Texas College of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Degree

Scholarship funds available for up to 50% off your first trimester tuition.

Why choose the Texas College of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

• Twice ranked as one of the three best schools of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in America by the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation, overall winner, in curriculum, faculty, and clinic.
• Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).
• Authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer a Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree program.
• The oldest school of Acupuncture in Texas-1990.
• Home of one of the largest Traditional Chinese Medicine libraries in the state.
• No GRE, MCAT required.
• Enrollment available for January, May and September.
• Scholarships, PELL grants, Title IV financial aid, VA Benefits, DARS, and work-study for those who qualify.
• 10-trimester program for full-time students.
• Our faculty is superior, hold MD’s (China) and PhD’s, are recognized in the TCM community, and do a wonderful job of transferring knowledge to the students.
• Heavy emphasis on the principles and practices of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine. Our students learn to prepare custom blended herbal medicine, with each formula specifically tailored for an individual patient, ensuring greater effectiveness.
• More than an Acupuncture School, TCTCM’s curriculum is based directly on the model of the TCM colleges and universities in China.
• Our courses in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine and the Classical texts of the field allow our students access to the collective wisdom and knowledge of over thousand years of continuous practice and development of the world’s most ancient system of healing.
• We produce graduates with greater knowledge, skills, and insight.
• 88% percent of students graduate on time,(40months)This is exceptional among graduate schools in the nation.
• The institution has had no turnover of ownership.
• On the NCCAOM test, students meet or exceed the national average for the Acupuncture, Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Herbal Medicine components.
• No TCTCM student loan borrower has ever defaulted on his or her student loans, showing our graduates are successful in their chosen profession.

Coming soon

• New student clinic with excellent facilities

What is the Texas College of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

The Texas College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the oldest school of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in Texas, was founded in 1990 as the Texas Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The institution was a candidate for accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) in 1994, and was accredited in 1996 and re-accredited in 2000 and 2004. In 1997, TCTCM was approved to award Master of Science degrees in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine by the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners. On April 21, 2005, the College received its Certificate of Authority from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to award the degree of Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to graduates.

Since it’s founding, TCTCM has been Texas' premiere educational institute for acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The College has been at the forefront of the profession of acupuncture, actively participating in the development of acupuncture and TCM as a serious academic discipline and as a profession.

Unique among Texas schools, TCTCM is patterned after the successful Chinese model of TCM education, with a program of study distinguished by its emphasis on the study of the canonical texts of TCM, and by its curricular focus on the use of both acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbs.

What can I learn?

Our curriculum is designed to meet or exceed the standards of the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners, the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and the requirements for sound educational processes established by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Extraneous courses and requirements are excluded from the curriculum, enabling students to complete the program as efficiently and economically as possible.

Beginning with the first trimester’s courses, concentrating on the fundamentals of TCM, meridian and point location and theory, TCM diagnosis, and anatomy and physiology, our curriculum provides a sound basis from which to build an integrated body of knowledge. By the second trimester, students are already enhancing and deepening their knowledge and skills; courses in biomedical sciences, TCM herbology, advanced point location and theories, Five Element Theory and Application, and further studies in TCM diagnosis and acupuncture techniques prepare students for their first exposure to the practice of acupuncture in the third trimester, with Clinic Observation.

Clinic Observation, in which students observe a licensed acupuncturist performing TCM diagnosis and treatments, is the center of the third trimester, whose courses in advanced TCM herbology, point location, anatomy, and practice management help students to understand the exciting dynamics of the practical application of their theoretical knowledge.

An important part of the College's curriculum, and a source of great institutional pride, is the emphasis placed on the study of the classical texts of TCM. Rather than providing our students with a homogenized and truncated understanding of the discipline, the College seeks to instill an appreciation of the intellectual and scholarly foundations of the discipline. This is especially important in practicing TCM successfully: the principles that inform the selection and use of acupuncture points and techniques are identical to those used in selection and prescription of herbal medicines as well. An effective working knowledge of TCM is impossible without studying the works of these ancient masters.

The second-year classroom experience leads to a more in-depth understanding of TCM, with courses in needling techniques and herbal prescriptions constituting an important part of the coursework. As students refine their diagnostic and therapeutic skills and knowledge, learning to work with more complex herbal formulas, their skill-set grows, allowing them to better understand the principles behind the treatment of the great variety of patients and conditions observed in clinic observation.

By the second trimester of the second year, students are ready to begin the practical application of their theoretical knowledge, treating patients under the supervision of the College’s licensed acupuncturists on the faculty. Classroom instruction in advanced TCM herbal formulation principles complements and reinforces previous coursework, enhancing and enriching student’s practice in the intern clinic.

As great as is the emphasis on classroom and clinic, the College does not neglect the business side of the matter. Courses in business and practice management, ethics, and the challenges and rewards of opening a private clinical practice, combined with advanced courses in TCM principles and practices, prepare our students for life after graduation, and for successful careers as practitioners.

Faculty

Our core TCM faculty received their training and education in China and Taiwan from some of the best and most prestigious TCM colleges and universities in the world. Many have written or edited textbooks and other materials used both in the States and abroad, and are considered leaders in their fields. Because of the growing recognition of the necessity to integrate TCM into the conventional Western medical system, our College has recruited bio-medical science faculty selected for their experience and expertise in the required subject areas.

With an impressive and ever-growing number of Ph.D.'s, scholars, authors, and experienced TCM practitioners, TCTCM's faculty are among the best in the nation.

Financial Aid

Qualified students are eligible for the following types of financial aid at TCTCM:

• Stafford Loans
• PELL grants
• VA educational benefits
• Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
• Scholarships available, up to 50% off first trimester
• Work-study program

Students are encouraged to contact the College's financial aid office for more information.

Cost of Study

Total cost for tuition over the 40 months of the program is approximately $42,000, consisting of:

• $220 per credit for didactic tuition
• $380 per credit for clinic tuition
• $200 per trimester (approximately) for textbooks and professional supplies
• Miscellaneous fees for herbal samples, intern malpractice insurance, registration, etc.

Application Process

TCTCM operates on a trimester system, accepting students for the Fall, Spring, and Summer trimesters. Application deadlines are typically a few weeks prior to the first day of classes, but applicants should apply early to secure their enrollment, as class size is limited

Acceptance criteria:

• Completion of minimum of 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of college credit at an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
• Cumulative GPA over 2.0
• International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency and financial resources

Contact Us Today!

If you are interested in our program, or would like more information about the Texas College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, please request information.