Orientation

The academic year begins with Student Orientation Week. All new students must attend Orientation Week

Orientation covers a basic introduction to the school, including safety procedures, study protocols, and school policies. Students are given a copy of the Student Regulations Handbook, course workbooks, and a confirmed timetable.

Orientation provides an opportunity to meet with the full student body, teaching and administrative support staff.

Read more: Orientation

Study Schedule

To plan your study for 2010, please download the appropriate study schedule for your campus:

Auckland Year 1- 2010 study schedule

Wellington Year 1- 2010 study schedule

If you are unable to read the pdf file, download Adobe Reader.

Please Note: Draft study schedules for the 2010 academic year are posted here starting from November and finalised in January of the new year.

Academic Calendar 2010

Semesters, Breaks, Public Holidays.

    This academic calendar applies to all courses with exceptions as noted.

Please Note: Tuina, Qigong and Herbal Medicine students continue their specialty classes during Bachelor Study and Assessment Weeks.

Primary and secondary school terms (information for parents/caregivers)

Term 1 Between Tuesday 2 February and Friday 5 February to Thursday 1 April

Term 2 Monday 19 April to Friday 2 July

Term 3 Monday 19 July to Friday 24 September

Term 4 Monday 11 October to no later than Friday 17 December

Books / Equipment / Library

Books

The cost of books for each Program is approximately $1,000 a year. A set of sample herbs (not mandatory) in the Herbal Medicine program cost $150.

Read more: Books / Equipment / Library

Accommodation

Students in Auckland and Wellington have a range of accommodation options. You may choose to live in a flat, hostel, private boarding house, or homestay (board with a family).

Once you have decided upon your accommodation you must notify administration of your address and contact details. If you change your accommodation you must notify administration immediately.

Read more: Accommodation

Public Transport

Auckland

Traveling by Bus

The main bus route for Jervois Road to downtown Auckland is directly across from the school on the corner of Jervois and Wharf Street.

For Auckland general bus enquiries, phone 09-442 0555 or 0800 STAGECOACH

Parking

There are car parks on the campus grounds as well as ample parking in the immediate surrounding areas of the school.

Wellington

Traveling by Bus/Train

Many of the main bus routes have a stop directly in front of the School's building on Willis Street.
The Wellington railway station is 10 minutes walk from the campus.
For Wellington bus and train travel information phone Ridewell 801 7000 or 0800 801-700

Parking

There are many pay and display parking opportunities in the area with the closest being under the main public library on Harris Street opposite the School building. Pay and display parking is expensive (APPROXIMATELY $10 for around 3-5 hours) but there are some more affordable early bird rates available from $12 per day. The School will make its contacts available to any student who wishes to secure private long-term parking. Such parks vary from a $125-200 a month long-term in select city parking buildings.

Welfare and Support

In the delivery of its programs and services, the School undertakes to ensure that students benefit from:

• Excellent and effective education, in courses offering recognised qualifications.
• Academic freedom, within the framework of the institutions regulations.
• Personal freedom from prejudice and harassment of any kind.
• Appropriate services and facilities, of a high standard.
• Accurate and open information.
• Fair assessment and evaluation of work.
• Timely resolution of problems.
• Participate in the revision of systems and policies.

Read more: Welfare and Support

BHSc(Acupuncture)

The 4-year Bachelor of Health Science degree programme in Acupuncture offers students rigorous hand-on training in acupuncture and prepares students to practice as independent acupuncture providers. Onsite classes are from 9 to 4pm at 18 hours a week with off-site directed and self-directed learning an additional 16 hours per week. The BHSc (Acupuncture), is on par with other international qualifications and takes four years full-time training to complete.

TCM Diplomas

• The Diplomas of Tuina and Qigong are of 2-years duration.
• The Diplomas of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Microsystems are of 3-years  duration

Become an Acupuncturist or related TCM practitioner! contact us today.

Quality 4-Year Degree

We are serious about the quality of your education and, you should be too. While practical considerations, such as schedule and location, may be important factors in your choice of an acupuncture school, it is important to know that all acupuncture schools are not the same, so investigate acupuncture programmes carefully. Also see important information in the Q&A tab.

We offer The BHSc (Acupuncture), which is on par with international acupuncture qualifications and takes four years full-time training to complete. Our degree is composed of:

• 2 Full years of quality theoretical knowledge in acupuncture and biomedicine.
• 2 Full years of hands on, quality, supervised clinical training

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  Theoretical knowledge is the foundation upon which an acupuncturist is built, involving in-depth knowledge of both acupuncture and the biomedical sciences.
  • Acupuncture knowledge should be extensive and comprehensive, covering both normal and abnormal function. This takes two full years of study and,
  • In-depth knowledge of the biomedical sciences of anatomy, physiology and pathology. This gives you the confidence required to make informed decisions concerning the welfare of patients and to interact with other healthcare professionals on an equal basis concerning patient care. Two full years of study are dedicated to this.
  • Authentic traditional Chinese medicine information is delivered in a modern contemporary way that meets local and international student needs in such a way that you can be confident to work in New Zealand and internationally. We adhere to the maxim of not settling for "a sage on the stage", when what's needed is a "guide by your side".
  • Don't be cheated of this quality by others taking short-cuts in the timing and delivery of your foundation education.

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  Clinical training is the key to becoming a good acupuncturist. Best practice involves both discussion of active cases and applying regular acupuncture treatments toward clinical experience and hours of training.
  • Our hands-on, experience-based programmes are designed to build strong clinical skills. Students are always supervised by experienced acupuncturists. Students learn to treat and discuss every type of condition licensed acupuncturists confront, from athletic injuries, acute and chronic pain, stress, immune, and fatigue disorders, to internal medical disorders of the respiratory, cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and reproductive systems. Faculty members offer personal attention, ensuring that you graduate with confidence in your clinical skills.
  • Our theory and clinical teachers are grounded in classical acupuncture knowledge presented to meet the needs of a contemporary, modern New Zealand society.
  Clinical Experience/Hours
  • All schools require a minimum of 500 hours of supervised clinical training. Other schools do the following and call it clinical training hours/experience:
    • Observation in clinic by pre-clinical students counted as clinical hours or experience- we do not.
    • Clinical attendance without a patient to treat as clinical hours - we do not.
    • Treating fellow students with simulated illnesses as clinical experience/hours - we do not.
    • Two student interns treating one patient at the same time- we do not.
    • Don't be short-changed in the delivery of quality clinical training.

You need to know only a 4-year Bachelor of Acupuncture is recognised by professional acupuncture organisations in:

• New Zealand
  • NZRA (NZ Register of Acupuncture- largest and longest serving professional body in NZ)
  • NZFCMS (New Zealand Federation of Chinese Medical Science)
• Australia - AACMA (Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association)
• USA - NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine)
• We chose to deliver to you a four-year Bachelor qualification rather than a three year degree as we were aware that there was little point in having a qualification that would only be recognised in New Zealand.
• The Chinese State administration for international education confirms that 3-years of study is only to the diploma level.
• Upon graduation you will be able to work anywhere in the world.