The College has established a distance learning management system to offer online educational experiences to students. The platform utilized is the one place where students can log in and experience all aspects of student life including course content, tests and assignments, chat rooms, professor and student interaction, and feedback. From software to hardware and support services, the College’s goal is to offer quality online programs to students while promoting self-efficacy and confidence in our graduates.

The Hybrid program runs synchronously with on-campus classes, meaning the distance student will have a schedule in alignment with the on-campus students and will follow the same syllabus, including date and time meetings, quiz, course, and testing dates and times, projects and assignment dates and times, and all other aspects of attending the on-campus course session. This program is NOT an asynchronous, work-at-your-own-pace, on-your-own-schedule program. It requires the same time and dedicated commitment as the on-campus program.

For courses that include instruction in a lab or demonstration setting that require the student to demonstrate patient care or treatment competency, students are required to attend the physical campus one weekend per month. These monthly sessions are held at the Bradenton campus, and usually (subject to change, depending on the course) run from 2 – 5 or 6pm Fridays and 9:00 AM to 1:00pm (or 5pm, depending on the student’s semester and course requirements) on Saturdays. The college anticipates one weekend of attendance per month. The number of hours for hands-on practicals are equivalent to on-ground courses.

Instructional Materials
Learning materials (including textbooks) are provided by the institution, in electronic (e-book) format when available, and included with tuition. Other learning aids, syllabi, instructor contact information and office  hours are distributed through the Populi LMS or via email. During the course, student written assignments, exams, projects, discussions are submitted on the LMS.

Course Delivery and Content
Dragon Rises’ online course mirrors the existing on-ground Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture curriculum in content and length. Dragon Rises offer its online courses in a mixture hybrid Program format. Courses that require laboratory skills practice or clinical experiences will be offered in a hybrid format as discussed below.

Hybrid Course Delivery
For courses that include instruction in a lab or demonstration setting that require the student to demonstrate patient care or treatment competency, students are required to attend the physical campus one weekend per month. These monthly sessions are held at our Bradenton campus, and usually (subject to change, depending on the course) run from 2 – 6pm Fridays and 9:00 AM to 1:00pm Saturdays. The college anticipates one weekend of attendance per month. The number of hours for hands-on practicals are equivalent to on-ground courses.

Clinical Courses
Clinical courses are considered hybrid courses. Clinical coursework may be done at the college’s clinic facility or in most cases, at an authorized clinical site local to the Distance Education student. Clinical sites are arranged by the College and the student, and require approval of the Academic Dean to attend these sites. For clinical coursework the LMS is used primarily for administrative purposes (to provide syllabi, time tracking, attendance, maintain records of student diagnoses and experiences, provide formal faculty feedback and grading. Hybrid students must perform the same number of clinical hours per course as a fully on-campus student.

Admissions requirements and admissions criteria are identical for campus-based and online/hybrid modalities, with one addition: Distance Education students must have a Florida address as their address-of-record when applying. Out-of-state students are welcome to apply and attend remotely, but they must have a Florida address listed as their primary residence.

Students must be enrolled in the online version of the combined Bachelor of Health Sciences – Master of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine program to take online courses.

New classes begin each Semester. Admissions applications received after the beginning of the semester will be considered on an individual basis. The applicant must submit the following to the Dragon Rises College Admissions Office:

    • A completed application, with a $50 application fee. This fee is non-refundable.
    • A word-processed document containing relevant biographical data, basic philosophy of healthcare, and a statement relating how the applicant became interested in the field of acupuncture and natural healthcare.
    • Two recent passport photos.
    • Copy of driver’s license and social security card or passport.
    • Resume or CV
    • Copy of any professional licenses held.
    • A signed Applicant’s Health Certification form.
    • Two Personal Reference Forms mailed directly to the College.
    • Official transcripts from all academic institutions previously attended, sent directly to the College. Foreign transcript documents written in a language other than English must include the original, a notarized English translation, and an evaluation by the credential evaluation service, sent directly to the college.

Once all admissions documents have been received, a representative of the College will schedule an online personal interview with the College Admissions Committee members at a mutually convenient time.

Once a student is accepted by the College, the institution will schedule an online enrollment appointment . During this appointment the admissions staff will guide the enrollee through the enrollment paperwork and ensure that the student has a complete understanding of the academic programs, the program costs, program timelines and the method of delivery. The institution will collect the $75.00 enrollment fee at this time payable by credit or debit card. The student will sign the enrollment agreement and other required paperwork electronically. Students will be explicitly advised of the on-campus attendance requirements for hybrid courses.

