FAQs

The decision to close ACTCM was made by CIIS’ Board of Trustees. CIIS leadership had convened an external review audit at the request of the Board.

No. The decision to close was multifaceted; finances, leadership, changes in the field, among others, were also involved.

An Executive Summary of the report with all pertinent information has been made available to the public.

CIIS currently holds the ACTCM brand. When the two institutions merged, ACTCM became a school of CIIS. It ceased to exist as a separate entity. As such, the “brand” is owned by CIIS. For another organization to use the name and curriculum, agreement would need to be reached between CIIS and the other entity. 

See above. Creating a new standalone institution was one of the options in the report. Because the likelihood of viability was low, this option was not recommended.

Current WSCUC accreditation for ACTCM programs and degrees is held at the institutional level by CIIS.  Once those programs complete their teach-out and close, the ACTCM-specific accreditation will be null and void.

Current ACAHM accreditation will likewise be null and void once ACTCM closes.

Students completing their programs as part of the teach-out will be receiving fully accredited degrees.

Decisions on books, publications, and similar resources will be included in a detailed teach-out plan, currently being developed. Acupuncture and TCM-related physical collections (print books and journals), e-books, and electronic subscriptions (e-journals and databases) remain available to students and faculty.

Decisions on the medicinal garden will be made as part of the detailed teach-out plan currently being developed. We will do our best to ensure that this resource will remain available to the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

No, ACTCM will remain open for a teach-out of students who can complete their degree by Summer 2024.

A teach-out allows currently enrolled students to continue with their coursework over a set period of time.

While the timeline for the teach-out has not yet been finalized, we are committed to giving students a period of approximately two years to complete their degree.

We have contracted with a consultant with expertise in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine education to help guide the teach-out process. She is holding individual meetings with every currently enrolled student to review their course of study and advise on the best path to degree completion. You will either be able to graduate from ACTCM at CIIS or to transfer to another school and graduate from there.

Part time students will meet with our consultant to review their course of study. You will be advised of your best path to degree completion; this will vary based on each individual situation.

Please watch for an invitation for an individual meeting with our consultant; she will help you determine whether you should transfer or remain at ACTCM.

We are in communication on transfer credits with the other greater Bay Area schools of Chinese Medicine. We cannot guarantee that all courses you have taken will transfer as programs differ. You will be advised regarding options for transfer.  Ultimately, transfer credit is determined by the other institution and is under the guidance of state and national accreditation standards.

We are meeting with currently enrolled students as quickly as possible. If you are eligible to transfer, we will ensure that any courses taken this summer can be transferred. Students should contact Praise Wu immediately to schedule an appointment with our consultant.

This will be determined through an individual analysis of your transcript. The other local Chinese Medicine schools are working with us to provide maximum transfer of credits within compliance requirements.

This must be based on an assessment of your transcript and course of study. You will be advised of your best path to degree completion.

We are in communication with the other area schools of Chinese Medicine. If a transfer is the best path for you, we will assist you with this process.

Your CIIS transcript can be obtained through the Registrar and is available upon request. It is permanently retained and can be requested at any point in the future. All financial records can be obtained through the Finance and Financial Aid offices, respectively. Transcripts submitted for admission to CIIS will need to be re-obtained from those institutions.

Yes, Summer semester will occur as planned.

No, there will be no change to Summer 2022 semester.

Tuition or fees that have been paid for courses taught will not be eligible for a refund.

Yes, CIIS will reimburse fees for applications to transfer to up to two schools. Transfer fees - 5 Branches up to $500.

There will be no immediate changes to the clinic. A plan for the future of the clinic will be developed and communicated as we proceed with the teach-out.

The ACTCM Program Committee, along with our consultant, is looking at clinic shifts and other ways of allowing students to accelerate if they wish to do so.

Yes.

It will not impact current or past loans.

Please review this as part of your individual assessment meeting.

All core faculty will continue for at least the next academic year if they wish to do so. We will assess needs as we go forward; as students graduate or transfer, there will be a decrease in the number of classes offered, but you will have access to the classes outlined in your individual study plan within the expected timeframe. Availability of classes will depend on you following your agreed plan of study; should you fall behind on your plan of study, we cannot guarantee classes will be available.

Yes. We are committed to supporting students in successfully completing their program.

There will be support for preparing for Comps. There will be no change to requirements for graduation.

