Admission Qualifications - Academic and Technical Standards

All students must meet both our academic standards and our technical standards in order to matriculate, progress through, and graduate from the College of Graduate Health Sciences. 

Academic standards

Academic standards refer to acceptable demonstrations of competency in various disciplines, before matriculation and after, as judged by faculty members, examinations, and other measurements of performance. For detailed information about academic standards, refer to the Student Handbook.

Technical standards

Technical standards refer to the essential aptitudes and abilities that allow chiropractic students to perform in a modern healthcare environment in a variety of ways.

A student must possess the following abilities, with or without reasonable accommodation, for completion of the Master of Health Sciences degree program:

1. Ability to see and hear, with or without reasonable accommodation, sufficient that the student can competently operate online instructional material to acquire and process information and be able to submit assignments electronically.
2. Ability to see and hear, with or without reasonable accommodation, sufficient that the student can receive and record client histories, document treatment plans, and provide instruction to clients and provide routine client services.
3. Ability to function in an independent clinical setting, having obtained the required state licensures and credentials, and fulfill the responsibilities of a healthcare professional in addition to completing academic studies part-time.
4. Ability to work cohesively and harmoniously in a team or two or more students in the performance of assigned class activities.

Accommodations

It is in the best interests of both the graduate student and Northwestern to assess the degree of limitation caused by disability. However, Northwestern will make the final determination of whether or not an individual meets all qualifications for study at Northwestern. Northwestern’s accommodations process is found under Disability Services for Prospective Students. Questions regarding qualifications or accommodations should be directed to the Office of Student Affairs.

Misdemeanor and felony convictions

Persons who have been convicted of a misdemeanor of a violent or sexual nature or any felony will be prohibited from professional healthcare practice in many jurisdictions. Northwestern Health Sciences University will deny admission to applicants with such convictions. The University therefore reserves the right to conduct a criminal background check on all applicants or on any enrolled student, at any time, in the program.