Distance Learning in the College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
How a hands-on program with hybrid and online learning (distance learning) benefits you
NWHSU’s College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine offers a Master of Acupuncture (MAc) and Doctor of Acupuncture (DAcCHM) with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization. Between lecture, labs, method classes, and internships, 80% of the program takes place in person. In-person classes are held during the day, Monday through Friday.
However, distance learning, in the form of hybrid and fully online classes, is an important part of the curriculum. Incorporating distance learning into the coursework helps to meet the needs and expectations of today’s students and ensure that time you spend on campus is meaningful.
Hybrid Courses: Improving Hands-On Time with Distance Learning Components
Many courses in the Acupuncture and Chinese medicine curriculum include hybrid or “flipped classroom” components. This includes point location, needling, anatomy and physiology, and more.
What does this mean? You will often be expected to prepare for in-person classes by watching pre-recorded lectures or technique demonstrations.
This allows professors to use in-person class time for hands-on instruction and questions. It also means that, compared to traditional in-person learning, you’ll spend less time on campus. But maybe more importantly, it gives you a greater opportunity to engage with the material.
“In a hybrid or flipped classroom, students are able to return to the lectures as needed to reinforce their learning,” explained Chad Osgood, Ed.D., LAT, ATC, interim dean of the college.
“This means you can learn at your own pace. If it’s a complex subject, you might slow down the lectures, take breaks, and even re-watch the lecture before an exam. If it’s something that comes easily to you, you might speed it up. Either way, it gives you the opportunity to come into the classroom prepared to make the most of the time.”
Access to pre-recorded lectures is available in NWHSU’s online learning platform, and expectations for class preparation are made clear on the class site, as well as in the syllabus. Rest assured, this does not mean you’ll be expected to learn hands-on skills virtually.
We have this beautiful balance of what can be done online through lecture and what needs to be done here [on campus],”
shared former student Elizabeth Harrington. “I’m going to say it’s impossible to accurately locate points on the body without someone saying, ‘no, heart seven is not down there. But there’s a lot of lecture that can be done [online]. Your professor can demonstrate how to find the points on the channels.”
Fully Online Courses
Some classes in the acupuncture and Chinese medicine program take place fully online. These courses do not have labs or skills that need to be practiced in person. This includes classes such as Mandarin, Medical Law and Ethics, Foundations of Integrative Care, and Medical Terminology.
These asynchronous courses allow you to learn on your own schedule, and at your own pace throughout the week. You’ll still know your professors, and have opportunities to ask questions, you just won’t have to drive to campus.