Yes, there will be no change to your degree.

This will be an individual assessment. If, after you have your individual study plan, you believe you will have a housing or transportation impact because of this decision, please schedule an appointment with Fraylanie Aglipay, Student Affairs, faglipay@ciis.edu.

No. We will maintain all records and will have information about accessing records available on the CIIS website.

Yes, you will have indefinite access to past Canvas course spaces (https://ciis.instructure.com/) and CIIS email account (https://outlook.office.com/).

There is no immediate change to faculty or staff employment. The teach-out will take place over an extended period. HR will provide information to faculty and staff as needed.

There will be no change to your benefits as long as you remain at your current employment level. HR will be available to discuss your benefits and compensation.

If you are conducting research at ACTCM or CIIS, please contact the Human Research Review Committee (HRRC) to discuss your approval and timeline. For any other research questions, please contact Liz Beaven, ebeaven@ciis.edu.

We want to provide a supportive environment for students as they review their options and proceed with completing their programs. Important points include confirming the Board’s decision of closure and that we have entered a process of teaching-out currently enrolled students. The quality of their education will not be impacted, all graduation requirements remain in place, and you are there to support them. If students have further questions, they should contact our consultant.

No, there is no change to the status of your degree.

We will be working with faculty and staff to support them in this transition and to ensure that they are informed. We do not anticipate immediate changes to faculty or staff; this transition will take place over time.

Gifts that have been given to ACTCM or CIIS will have been used for their intended purpose. If you wish to discuss a prior gift, please contact Richard Buggs in Advancement.

Yes, feedback@ciis.edu.

The online DACMCP allows a graduate of a master’s level acupuncture program to complete their doctoral-level degree online. The program provides knowledge beyond the professional master’s degree and is considered a post-graduate program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Designed in an online format, the DACM Completion Program allows students to complete their coursework while maintaining their practice and creating an environment in which students can immediately apply the knowledge and skills to patient care. The classes are didactic, or based on clinical analysis and mentorship, making online instruction suitable for deepening and extending practitioner knowledge. Learn more about the DACMCP on ACTCM's website.

The DACMCP program completes a DACM degree for a master’s level graduate and confers the DACM degree. Building on the master’s degree, required for entry, the courses in the DACMCP degree teach the same doctoral-level competencies earned from an entry-level DACM.

The online DACMCP is designed to meet the following objectives:  

The program is taught in an integral manner, bringing in a variety of resources and paradigms to enhance the prior training of graduates with a master’s degree in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. The online DACMCP focuses on integrative care in the context of the broader health-care field. Integration involves patient-centered care and evidence-informed practice in collaboration with the broad range of health-care providers in a team context.  

The online DACMCP is designed to support prior training in acupuncture and Chinese medicine while bringing in advanced training in systems-based medicine, oncology, and advanced syndrome-based herbal study. The current configuration is designed to meet the goals of the professional doctoral degree for students who already hold a master’s degree in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. New and innovative program-delivery methods are employed. The DACMCP online courses are managed through CIIS’s online learning system, Canvas. 

Graduation from a master’s degree program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, or a graduate-level certification in Chinese herbology; must accredited from the ACAOM or candidate status programs. At least 90 college semester units (or 135 quarter units) from undergraduate studies. Chemistry is a co-requisite and may be completed at ACTCM (or approved by a previous accredited college). Status of each institution or foreign equivalent will be determined by the Admissions Committee.  

• In good standing at the last educational institution attended. 
• ACTCM will not accept nonmatriculated students into the DACMCP program. 

Please refer to curriculum page

DACMCP Courses Credits with Student Work Equivalents 

Transfer of Credit  

Transfer credit will only be awarded for coursework at the graduate level that supports the program’s objectives and meets the standards for completion of the program. These credits must come from an accredited institution or its international equivalent.  

All courses submitted for transfer credit will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee for applicability to the curriculum. Applicants must provide course descriptions and syllabi for each course they wish to be considered. 

Transfer credit awarded by the program shall not exceed one-sixth of the total hours of the DACMCP.

Clinical hours/experiences or CEU credits are not accepted as transfer credit. 

The Center for Writing and Scholarship (CWS) offers comprehensive writing support for distance learning to assist students in their development as academic writers, scholars, and practitioners, through in-person and online consultations, courses and community workshops, editing services, and access to resources on academic writing, research, and pedagogy. 

