Doctor of Acupuncture

The Doctorate in Acupuncture (DAc) is a first professional doctoral program for acupuncturists who wish to gain a higher level of skills in advanced diagnostic studies, collaborative and integrative care, and professional development that this growing field is demanding. The program is designed to train acupuncturists to the highest level of competency in an entry level degree.

Length of Program: 4 years (14 quarters)
Campus: Kenmore, Washington

Program Overview

Aspiring acupuncturists who wish to gain a high level of skill and clinical training to advance their acupuncture practice will find their place in our Doctor of Acupuncture (DAc) program. As the first professional doctoral program for acupuncturists, Bastyr’s DAc curriculum will deepen your understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The program is designed for acupuncturists who wish to gain a higher level of skill in advanced diagnostic studies, collaborative and integrative care and professional development.

Clinical Training

Credible and Quality Training

The majority of the acupuncturists’ clinical training takes place at the University's Seattle teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health.

Bastyr's Doctor of Acupuncture program is science-based and led by highly qualified and experienced faculty. The majority of professors have been in practice for more than 20 years in the United States and China.

Acupuncturists will be prepared for licensure in the 47 states* (and the District of Columbia) that legally recognize acupuncture.

*Some states require MAcCHM degree for licensure.

Diverse Patient Population

During clinical training, acupuncture students have the opportunity to provide care to a wide range of patients with a variety of medical conditions. Within Bastyr Center, several different types of patient specialty care training is available:

General acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine
Immune wellness care for patients with HIV/AIDS
Integrated acupuncture and naturopathic medicine
Opportunities to rotate through off-site community care clinics that provide affordable health care to diverse populations, including seniors, low-income and immigrant communities.

Clinical Sites

The Bastyr Center for Natural Health is the University’s primary teaching clinic and the largest natural health clinic in the Pacific Northwest, serving 35,000 patients annually. The clinic’s natural, non-invasive approach takes into account the whole person to resolve chronic health problems and support a healthy lifestyle that helps prevent illness.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of Basytr’s DAc program are presented with a variety of opportunities to become a respected healer in both conventional and natural medicine circles.

Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) in private practice
Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) with a collaborative patient care model with other private practice practitioners
Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) within an integrative clinic or collaborative clinic

Campus Location - Seattle, WA

Seattle, Washington Campus

Set in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Bastyr’s expansive Seattle-area campus provides a serene, natural environment for students to deepen their health education. Our campus is located in the Seattle suburb of Kenmore, Washington, and encompasses 51 acres along the shore of Lake Washington.

At our Seattle-area campus, you’ll enjoy dynamic classroom environments and unique facilities for research, laboratory and clinical experiences. Our campus location also affords you easy access to the rich cultural experiences of the Seattle metropolitan area and unlimited exposure to the natural wonders of the Puget Sound region.

General Requirements

Length of Program

4 years (14 quarters)

Acupuncturists enrolled in the DAc program will be concurrently enrolled in the MAc or MAcCHM program.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Speak to an advisor today to learn more about tuition costs or to find out about our financial aid programs!

Curriculum

Bastyr’s Doctor of Acupuncture program is the first professional doctoral program for acupuncturists, and as such, is designed to train acupuncturists to the highest level of competency. Reference our curriculum table for the course schedule, lecture and clinic hours and total contact hours.

Through quality clinical training and a hands-on curriculum, Bastyr’s experienced faculty equip acupuncturists with the skills and confidence to practice and inform both patients and other providers on the practice of traditional Chinese medicine. Expected learning outcomes of graduates can be found in the course catalog.

Contact an advisor to learn more about the Doctor of Acupuncture program.

Prerequisites

Bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 135 quarter credits.
Minimum GPA of 2.75
Grade C or higher in prerequisite courses

Reference our curriculum table for full prerequisites.

Undergraduate Entry Option

In addition to the prerequisites, applicants who plan to start the program without an awarded bachelor’s degree must also complete the following General Education Requirements:

English Literature and Composition	9 quarter credits
Speech Communication or Public Speaking	3 quarter credits
Natural Sciences and Mathematics	9 quarter credits
Arts and Humanities	15 quarter credits
Social Sciences	15 quarter credits
Electives	70 quarter credits

Recommended Elective Courses

For students entering the program without a bachelor's degree, the following are strongly recommended courses to take while completing your general education requirements:

Anatomy	Chinese Language (Mandarin)
Physiology	Chinese History/Culture/Philosophy
Organic Chemistry	Microbiology
Biochemistry	Business
Cellular Biology	Marketing

Want to know which classes fulfill these prerequisites? Check the General Education Requirements breakdown.

Interested in completing some prerequisite courses online? Learn more about which lower-division courses can be fulfilled through the Alternative Credit Project.

Licensure and Clinical Training Hours

Acupuncture is legally recognized in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Requirements for licensure can vary from state to state, with the majority of states requiring the successful completion of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) exam. Students interested in licensure in a state other than Washington or California should learn the licensing requirements of that particular state to ensure there are no outstanding academic requirements at the time of graduation. Academic advising is available to help students intending to meet additional state licensing requirements.

For the latest licensure information, please consult the NCCAOM website.

The student will spend 44 preceptor hours shadowing and observing acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine professionals in their private practices.
The student will have a minimum of 1,004 total clinical training hours.
The student will have the unique opportunity to study acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal medicine at one of our sister schools in either Shanghai or Chengdu, China, under the leadership of Bastyr faculty. For information about the China externship, see above on this page.