Master of Acupuncture

Explore Bastyr’s Master of Acupuncture, an entry-level graduate program designed for those who desire to become a licensed acupuncturist.

Master of Acupuncture Program Overview

Become a respected healer in both Eastern traditions and bio-medical best practices. Whether this is your first natural health career or you’re a current health care practitioner looking to add another discipline to your practice, the Master of Acupuncture will provide you with a foundational education and the tools you need to become a highly qualified practitioner.  Graduates from this program are prepared to sit for the NCCAOM certification exam and apply for an acupuncture license.

Next start date
Location
Seattle
Program Length

3 years (11 quarters)

Credentials Earned

MAc

Acupuncture Degree Program Highlights

47

number of states that legally recognize acupuncture

828

Number of total clinical training hours

176

Additional on-site clinical training hours

What To Expect: Master of Acupuncture Graduation Requirements 

To graduate from Basytr’s graduate degree in acupuncture, students need to complete the following:

  • All Required Courses + 4 Elective Credits
  • Lab Courses for Hands-on Training Playing the Role of Practitioner and Patient
  • Clinical Training
  • External Clinic Rotations
  • Minimum of 3.0 GPA

In order to receive an acupuncture license and practice in the majority of the states, a student must earn either an MAc or MAcCHM degree, pass the NCCAOM board exams, and meet any additional state requirements. Several states require Chinese herbal medicine training for licensure (e.g., California, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas).

Acupuncture Program Details

Students have two entry options for the MAc:

Option 1: Students may enter with a completed bachelor’s degree and the required prerequisite coursework. (see below)

Option 2: Students may enter the program without a bachelor’s degree, but must complete the required prerequisite coursework, in addition to the detailed general education requirements, totaling a minimum of 135 quarter credits.

  • Intermediate Algebra - 1 course
  • General Chemistry (allied health-level with lab) 1, 2* - 1 course
  • General Biology (allied health-level with lab) 2* - 1 course
  • General Psychology - 1 course
  • General Physics - 1 course

Note: All students must complete a CPR-C level course or equivalent prior to entering clinic.

*1. Survey-level class that covers inorganic chemistry and includes a lab component. Intended for students in allied-health majors.

*2. Science classes must have been taken within seven years of entering the program. If not, additional coursework may be required after the admissions committee review.

Other requisites

Survey of Organic and Biochemistry, Medical Chinese 1, Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lecture/Lab (AEAM), and Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lecture/Lab (AEAM) are requisite courses for the master's program. The MAc/MAcCHM curriculum has been designed so students missing one or more of these may take them after matriculating at Bastyr University. Previously completed coursework from other accredited institutions may satisfy these requisites.

View list of prerequisite courses available at Bastyr University.

Bastyr accepts graduate and undergraduate transfer credits earned at accredited colleges and universities. Learn what you need to make this process go smoothly.

For more information on loans and scholarships, visit financial aid.

 

  • Licensed acupuncturist (LAc) in private practice or within an integrative clinic 
  • Additional discipline for a current health care provider to add to their practice

Explore Acupuncture Degrees

Acupuncturists today are highly-trained professionals who have undergone rigorous scientific and clinical training and licensure in order to offer patient solutions that both work with, and in addition to, Western healthcare disciplines. They are breaking barriers between old and new medical traditions and changing the lives of patients across the globe. 

Learn more about studying the science of acupuncture, where to go for the best acupuncture education, and how to pursue a career in this exciting field.

Explore Our Guide to Graduate Degrees in Acupuncture

 “Becoming skilled at something this deeply gave me the ability to be the best acupuncturist in my neighborhood, I wouldn’t have had the ability to catapult my income if it wasn’t for the expertise I learned at Bastyr. It’s the teachers who made me who I am today. I was a blank canvas walking in and walked out an excellent acupuncturist.”

— Gwen Carlton, LAc
MSA Alumna