Faculty are available to students through Canvas to help with questions regarding online courses. The ACTCM Manager is available by email or phone to answer questions regarding 

Canvas, and to coordinate with faculty depending on the issue being addressed. The Director of Post Graduate Programs works with faculty and students regarding Canvas related issues, in addition to the staff of the Office of Online Learning and the Canvas helpdesk.  

Students, faculty, and staff in the academic programs of ACTCM at CIIS have their library and information resource needs provided by the Laurance S. Rockefeller Library housed at the CIIS Mission Street campus. ACTCM community members have access to world class collections, library services, and instruction, ensuring their ability to maximize their impact in enhancing the knowledge base and clinical skills of Chinese medicine practitioners through scholarly activities, including teaching and research. Students have access to Medline and Alt Healthwatch through the EBSCO portal. This portal provides access to the National Library of Medicine databases as well as extensive free full-text papers. This is an outstanding research resource for students working on case studies and their clinical research.  

The Laurance S. Rockefeller Library collection has strengths in Eastern and comparative philosophy and religion, clinical and somatic psychology, integral health, human sexuality, east-west psychology, and anthropology and social change. The collection provides access to over 175,000 books (25,000 physical books and 150,000 e-books), full-text content from nearly 14,000 journals (including access through databases), over 30 individual database subscriptions, and over 4,500 videos (in both physical media and digital streaming content). Though the Rockefeller Library’s collection development policies have historically focused on content that would support the strengths listed above, the library subscribes to three large, multidisciplinary e-book and journal collections that include a multitude of scholarly resources that directly support research in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as well as many other subject areas that complement DACM research: ProQuest EBook Central, SAGE Premier, and Springer Journals.  

A variety of support services are available at CIIS for all students, whether taking courses “on-campus” or “off-campus.” The Office of Student Affairs produces the Student Handbook; conducts new student orientations (both on campus and online); coordinates information about campus safety, housing, and health and wellness; offers services and support to  international students and students with disabilities; works closely with the Student Alliance and other student groups; offers career development services and community engagement opportunities; administers the annual student satisfaction survey; and plans and conducts the annual commencement ceremony.  

ODI (Office of Diversity and Inclusion) is available for all students. ODI is a collaborative leader and initiator of transformative change at CIIS, working closely with students, staff, and faculty to advance diversity and student success, create an inclusive academic environment, and incorporate the principles of diversity and inclusive excellence into the classroom and curriculum.

ACTCM has a Student Success and Retention Committee (SSRC) that is committed to creating an environment that promotes student success and identifying issues that impact student success and retention, including online students. This includes evaluating student success at the individual, cohort, and class level. If meetings with students are deemed necessary, they may be conducted in-person, by telephone or through a teleconferencing option, such as Zoom or Skype. 

Placement and search opportunities are available through the Career Development Office, an extension of the Office of Student Affairs at CIIS, which works closely with students, alumni, and organizational partners to offer a comprehensive array of services, programs and resources to achieve professional success.

ACTCM offers online students individualized support while planning a course of study and progress through the program. Students may be advised by the ACTCM academic advisor, programs manager, or the director of postgraduate doctoral programs to assist them in progressing through the curriculum in an orderly manner. All advising is conducted in person, by telephone or other teleconferencing method, as necessary. Advisors are notified about interruptions or revisions in the progression of a student’s program to discuss how any changes may affect their overall student experience and career development.  

Graduates from the DACM Completion Program will receive the title of Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM). 

Yes, students must graduate from an ACAOM accredited Masters of Acupuncture in Chinese Medicine prior to the beginning of the DACMCP program. 

 Having a masters and acupuncture with herbal certification or a masters in both acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a minimum requirement.  The herb certification can be additional to the masters, but it must be an ACAOM accredited certification. 

If you are someone looking to enhance your practice through refining your clinical thinking and case management skills, deepen your understanding through the application of traditional literature and modern research; if you are someone looking to advance your career in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine by earning a doctorate degree, we look forward to meeting you in our DACM Completion Program.

Yes, find out more about accreditation.

 Financial aid services are available to all students, including those who are defined as distance or online students. The Financial Aid Department at CIIS is available in person, by email or telephone, to answer questions concerning grants, scholarships, loans, default prevention and counseling, financial planning, financial aid appeals, and scholarships.

https://www.ciis.edu/admissions-and-financial-aid/financial-aid