Northwestern Health Sciences University (NWHSU) is a private university focused on alternative health care and located in Bloomington, Minnesota. The university has educational programs in chiropractic, Traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, Allied health professions, and human biology. The university was founded in 1941 by John B. Wolfe, DC.
Previously Northwestern College of Chiropractic, Northwestern Health Sciences University has focused on alternative and integrative health care education, patient care, and research for over 70 years. Since 1991, NWHSU's Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies has become one of the largest natural health care research institutions in the United States.
Organization
Northwestern Health Sciences University is a private institution, receiving most of its funding through tuition, research grants, and alumni contributions. It offers 11 academic programs: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Chiropractic, Message Therapy, Medical Assisting, Medical Laboratory Science, Medical Laboratory Technology, Nutrition, Post Baccalaureate Pre-Health, Radiation Therapy, Radiologic Technology, and Undergraduate Health Sciences. Northwestern is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Founded in 1941, the College of Chiropractic offers a doctor of chiropractic degree. The college has created a clinical system, with several natural care centers, more than 150 community-based private-practice clinics, and final-term preceptorship opportunities around the world. The university's public clinic system records more than 65,000 patient visits a year, making Northwestern the largest provider of natural health care services in Minnesota.
The College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is the largest and oldest school in Minnesota offering master's degree programs accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine. In 1999, the Minnesota Institute of Acupuncture and Herbal Studies, which had been founded by Minnesota acupuncture pioneer, the late Edith R. Davis, merged with NWHSU. The merger created the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, which continued offering a Master of Acupuncture and Master of Oriental Medicine. In April 2020 NWHSU announced the opening of a new college, The College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (CACM).
The School of Massage Therapy is the only massage therapy school in Minnesota to receive accreditation from the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). In 2000, NWHSU created the Massage Therapy Program and graduated its first class in the spring of 2002. The 36-semester credit, 780-hour program emphasizes a foundation in the basic sciences, more than 340 hours of hands-on lab experience, and a structured clinical experience within the School of Massage Therapy Teaching Clinic and other community sites. Students receive a professional certificate in massage therapy upon successful completion.
Allied Health Programs and the College of Health and Wellness: In June 2019, NWHSU announced that the Higher Learning Commission approved the transfer of students in the Twin Cities area whose educational plans were interrupted by the sudden closing of Argosy University. The HLC approved to accept students transferring from Argosy in five degree programs including Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting, Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic Technology, Associate of Science in Radiation Therapy, Associate of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology, and the Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. These five new degree programs are now part of NWHSU's curriculum and degree offerings. These important and complementary fields fit well with NWHSU's exclusive focus on health sciences education and expand the university's focus on integrative health care.
Academics
The curriculum for the Doctor of Chinese Medicine program provides about 3,000 hours of didactic and clinical instruction in acupuncture, Chinese herbology, and related studies such as Tui Na, Qigong, introductory Chinese language skills and practice management. The program takes three years of full-time enrollment to complete. The curriculum for the Master of Acupuncture program is similar to that of the Chinese medicine program, but does not include herbal studies. This program includes more than 2,300 hours of instruction, taking two and two-thirds years of full-time enrollment to complete.
The Master of Acupuncture and Doctor of Chinese Medicine programs are offered by the university are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.