About the Academy

In keeping with the classical teachings of the Su Wen and the Nan Jing, Academy for Five Element Acupuncture has been instructing students for more than twenty years in the healing arts of the Five Element tradition. Rooted in the ancient wisdom of the Five Elements and traditional Taoism, our curriculum teaches students to see people not only as they present themselves in illness, but more importantly as they would be when in health and balance.

We are a not-for-profit graduate institution and one of only two accredited acupuncture and East Asian medicine institutions in the country offering a curriculum with a dedicated focus on the Five Element tradition. In addition to our Master of Acupuncture degree program, we also offer a Certificate in Chinese Herbal Medicine program. Taken together, these two programs enable students to integrate the physical symptoms of illness without separating emotional and spiritual ailments. This approach provides a truly holistic system of medicine.

From our founding in 1988, we have graduated more than 350 students who are now practicing in states all across the country.

Here are some highlights of our programs:

• Intensive-based Master of Acupuncture degree. This program can be completed in 36 months. It begins with a series of 14-18 day intensive sessions spread out over the first two years of the program. These intensives are taught at our campus in Gainesville, FL. The final year of the program is a year-long clinical residency in the Academy’s clinic in Gainesville.
• Intensive-based Certificate in Chinese Herbal Medicine. This program can be completed in 27 months and is taught concurrently with the Acupuncture program. The final year of the program is a year-long clinical residency in the Academy’s clinic in Gainesville.
• Non-residential. Our unique structure allows students to reside outside of Florida for the first two years of the program, relocating only for the clinical residency in the last year. This enables students from across the country to enroll in and complete our program.
• Flexible Study. Our intensive-based scheduling offers students the opportunity and independence of studying during intersessions. Many students are able to work full-time during the first two years of the program when they are between sessions.
• Personal Learning Experience. Our commitment to remaining a small school enables us to offer highly personalized attention and instruction, with class sizes ranging from 18 to 25 students.
• Experienced and Professional Faculty. All members of our gifted faculty are also acupuncture practitioners and/or herbalists, many of whom travel from across the country to share their extensive clinical experience with the next generation of practitioners.
• Nationally-accredited. Our programs prepare students to sit for the NCCAOM board examinations. It also satisfies the licensure eligibility standards of most U.S. states.
• Financial Aid. Title IV federal financial aid is available for qualified students.

We invite you to review this material carefully. If you have specific questions, or wish to arrange a visit to the school, please feel free to call, write or e-mail us. We wish you the best on your journey.

Painted in the ancient Chinese style by Chungliang Al Huang, our logo represents the symbol for the five elements with a variation. By intentionally leaving out the final brushstroke of “hsing” meaning elements/forces, the logo also contains the symbol of Jen, meaning “human heartedness” or the “interpersonal goodwill between two human beings.” For us, the logo represents how the five elements support our work as acupuncturists reaching from one heart to another.

We are honored to showcase the brushwork of Chungliang Al Huang throughout our course catalog. Mr. Huang, founder of the Living Tao Foundation, is a master dancer, renowned brush calligrapher, bamboo flute player and philosopher.

“During my years of study in the United States, my parents insisted that I write to them with my Chinese brush. I remember resenting them for making me spend extra time to prepare the ink and maintain my calligraphic practice. I would have preferred to whisk off a quick ballpoint-pen letter and have some more time for study and social life. Now I bow deeply to their wisdom.” – Chungliang Al Huang