Doctor of Chiropractic

To apply for the Doctor of Chiropractic degree, applicants must meet one of the following pathways. All candidates must hold a degree or completed credits from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or a comparable foreign agency. If applicants do not fully meet these criteria, they may still be considered for admission with the Dean’s approval, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis.

• Pathway 1: The Bachelor’s Degree Pathway
  • A bachelor’s degree.
  • 6 credits* in Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry with a grade of C or higher taken within the last seven years.
• Pathway 2: The 3.00 GPA Pathway Without a Bachelor’s Degree
  • A minimum of 90 credits (135 quarter credits) of undergraduate coursework with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale for the 90 semester credits.
  • 6 credits* in Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry with a grade of C or higher taken within the last seven years.
• Pathway 3: The 2.75 GPA Pathway Without a Bachelor’s Degree
  • A minimum of 90 credits (135 quarter credits) of undergraduate coursework that includes the following:
  • A cumulative GPA between 2.79 and 2.99 on a 4.00 scale for the 90 semester credits and a minimum of 24 credits (36 quarter units) of life and/or physical sciences.
  • 6 credits* in Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry with a grade of C or higher taken within the last seven years.
  • Note: Students admitted through Pathway 3 are automatically enrolled in the 12-term curriculum track and required to participate in the LACC Advising Program. Those students cannot switch to the 10-term track.
• Additional requirements, for all Pathways:
  • Successful admission interview.
  • Meet the physical and technical requirements to successfully complete the program, with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Recommended requirements, for all Pathways:
  • SCU recommends that students have a well-rounded general education background in the life and physical sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Additionally, all students who have not recently taken chemistry and/or anatomy and physiology are encouraged to complete the self-paced, zero-credit online modules offered by SCU.
• * Clarification for the 6 credits in Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry:
  • The 7-year requirement is waived for applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree with a 3.00 GPA.
  • 3 credits (4.5 quarter credits) in Anatomy & Physiology (human anatomy and physiology in any single or multiple course combination accepted or other biological sciences like Biology and Genetics).
  • 3 credits (4.5 quarter credits)  in Chemistry (e.g., General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry accepted).
  • Applicants who do not meet the Anatomy & Physiology and/or Chemistry requirements may be admitted on a contingent basis and must complete these courses or enroll in a competency-based, self-paced, zero-credit online module(s) offered for free by SCU.
  • Anatomy & Physiology requirements must be successfully completed  before  the  start  of the first  week  of the chiropractic program.
  • Chemistry requirements must be completed  before  the  end  of the first  term  of the chiropractic program.

Need Prerequisites?

Students who are missing a prerequisite course requirement or are looking to improve their GPA can choose to take an SCU Accelerated Science course and complete the requirements in as little as five weeks. SCU’s Accelerated Science courses are prequalified and guaranteed acceptance for this program.  Click here to learn more.

Transfer Credit Eligibility/Advanced Standing

In addition to meeting the University’s requirements for transfer credit, the following requirements apply to students receiving Advanced Standing for the Doctor of Chiropractic program:

• Transferred course hours must be equivalent to 75% or more of LACC course hours, otherwise a course must be retaken in its entirety.
• Students may receive transfer credit for up to 75% of the total program (maximum 167 credits).
• Students transferring from another graduate institution must submit a completed and signed Transfer in Good Standing Form directly to SCU by the original institution.
• Credits used towards admissions requirements cannot be used for Advanced Standing, if applicable.

Curriculum Tracks

The chiropractic program has formal 10 and 12-term curricular tracks/sequences. The Admissions Pathways and the Curriculum Tracks are in recognition that applicants come from many backgrounds and that this variety in the chiropractic profession is valuable.

Students admitted through Pathway 3 are automatically enrolled in the 12-term curriculum track and cannot switch to the 10-term track. All other students are enrolled in the 10-term track by default. Students admitted to the 10-term track may switch to the formal 12-term track no later than 75% completion of the 3rd term. Students who wish to switch to the formal 12-term track should contact the Registrar’s Office.

Students admitted through Pathway 3 will be required to participate in the LACC Advising Program while students admitted under Admissions Pathway 1 and 2 may be required to participate. The SCU Advising Program is offered to support academic success. When participating in the SCU Advising Program, students will be required to:

• Enroll in the 12-term track.
• Meet with the SCU Academic Advisor at least once per term for the first 3 terms of the program regarding individual academic performance.
• Comply with a personalized Academic Development Plan (ADP). The ADP is intended to support students in meeting academic expectations. The ADP may include attending meetings with faculty advisor(s), a learning specialist, and/or academic counselor to discuss progress towards academic goals, participating in tutoring sessions, etc.

Admissions Process

• Submit prior educational information to your Admissions Advisor.
• Complete an admission interview.
• Meet the physical and technical requirements to successfully complete the program, with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Application Deadlines:
  • To ensure an admission decision before the desired start term, applicants are encouraged to submit their application, all application documents, and supporting documents as soon as possible to be reviewed by the admissions committee.
  • SCU admits students on a rolling basis.

Canadian Students

• Our largest international population is our neighbors to the north. Sunny Southern California provides a great opportunity to experience a different climate while developing new skills and friends.   Learn more by visiting our International Students page.
• SCU’s Canadian Scholarship is for F-1 Visa Canadian students who are enrolled in the Doctor of Chiropractic program and provides a maximum of a 20% discount on tuition.
• Licensure in Canada. Chiropractic, like medicine and dentistry, is a self-regulating profession. Each U.S. state and Canadian province has unique requirements for licensure as well as scope-of-practice regulations. An early understanding of these requirements will be invaluable to you as you prepare for your future career. SCU’s Doctor of Chiropractic program is designed to offer students education sufficient for licensure in all U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and other foreign jurisdictions. Our graduates practice successfully across the country and internationally.

International Students

• SCU welcomes applications from qualified students from other countries. The general admission requirements are identical for all applicants, regardless of citizenship. However, immigration regulations, varying educational backgrounds, and financial considerations require additional procedures necessary for international students.
• For additional information please visit our  International Students  page.

No Need to Complete Your Undergraduate Degree or Have 90 Credits

• Have you completed some college but need to finish your bachelor’s degree? SCU provides an accelerated pathway opportunity for students who are looking to complete their bachelor’s degree and enter the Doctor of Chiropractic program Pathway 1. The accelerated path to becoming a DC through the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) Chiropractic Sciences concentration degree completion program saves students money. Students money by earning credit hours that can be applied towards both the bachelor’s and doctoral degrees.   The BSHS program only requires 48 credits for admissions.
• For additional information please visit the  BSHS program page.

Accessibility and Disability Services

Students seeking reasonable accommodations or support services while enrolled at SCU can do so through the  Student Services Office (SSO). We encourage you to register with SSO as early as possible to allow sufficient time for the approval and notification process.