Educating today's students in tomorrow's medicine.

Southwest Acupuncture College accepts applicants in good standing who are at least twenty years of age and present evidence that their personal credentials and intellectual skills are of such quality as to predict a high rate of success in the study and practice of Oriental medicine. In compliance with the Accreditation Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) standards, at least two years (60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits) of general education at the baccalaureate level from an accredited college is required as prerequisite to admission.

Southwest Acupuncture College welcomes beginning students in the fall (late August) of each year and spring (early January). New students may also enter in May, however class availability is limited. Transfer students may enter at the beginning of any term.

Most students who enroll hold diverse degrees in liberal arts and many hold advanced degrees, however no preference is given to students with a concentration or major in any particular field. We believe that a well-rounded academic background, combined with the passion to learn this medicine, contributes to the overall development of the person/practitioner.

Students are encouraged to take Human Anatomy and Physiology (90hrs), and General Human Biology (45hrs) before entry to the program of study at Southwest Acupuncture College. While the college does offer these courses as part of the curriculum, students who do take these classes prior to entry will lighten their course load, will lower the cost of their program and will have had exposure to the basics of a medical education. These sciences, when taken prior to entry, must be taken in addition to the minimum 60 credits required for admission. Assistance in selecting these or other courses is available from the Academic Dean of each campus.

While the college does not have within its scope the ability to evaluate prior learning experience (life experience), we can accept a maximum of 30 semester credits of the prerequisite two-year education requirement from any one or a combination of the following:

• portfolio assessment (life experience evaluation) or Credit By Examination if awarded from an accredited university;
• assignment of credit for military and corporate training based on recommendations established by the American Council on Education.

Additional Requirements for Foreign Students

• Attain a score of at least 61 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet-based exam or
• Attain a score of at least 500 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper-based exam (173 on computer-based exam) and at least the currently reported mean score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) or
• Earned a baccalaureate level degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education.

1.	Completion of the application* including the detailed personal statement and a recent passport photograph.
2.	Payment of a non-refundable application fee: • $100.00 for early application (August 15 to October 15 for January admission or March 15 to May 15 for fall); • $125.00 for regular application • $150.00 for late application (after October 15 for January admission, after May 15 for fall); • $200.00 combined application/transcript evaluation fee is required for all transfer students.
3.	Complete official transcripts sent directly to us from all colleges attended.
4.	Two letters of recommendation from current or past employers, teachers or similar references addressing your ability to pursue study at the Master’s level at Southwest Acupuncture College. No copies, outdated letters, or letters sent to other schools will be accepted. Please address letters to Southwest Acupuncture College.
5.	Copy of a driver’s license or birth certificate verifying age (20 years or older).
6.	A personal interview. This may be done in person or by telephone after applying to the college when all documents have been received.
7.	Receipt of a $300.00 non-refundable space reservation deposit within three weeks of acceptance into the program (applied to first semester’s tuition).
8.	Southwest Acupuncture College requires proof of English language competency (written and spoken) of all applicants for admission whose first language is not English (see admissions requirements).

No application will be processed until the Admissions office has received all supporting documents.

* A current application is included with every catalog. Additional applications can be obtained by contacting administration at any campus and can be printed from this web site.

The Master’s degree program at Southwest Acupuncture College is a residential program. Consistent with principles of higher education, both at the baccalaureate and graduate level, once a student is enrolled in Southwest Acupuncture College, all coursework and credit needed to complete the program must be taken at Southwest Acupuncture College in order to ensure quality and consistency in the educational outcome.

Transferring from another Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine College
Southwest Acupuncture College accepts students in good standing who wish to transfer from another acupuncture college. Transfer students must first meet the admission requirements of Southwest Acupuncture College. Official transcripts from the previous college, as well as all application documents, must be received before acceptance into the program can be decided. A transfer evaluation fee, which serves as a combined application/placement fee of $150.00, must be enclosed with the application.

Credit for courses previously taken at another acupuncture college may be transferred into the program if all of the following criteria are met:

1.	The course is listed on an official transcript
2.	The course meets the hour and credit requirements of the equivalent class at Southwest Acupuncture College
3.	The student received a passing gradeCredit for equivalent coursework is awarded on a course by course basis and considered upon evaluation of the student’s composite academic progress. After this analysis, the student may be required to test out of certain courses if competency is in question. The cost of challenge examinations depends upon the nature of the examination.

Transfer policy for Biomedical Clinical Science courses

Southwest Acupuncture College does award transfer credit for biomedical clinical science courses previously taken at another college if all of the following criteria are met:

1.	The course is listed on an official transcript from an accredited college
2.	The course meets the hour and credit requirements of the equivalent class at Southwest Acupuncture College
3.	The student received a passing grade

Transfer credit cannot be awarded twice for the same class; that is, it cannot be used to meet the minimum 60-hour prerequisite and count as hours within the program.

It is each individual student’s responsibility to know the information presented in all classes for which he or she has been granted transfer credit. Each student will be expected to complete all subsequent coursework as if he or she had taken and passed the class at Southwest Acupuncture College.

Please note that some state licensing laws require specific Western science classes. If Southwest Acupuncture College agrees to grant transfer credit for class as part of the college’s program, there is no guarantee that the transfer credit will be acceptable to any licensing body.

Students who receive transfer credit for biomedical science courses may, on a space available basis, audit such classes at no charge at Southwest Acupuncture College.