TUITION

Tuition is $7200 per semester for students enrolled full time. For part-time students enrolled in 8.99 credit hours or less, the tuition is 60% of full time tuition costs. Tuition and fees for campus-based or online/hybrid courses are the same. Tuition increases may occur annually and the second and subsequent years may include a tuition increase. Total tuition increases may occur if the student falls behind, is required to take additional classes or if additional hours are approved by regulatory agencies.

Tuition costs includes the cost of course learning materials (including textbooks), uniforms, student ID, learning resources and technology fees, laboratory supplies, malpractice insurance, and student acupuncture kits used in the classroom. Learning resources and or learning materials are supplied by the College and may be in the form of hard copy textbooks, E-books, or other electronic documents or activities on the Learning Management System. Clinic acupuncture supplies (needles, moxa, salves, etc.) are not included in tuition as selection and use of these types of items depend on student preference.

 

FEES

An initial down payment of $75 must be submitted with the Enrollment Agreement and returned within fourteen (14) days. This deposit will be credited towards tuition fees for the first semester. The deposit is refundable if the enrollee notifies the college in writing within five business days of signing the agreement of his/her intention to withdraw.

Each Fall all students also pay for required HIPAA/OSHA training. Other fees are listed below, and apply only to some situations, like auditing courses or making up tests.

Fee
Amount
Description
Application Fee
$50
With initial application, nonrefundable
Enrollment Fee
$75
One-time enrollment fee, nonrefundable after 5 days
Student ID Card
included
Annual OSHA/HIPPA Training
$45
Per year, paid in Fall Semester. Required
Clinic Malpractice Insurance
included
Annual Student Government Fee
$30
Per year, paid in Fall Semester. Required
Distance Education Fee
$240
Per semester. Required.
Graduation Fee
$130
One-time fee, paid at Program completion
Books and General Supplies
included
Student Acupuncture Kit
included
For classroom use
Clinic Acupuncture Supplies
~$50, estimated
Dependant on student selection and preference
Additional Fees
(under certain circumstances)
Return check fee
$35
Fee for checks which are not processed by the bank
Student ID Card Replacement
$25
Fee for issuing a replacement college ID card
Additional Clinic Hours
$50/hr
See Student Handbook, page 7, for full details
Audit Fee
$200/credit hour
Requires approval before Semester start
Official Transcript Fee
$10
Per requested copy
Student Copy of Transcript
$5
Per printed copy (may be printed via Populi for free)

There are technological requirements specific to DE students, including:

  1. Laptop or desktop computer (required for all programs at Dragon Rises, not specific to DE)
  2. Internet access (reliable, landline-based is preferable, but a cellular connection can suffice if limited options)
  3. DragonRises email access * (will be issued upon enrollment; we use the Google Workspaces framework for email communications)
  4. Populi access * (will be issued upon enrollment; our primary Student Information system (SIS0 and Learning Management System (LMS))
  5. Microsoft Office and/or Google Docs access (both available through DRCOM. Contact IT for access if you have issues)

 

* – DRCOM IT Support can help you access the software titles included with Dragon Rises credentials. It is highly recommended you use a properly configured desktop or laptop computer to ensure a reliable learning environment.

If you choose to add these to your mobile devices for ease of access, be aware that there are far too many mobile device manufacturers and models for DRCOM to be able to offer support.

The Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization degree is a fully-accredited program by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM), just the same as our on-campus programs are accredited, although ACAHM does not accredit Bachelor’s-level programs.

Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine and its following program are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM):
– (1) Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization
The program listed above may offer courses via distance education. ACAHM does not accredit any programs at the undergraduate/bachelor level. Accreditation status and notes may be viewed on the ACAHM directory.

ACAHM is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the specialized accreditation agency for institutions/programs preparing acupuncture practitioners.

ACAHM is located at 500 Lake Street, Suite 204, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331; phone 952/212-2434; https://acahm.org

Public Disclosure Statement Effective as of 30 August 2023.

 

Licensure

Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education (CIE), Florida Department of Education to award the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degrees. License number 2425. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, phone (850) 245-3200.

