Course structure
The Acupuncture Training programme runs for three academic years and is part-time and intensive.
The College and Teaching Clinic, where the practical and clinical training takes place, is located in Dublin 3.
The initial two years typically extend from early October to early July, while the third year, focusing on Clinical Training, begins in September.
First and Second year
- Weekends only – one weekend of attendance every three or four weeks
- There are twelve main TCM teaching weekends each year.
- All teaching sessions are held only on Saturdays and Sundays.
- The majority of the first and second year teaching is theoretical and is conducted via Zoom, making the course more accessible to those living a long way from Dublin.
- Approximately 40% of the teaching sessions are held in our College in Dublin. College sessions focus on developing practical point location and the other hands-on skills required for effective diagnosis and treatment. Practical and theoretical assessments also take place in the college.
- The normal teaching day is from 9.00 to 17.00.
- This attendance pattern better enables adults who have work and home commitments to undertake training for a new profession while meeting their current responsibilities.
- The Western Medicine Module, for those who need it, is held on a different Saturday, for the first six months of the first year. Students attend for 3 hours on a Saturday morning, once a month via Zoom.
- Students are required to attend all the teaching sessions in person, including Zoom sessions.
Clinical Year (Third Year)
- In the Clinical year there are more teaching weekends to meet the hours requirement for Acupuncture training.
- Clinical Training weekends are run fortnightly during the first six months of the Academic year, and require attendance in person at the College’s Teaching Clinic in Dublin.
- Additional theoretical modules and project assessments are run via Zoom later in the academic year.
Further information
There are home study and assignment requirements throughout the programme.
The amount of study time needed to successfully complete the coursework varies from person to person. Applicants who are called to interview will be individually advised about this by one of our experienced senior teachers.
Open-learning modules, point location sessions and clinical workshops are made available from time to time if required. The 100% attendance rule does not apply to such extra sessions.
Go to the Syllabus for the TCM Theory
Syllabus for the Clinical Training
Syllabus for the Western Medical Sciences module