Acupuncture Institute
Programmatic Accreditation
The following programs offered by University of Bridgeport’s Acupuncture Institute are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM):
- 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)
- 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.
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; acahm.org
Public Disclosure Statement Effective as of 12 February 2025
State accreditation
In June 2003, the MS-Acupuncture was accredited by the State of Connecticut Department of Higher Education allowing the UB Acupuncture Institute to offer the Masters of Science-Acupuncture degree.
In June 2013, the MS-Acupuncture with Chinese Herbology and MS-Chinese Herbology degrees were licensed by the State of Connecticut Office of Higher Education allowing the UB Acupuncture Institute to offer the MSAcCH and MS-CH degree programs.
Licensure
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 (nccaom.org/certification/nccaom-certification-eligibility) and the Council of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (CCAHM) Clean Needle Technique (CNT: ccahm.org/ccaom/Overview.asp) exam for licensure.
In California you must take a program approved by the California Acupuncture Board (CAB; https://www.acupuncture.ca.gov/) and pass the California Acupuncture exam to qualify for licensure. (See acupuncture.ca.gov/students/exam_require.shtml) As of 2021, the only program at UBAI that qualifies a graduate for the California exam is The Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (DTCM) degree. (See acupuncture.ca.gov/students/schools.shtml)
Below is a list of those states for whom the various UBAI programs meet licensure requirements. 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 additional to the NCCAOM exam modules. Always check state licensure requirements prior to applying for an acupuncture license.
Licensure
State licensure requirements by program
| Program | Meets state requirements | Additional training required |
|---|---|---|
| MS, Acupuncture | 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, Acupuncture with Chinese Herbology (required for licensure) | 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, Acupuncture with Chinese Herbology (optional for licensure) | A. Herbal training optional: DC, IL, MA, OH, NJ, PA, VT B. Optional category also includes all of the states where MS-ACUP meets state requirements |
|
| Doctor of Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine | California Plus all of the states where MS-ACUP and MS-TCM meets 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 |
Accreditation contact: ACAHM
Fax: 952-657-7068 | acahm.org
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