition to the NCCAOM exam modules. Always check state licensure requirements prior to applying for an acupuncture license.

Accreditation

Accredited by ACAHM

The following programs offered by University of Bridgeport’s Acupuncture Institute are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM):

Accredited programs

Master of Acupuncture; Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization; Doctor of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization (including a Doctor of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization degree completion track)

Scope of accreditation

The programs listed above may offer courses via distance education. ACAHM does not accredit any programs at the undergraduate/bachelor’s level. Accreditation status and notes may be viewed on the ACAHM Directory.

About ACAHM

ACAHM is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the specialized accreditation agency for institutions/programs preparing acupuncture practitioners. ACAHM is located at 500 Lake Street, Suite 204, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331; phone 952/212-2434; fax 952-657-7068; acahm.org; email info@acahm.org

Public disclosure

Public Disclosure Statement Effective as of 12 February 2025

Course catalog

Every course, in full

View all courses offered and read full course descriptions in our online course catalog system.

MS Acupuncture with Chinese Herbology curriculum requirements – 136.5-142.5 credits

Semester 1 – 17.5 credits

10 courses

Course Code	Course Title
ABS 511	Anatomy I
ABS 515	Physiology I
ACS 511	Evidence-Informed Clinical Practice in Acupuncture
AMR 511	Taijiquan 1
APT 511	Point Location 1
APT 512	Meridian Theory
ATD 511	TCM History and Philosophy
ATD 512	TCM Medical Theory
ATD 513	TCM Diagnosis 1
AWB 501	UBAI Clinic Safety Procedures

Semester 2 – 16.5 credits

9 courses

Course Code	Course Title
ABS 522	Anatomy 2
ABS 525	Physiology 2
AMR 522	Taijiquan 2
ANT 521	Western Nutrition
APT 523	Point Location 2
ATD 515	Seminar 1
ATD 524	Traditional Chinese Diagnosis 2
AWB 521	TCM Safe Practices
AWB 523	Pharmacology

Semester 3

10 courses 21 credits

Course Code	Course Title
ACH 511	Chinese Herbs I
ACS 611	Pathology 1
ACS 612	Clinical Diagnosis 1
ACS 613	Lab Diagnosis
ACS 711	Preceptorship I
AHM 521	Botanical Medicine
AHM 613	Traditional Chinese Diet Therapy
AMR 613	Qi Gong 1
APT 614	Acupuncture Techniques 1
ATD 529	Seminar 2

Semester 4 – 17 credit(s)

8 courses

Course Code	Course Title
ACH 512	Chinese Herbs 2
ACS 623	Clinical Diagnosis 2
ACS 722	Preceptorship II
AHM 713	Patent Remedies
AMR 624	Qi Gong 2
APS 621	Psychological Assessment
APT 625	Acupuncture Techniques 2
ATD 727	Case Studies 1

Summer session

5 courses 15 credits

Course Code	Course Title
ACS 631	Clinical Education 1
ACH 635	CH Formulae 1
AMR 627	Tuina 1
APT 637	Japanese Acupuncture Techniques
ATD 711	Differential Diagnosis and Pathomechanisms

Semester 5

7 courses 17 credits

Course Code	Course Title
ACH 523	Chinese Herbs 3
ACS 712	Clinical Education 2
AMR 715	Tuina 2
ATD 618	Seminar 3
ATD 715	Trad Chinese Internal Medicine
ATD 728	Case Studies 2
ATD 729	Acupuncture Gynecology

Semester 6

7 courses 12-18 credits

Course Code	Course Title
ACH 524	Chinese Herbs 4
ACS 723	Clinical Education 3
ACS 724	Public Health
AMR 726	Tuina 3
APP 721	Practice Management
APT 718	Pediatric Acupuncture
ATD 717	Advanced Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis

Summer session – 6.5 credits

4 courses

Course Code	Course Title
ACC 611	Chinese Herbal Clinic 1
ACH 636	Chinese Formulae 2
AHM 634	Dispensary Management
AHM 635	Pharmacognosy and Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs

Semester 7

5 courses 8 credits

Course Code	Course Title
ACC 632	Chinese Herbal Clinic 2A
ACC 723	Chinese Herbal Clinic 2B
ACH 617	Chinese Formulae 3
ACH 619	CH Internal Medicine & Modifications 1
AHM 616	Ethical and Ecological Considerations of Chinese Materia Medica