ACUPUNCTURE (MSC)

Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment which originated 2500 years ago. WHO recognised it from 1970s and accept it as complementary and Alternative Medicine in the world.

In collaboration with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM), IMU is launching the Master of Science in Acupuncture (MSc Acupuncture) programme which is approved by MOHE and MQA. All the courses are taught in English.

Students who opt to complete the programme locally will be awarded with the IMU MSc in Acupuncture. If you have selected the double degree option, you can complete part of your studies at SHUTCM and obtain an additional Master of Acupuncture from SHUTCM.

You have to make your choice of local or double degrees during enrollment. Additionally, for double degree, you will need to be also registered with SHUTCM as well as MOE, China. The registration in China is open annually in September.

IMU Degree: 2.5 – 5 years

We accept candidates with the following academic background:

• A Bachelor Degree in Chinese Medicine, Medicine, Medical Sciences or its equivalent with a minimum cGPA 2.50 and above as accepted by University’s Senate.
• Candidates who could not fulfil the minimum cGPA may also apply but will be subjected to a minimum of 5 years of relevant working experience.

You have to complete at least 12 courses and a minimum of 42 credits in order to graduate. We aim to produce practitioners who are reflective, research-minded, knowledgeable, competent and safe.

For candidates with western medicine background, this involves a broad and deep education which will include Chinese Medicine Theory, Chinese Medicine Diagnosis, Basic Acupuncture, Acupoint Anatomy, Selected Readings in Classic Literature, Acupuncture Clinical Practice, Modern Acupuncture Science and Clinical Development, Advanced Acupuncture Techniques, Advanced Acupuncture Clinical Practice, Research Methodology and Scientific Writing, Biostatistics and at last, Research Project.

For Chinese Medicine background candidates, the course will be a little bit different to meet their demands in first semester, and these will include Fundamentals of Allopathic Medicine, Radiology, Basic Acupuncture, Acupoint Anatomy, Selected Readings in Classic Literature, Acupuncture Clinical Practice Modern Acupuncture Science and Clinical Development, Advanced in Acupuncture Techniques, Advanced Acupuncture Clinical Practice, Research Methodology and Scientific Writing, Biostatistics as well as Research Project.

This programme is targeted at working professionals, therefore the programme is offered only on a part-time basis. And the teaching and learning are designed to suit working adults with a few face-to- face  classes conducted during weekends or live online teaching and learning sessions. Each module has a different number of face-to-face and live online classes. The major part of teaching and learning will go through IMU E-learning portal which is accessible during your spare time and provides flexibility to your studies.

That is to say, you can study at home for the most of the time. It is necessary for the students to be on campus for the face-to-face teaching and learning which include practices and so on in some modules and the end of semester OSCE etc.

2 clinical practice modules (9 credits in all, which means 6 weeks plus 3 weeks of practice will be a big challenge to full-time working candidates. It hasn’t yet to be determined if they are continuous or separate ones. But as you know, acupuncture is a hands-on technique and the clinical practice is very useful and important for you to join in. Merely theoretical learning is absolutely no meaning.

Cooperated with SHUTCM, the lecturers are from both IMU and SHUTCM, and all have doctorate degrees or over 5 years higher professional experience specialised in TCM and other related subjects. The programme director, Professor Zhou Wenxin just retired from SHUTCM and he has over 35 years of teaching and clinical experiences in acupuncture. He joined IMU in April, 2018 for the sole purpose of launching and teaching the programme.

Considering that all participants are working adults, the assessments are designed in many ways and quite different from ones for the undergraduate programmes, i.e. mainly assignment, OSCE, discussion in class, practice in clinic etc. Passing examinations should not be a problem if you study hard.

The Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 has been issued but the registration regulations are still not very clear. As we know, the Chinese Medicine background students are allowed to be registered in local Chinese Medicine Association and some western doctors, who learned acupuncture (Chinese Medicine) with degree were also registered this way.

Please find out more about the Law and you will be in a better condition to consider studying this degree and the possibility to practise acupuncture under the current Law and regulation in Malaysia. You can also discuss this with our programme director before you make your decision.

Yes, it is. You can deduct up to a maximum of RM7000. Please refer paragraph 46(1)(f) of ITA 1967.