Program Overview

The College has established a distance learning management system to offer online educational experiences to students. The platform utilized is the one place where students can log in and experience all aspects of student life including course content, tests and assignments, chat rooms, professor and student interaction, and feedback. From software to hardware and support services, the College’s goal is to offer quality online programs to students while promoting self-efficacy and confidence in our graduates.

The Hybrid program runs synchronously with on-campus classes, meaning the distance student will have a schedule in alignment with the on-campus students and will follow the same syllabus, including date and time meetings, quiz, course, and testing dates and times, projects and assignment dates and times, and all other aspects of attending the on-campus course session. This program is NOT an asynchronous, work-at-your-own-pace, on-your-own-schedule program. It requires the same time and dedicated commitment as the on-campus program.

For courses that include instruction in a lab or demonstration setting that require the student to demonstrate patient care or treatment competency, students are required to attend the physical campus one weekend per month. These monthly sessions are held at the Bradenton campus, and usually (subject to change, depending on the course) run from 2 – 5 or 6pm Fridays and 9:00 AM to 1:00pm (or 5pm, depending on the student’s semester and course requirements) on Saturdays. The college anticipates one weekend of attendance per month. The number of hours for hands-on practicals are equivalent to on-ground courses.

What's Different?

Instructional Materials
Learning materials (including textbooks) are provided by the institution, in electronic (e-book) format when available, and included with tuition. Other learning aids, syllabi, instructor contact information and office  hours are distributed through the Populi LMS or via email. During the course, student written assignments, exams, projects, discussions are submitted on the LMS.

Course Delivery and Content
Dragon Rises’ online course mirrors the existing on-ground Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture curriculum in content and length. Dragon Rises offer its online courses in a mixture hybrid Program format. Courses that require laboratory skills practice or clinical experiences will be offered in a hybrid format as discussed below.

Hybrid Course Delivery
For courses that include instruction in a lab or demonstration setting that require the student to demonstrate patient care or treatment competency, students are required to attend the physical campus one weekend per month. These monthly sessions are held at our Bradenton campus, and usually (subject to change, depending on the course) run from 2 – 6pm Fridays and 9:00 AM to 1:00pm Saturdays. The college anticipates one weekend of attendance per month. The number of hours for hands-on practicals are equivalent to on-ground courses.

Clinical Courses
Clinical courses are considered hybrid courses. Clinical coursework may be done at the college’s clinic facility or in most cases, at an authorized clinical site local to the Distance Education student. Clinical sites are arranged by the College and the student, and require approval of the Academic Dean to attend these sites. For clinical coursework the LMS is used primarily for administrative purposes (to provide syllabi, time tracking, attendance, maintain records of student diagnoses and experiences, provide formal faculty feedback and grading. Hybrid students must perform the same number of clinical hours per course as a fully on-campus student.

Admissions

Admissions requirements and admissions criteria are identical for campus-based and online/hybrid modalities, with one addition: Distance Education students must have a Florida address as their address-of-record when applying. Out-of-state students are welcome to apply and attend remotely, but they must have a Florida address listed as their primary residence.

Students must be enrolled in the online version of the combined Bachelor of Health Sciences – Master of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine program to take online courses.

New classes begin each Semester. Admissions applications received after the beginning of the semester will be considered on an individual basis. The applicant must submit the following to the Dragon Rises College Admissions Office:

    • A completed application, with a $50 application fee. This fee is non-refundable.
    • A word-processed document containing relevant biographical data, basic philosophy of healthcare, and a statement relating how the applicant became interested in the field of acupuncture and natural healthcare.
    • Two recent passport photos.
    • Copy of driver’s license and social security card or passport.
    • Resume or CV
    • Copy of any professional licenses held.
    • A signed Applicant’s Health Certification form.
    • Two Personal Reference Forms mailed directly to the College.
    • Official transcripts from all academic institutions previously attended, sent directly to the College. Foreign transcript documents written in a language other than English must include the original, a notarized English translation, and an evaluation by the credential evaluation service, sent directly to the college.

Once all admissions documents have been received, a representative of the College will schedule an online personal interview with the College Admissions Committee members at a mutually convenient time.

Once a student is accepted by the College, the institution will schedule an online enrollment appointment . During this appointment the admissions staff will guide the enrollee through the enrollment paperwork and ensure that the student has a complete understanding of the academic programs, the program costs, program timelines and the method of delivery. The institution will collect the $75.00 enrollment fee at this time payable by credit or debit card. The student will sign the enrollment agreement and other required paperwork electronically. Students will be explicitly advised of the on-campus attendance requirements for hybrid courses.

