OCOM seeks individuals who demonstrate the maturity and preparation necessary to undertake the challenges of our Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAcOM) program. The admissions committee reviews each applicant based on several criteria, including academic record and professional and life experiences.

Prerequisites

Applicants must have completed a minimum of three years of college at an accredited* institution (a minimum of 135 quarter credits, or 90 semester credits), though we recommend that incoming students have completed four years of college. By the time they matriculate, applicants must also have completed the following college-level courses:

• One college-level course in general biology
• One college-level course in chemistry
• One college-level course in psychology

Each of these science courses must be completed at an accredited* college or university with a grade of "C" or better. Courses in biology, chemistry and psychology must be a minimum of three quarter credits or two semester credits in length. Prerequisite classes of biology and chemistry must have been completed in the ten years prior to matriculation at OCOM; students will be required to retake prerequisite classes in biology and chemistry if more than ten years have elapsed. (Exceptions to this policy may be made for actively practicing medical professionals, those who have completed substantial study of biology and chemistry, or for those who have successfully completed recent coursework requiring biology or chemistry as prerequisites.)

If you have questions about the master's program contact the Office of Admissions or visit an OCOM admissions representative at a career or graduate fair in your area.

*Accredited means having been approved fully and without contingency by an association or other organization of peers recognized for that purpose by the U.S. Secretary of Education to offer a particular degree or degrees at a particular level, as specified in the approval.

International Students

OCOM is approved by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Naturalization to grant admission to full-time students. I-20 forms are available to admitted applicants who meet INS requirements. Students who were not educated in the United States must meet the same admissions requirements as U.S.-educated applicants. Such candidates must have their educational credentials evaluated by an international educational service such as World Education Services and have these sent to OCOM’s admissions office.

Applicants from non-English speaking countries must demonstrate written and oral competency in English. These applicants must submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of 550 for the paper-based test or 213 for the computer-based test, and the currently reported mean score for the Test of Spoken English (TSE). The TOEFL institutional code for OCOM is 4566. The admissions committee may waive one or both of these requirements if language proficiency is established through the application and interview process.

Please note: students who submit the I-20 are not eligible for federal financial aid, and must submit a letter detailing how they plan to finance their education. This school is authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.

Veterans 

The OCOM master's degree program is an approved program for enrollment by eligible veterans. VA-eligible students must contact the Registrar for more information.