Emperor's College

National Accreditation

Masters of Traditional Oriental Medicine The Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine (MTOM) degree at Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) which is the accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for the approval of programs preparing acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners.

Doctorate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine The Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) program at Emperor’s College is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) which is the accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for the approval of programs preparing acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioners.

Licensure and Certification Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine is approved by the California Acupuncture Board and graduates of the MTOM program are eligible to sit for the California Acupuncture Licensing Examination. Emperor's MTOM program also meets the licensure requirements of most states that license practitioners of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Graduates of the master's program are also eligible to sit for the NCCAOM examination and become certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

National Ranking

2 (2016)

2 (2015)

Masters Program Overview

Program Length Emperor’s four year master’s program is one of the most comprehensive in the nation, consisting of 3,210 instructional hours or 224 didactic units and 970 hours of intern. The curriculum is taught year round on the quarter system. Each quarter is eleven weeks in length with an average two week break between quarters.

Part-time coursework is available for students who are unable to attend a full-time academic program. A maximum of 8 years is allowed for completion of the master's degree program which allows students to continue working while taking classes in the evening and around their work schedule.

Western physicians, nurses, chiropractors, non-California acupuncturists and other medical professionals are able to complete Emperor's master's degree and obtain a California acupuncture license in two to two-and-a-half years of full-time coursework.

Program at a Glance

Year 1 – 2 The curriculum opens with the basics of acupuncture, Oriental medicine and biomedicine. Students are introduced to theories and philosophies such as qi, yin and yang, constitutional make ups, zang fu (internal medicine), acupuncture points and meridians, tongue and pulse diagnosis and Chinese herbal medicine, including lab time in the herbal dispensary. Students also engage in an extensive study of Western medicine, beginning with biology, chemistry, biochemistry, medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, Western nutrition and pathophysiology. Year 3 – 4 In the second half of the program, students focus on their clinical training in an on-campus acupuncture clinic where they treat patients under the supervision of experienced acupuncturists. Fourth year interns are also required to complete training in the Western medical setting at externships sites such as UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center, Venice Family Clinic’s Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center, and The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center. Emperor’s College offers elective classes in Oriental medical specialties including Korean acupuncture, Japanese acupuncture, Five Element Theory, advanced herbal medicine, classical Chinese medicine, acupressure, shiatsu, meditation, advanced tai chi, and advanced qi gong.

Doctoral Program Overview

Emperor’s College established the Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program (DAOM) in 2004. The DAOM is designed as monthly intensives tailored for working acupuncturists. Class meets one weekend per month on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, approximately eight hours each day, for 22 consecutive months. Clinical hours are fulfilled through a variety of options throughout the 22 months.

School History

1983 Emperor’s College founded.

1989 Receives Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine national accreditation.

1997 Partners with a hospital to allow interns to treat acute care patients at Daniel Freeman Hospital in Los Angeles.

1999 Partners with UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health Center.

2000 Emperor’s College clinicians participate in acupuncture research trials with Cedars Sinai Hospital post-cardiac surgical patients, and with USC Keck School of Medicine in stroke research.

2004 Establishes Doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

2006 Doctoral Program is awarded research grant to study effects of acupuncture on quality of care and cost of hospitalization with Good Samaritan Hospital Acute Rehabilitation Unit.

2009 Doctoral Program granted accreditation candidacy by ACAOM.

2011 Partners with The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center.

2011 Stroke Rehabilitation and Dementia Care Clinic launches at Emperor's College Acupuncture Clinic