Tuition & Fees

TUITION

Tuition is $7200 per semester for students enrolled full time. For part-time students enrolled in 8.99 credit hours or less, the tuition is 60% of full time tuition costs. Tuition and fees for campus-based or online/hybrid courses are the same. Tuition increases may occur annually and the second and subsequent years may include a tuition increase. Total tuition increases may occur if the student falls behind, is required to take additional classes or if additional hours are approved by regulatory agencies.

Tuition costs includes the cost of course learning materials (including textbooks), uniforms, student ID, learning resources and technology fees, laboratory supplies, malpractice insurance, and student acupuncture kits used in the classroom. Learning resources and or learning materials are supplied by the College and may be in the form of hard copy textbooks, E-books, or other electronic documents or activities on the Learning Management System. Clinic acupuncture supplies (needles, moxa, salves, etc.) are not included in tuition as selection and use of these types of items depend on student preference.

 

FEES

An initial down payment of $75 must be submitted with the Enrollment Agreement and returned within fourteen (14) days. This deposit will be credited towards tuition fees for the first semester. The deposit is refundable if the enrollee notifies the college in writing within five business days of signing the agreement of his/her intention to withdraw.

Each Fall all students also pay for required HIPAA/OSHA training. Other fees are listed below, and apply only to some situations, like auditing courses or making up tests.

Fee
Amount
Description
Application Fee
$50
With initial application, nonrefundable
Enrollment Fee
$75
One-time enrollment fee, nonrefundable after 5 days
Student ID Card
included
Annual OSHA/HIPPA Training
$45
Per year, paid in Fall Semester. Required
Clinic Malpractice Insurance
included
Annual Student Government Fee
$30
Per year, paid in Fall Semester. Required
Distance Education Fee
$240
Per semester. Required.
Graduation Fee
$130
One-time fee, paid at Program completion
Books and General Supplies
included
Student Acupuncture Kit
included
For classroom use
Clinic Acupuncture Supplies
~$50, estimated
Dependant on student selection and preference
Additional Fees
(under certain circumstances)
Return check fee
$35
Fee for checks which are not processed by the bank
Student ID Card Replacement
$25
Fee for issuing a replacement college ID card
Additional Clinic Hours
$50/hr
See Student Handbook, page 7, for full details
Audit Fee
$200/credit hour
Requires approval before Semester start
Official Transcript Fee
$10
Per requested copy
Student Copy of Transcript
$5
Per printed copy (may be printed via Populi for free)
Technology Requirements

There are technological requirements specific to DE students, including:

  1. Laptop or desktop computer (required for all programs at Dragon Rises, not specific to DE)
  2. Internet access (reliable, landline-based is preferable, but a cellular connection can suffice if limited options)
  3. DragonRises email access * (will be issued upon enrollment; we use the Google Workspaces framework for email communications)
  4. Populi access * (will be issued upon enrollment; our primary Student Information system (SIS0 and Learning Management System (LMS))
  5. Microsoft Office and/or Google Docs access (both available through DRCOM. Contact IT for access if you have issues)

 

* – DRCOM IT Support can help you access the software titles included with Dragon Rises credentials. It is highly recommended you use a properly configured desktop or laptop computer to ensure a reliable learning environment.

If you choose to add these to your mobile devices for ease of access, be aware that there are far too many mobile device manufacturers and models for DRCOM to be able to offer support.

Accreditation

The Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization degree is a fully-accredited program by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM), just the same as our on-campus programs are accredited, although ACAHM does not accredit Bachelor’s-level programs.

Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine and its following program are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM):
– (1) Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization
The program listed above may offer courses via distance education. ACAHM does not accredit any programs at the undergraduate/bachelor level. Accreditation status and notes may be viewed on the ACAHM directory.

ACAHM is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the specialized accreditation agency for institutions/programs preparing acupuncture practitioners.

ACAHM is located at 500 Lake Street, Suite 204, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331; phone 952/212-2434; https://acahm.org

Public Disclosure Statement Effective as of 30 August 2023.

 

Licensure

Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education (CIE), Florida Department of Education to award the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degrees. License number 2425. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, phone (850) 245-3200.

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