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Student Experience

Five Branches students, staff and faculty come from around the globe representing an eclectic mix of culture, experience and perspective that translates into a rich environment for collaborative learning. 

Brought together by a deep-rooted sense of community and shared purpose — our commitment to serve others is lived out in practice every day in our classrooms and health centers. 

Our Programs

We offer graduate and post-graduate degree programs in English and Chinese at our two California campuses in Santa Cruz and San Jose — providing the highest level of TCM education:

DAcHM & MAcHM Degree Programs
DAc & MAc Degree Programs
Bridge (Completion) Program 
Postgraduate DAOM Program 

Our programs are designed to draw upon the wisdom and expertise of our distinguished faculty members — many who have over 30 years of experience practicing and teaching TCM. 

Our Campuses

Some of the most beautiful sights can be found within a short distance from our campuses. You can surf in Santa Cruz, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, or hike past towering redwood trees in Muir Woods or Big Basin Redwood State Park. With San Francisco 20 miles north of our San Jose campus, and Santa Cruz 40 miles south, you will find a surplus of shopping centers, coffee shops, restaurants, theatres, and music venues to enjoy in-between. 

The Bay Area is rich in holistic health resources that will complement your Chinese medicine studies and enhance your personal growth. You will find a high concentration of traditional martial arts studios, Qigong classes, Asian teahouses, and meditation and yoga centers close to campus. 

Together, our campuses foster a supportive social atmosphere and a vibrant intellectual climate in a setting of unmatched beauty.

In the Classroom

While the landscape of the Bay Area is visually stimulating and unlike any you will find elsewhere – the real beauty is what takes place within our classrooms.

In an atmosphere of shared scholarly interest and dynamic engagement, our faculty members bring an unparalleled depth and richness to the learning environment. They enliven the classroom by skillfully weaving together their real-world expertise with the deep traditions of Chinese medicine as it has been taught and practiced throughout its illustrious history.  

Our small class sizes allow you to get to know your teachers on a personal level. As you work with them up close, you will have the opportunity to absorb their wisdom, and to observe the intangible qualities of compassion and caring in their interactions with patients. 

We believe this intimate academic approach has a deep impact in shaping you as the expert TCM practitioner you will become.