Pacific College of Health and Science

About Pacific College of Health and Science

Pacific College of Health and Science is an independently accredited, specialized institution focused on integrative healthcare education. It began in 1986 as a provider of traditional Chinese medicine and Asian bodywork education and changed its name from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine on January 1, 2020. WSCUC currently lists the institution as active, classifies its financial structure as for-profit, and identifies New York as the main campus. This is important because the database record originated under the former New York campus name rather than the institution’s current identity. The college is narrower in scope than a conventional multidisciplinary university. Its New York offerings center on acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, massage therapy, and nursing, alongside selected online nursing and professional-completion options. Credentials vary by program and include an associate-level massage degree, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, certificates, and professional doctorates. Prospective students should not infer that unrelated subjects in the record’s existing program metadata are available; the current official catalog does not support that broad list. The institution was operating and recruiting as of August 2026. Its admissions site advertised a September 8, 2026 term start, while WSCUC listed the New York main campus as active. Pacific College separately reported that the planned transition of its Chicago and San Diego campuses to another institution would not affect New York. Students should nevertheless verify the institutional structure shown on their enrollment agreement, particularly if considering online study or taking courses associated with another location.

Admission is program-specific. The college accepts applications for entry in each term and advises candidates to apply early because individual classes may fill or be cancelled. Its general application guide calls for an application, a $50 fee, prior academic records, and other program-dependent materials. The catalog states that an admissions interview may be requested after the file is complete, while the current public application guide describes an interview for first-time, readmission, and advanced-standing applicants. Candidates should follow the instructions supplied for their intended 2026 intake if the two descriptions differ. Academic prerequisites vary substantially. For example, New York applicants to entry-level acupuncture master’s programs need prior college education amounting to at least 60 semester or 90 quarter credits, including nine semester credits in biosciences. Nursing, professional-doctorate, massage, certificate, and transfer applicants follow different requirements. New York students must also supply the vaccination evidence required by state rules, and clinically based programs can impose additional health, background, or placement documentation. International applicants face separate transcript-evaluation, financial-document, immigration, and English-proficiency procedures. Official foreign-language records require certified English translations and an academic evaluation. The college publishes different English thresholds by program and notes that waivers may be possible in specified circumstances. International students should obtain written confirmation of eligibility before applying: current disclosures state that they cannot enroll in nursing programs, and professional-licensure availability may depend on physical location and immigration status.

Academic study at the New York campus is concentrated in health-profession fields. The 2025–2026 catalog lists pathways involving acupuncture, acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization, massage therapies, and prelicensure nursing. It also describes combined bachelor’s/master’s acupuncture pathways and entry-level professional doctorates. Separate online offerings include nursing completion and graduate programs and transitional acupuncture doctorates. Availability is location-dependent, so students should confirm that their exact program is authorized for New York or for their state of physical residence. Clinical preparation is central to several on-campus programs. The Lower Manhattan facility includes a teaching clinic with treatment rooms and an herbal dispensary. Acupuncture and massage students may work with patients under supervision, while the college describes additional community and healthcare placements. Nursing students complete laboratory and clinical requirements governed by program attendance, health, background-check, and placement rules. These features make scheduling and travel to clinical sites important considerations alongside classroom study. Many programs are designed to support entry into regulated professions, but earning a degree does not by itself guarantee a license. Pacific College publishes state-by-state licensure disclosures and advises students to check the rules where they intend to practice. Its prelicensure BSN is designed to make qualified graduates eligible to apply for the NCLEX-RN. Acupuncture, herbal-medicine, and massage requirements vary among jurisdictions and may include examinations or other conditions. Students contemplating relocation should obtain written confirmation of continued eligibility before moving.

Key Highlights

• Founded in 1986 and renamed Pacific College of Health and Science in 2020
• New York is listed by WSCUC as the active main campus
• Institutional focus is integrative health, nursing, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and massage therapy
• Current admissions material advertised a September 8, 2026 term start

Student Life & Environment

Student life is structured around a compact, professional-school environment rather than a residential undergraduate campus. The New York facility has classrooms, a specialized library, a student lounge and common area, and the acupuncture and massage teaching clinic. The clinical setting can connect students across cohorts through supervised practice, while the college’s community placements expose some students to patients and organizations outside the campus. The 2025–2026 catalog describes academic advising, study groups, faculty assistance, and tutoring by qualified advanced students. It also lists disability support and WellConnect, a confidential service available around the clock to students and immediate family members for counseling, self-help resources, and referrals involving concerns such as childcare, transportation, stress, or finances. These services may be particularly relevant to commuters and students balancing professional programs with work or family responsibilities. Pacific College does not operate residence halls or other college-controlled housing. Students arrange accommodation independently, and admissions staff can provide neighborhood and rental-resource information. Because this is an urban commuter campus, applicants seeking a traditional residential experience, extensive athletics, or a large student-organization ecosystem should ask directly what activities are active during their intended term rather than assuming they are available.

Location & Surroundings

The New York main campus is at 110 William Street in Lower Manhattan. The college places it near Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, and Chinatown, with access to subway and train services. This setting gives students proximity to a dense healthcare market, community organizations, public transportation, and the cultural and commercial resources of New York City. Some programs also use clinical or community sites away from the campus, so students should ask how frequently travel is required and whether placements can be reached conveniently from their home. The location is best understood as an urban instructional facility rather than a self-contained campus. Official materials describe classrooms, administrative space, a library, common space, an herbal dispensary, and a large acupuncture clinic within the facility. There are no residence halls. Students must therefore budget separately for housing, commuting, food, and the practical costs of attending clinical placements. The catalog’s housing estimate was based on January 2025 rental information and should not be treated as a current 2026 quote; applicants should research present rents and transportation costs before committing.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Costs should be evaluated by exact program rather than from a single annual tuition figure. The official 2025–2026 catalog, effective March 2026, publishes separate total tuition and required-fee schedules for New York acupuncture, combined bachelor’s/master’s, massage, professional-doctorate, certificate, and prelicensure nursing programs. Charges differ widely by curriculum length and may exclude contingent expenses such as supplies, examinations, background checks, health requirements, or transportation to clinical sites. Applicants should request a personalized term-by-term estimate and compare it with the enrollment agreement before paying a deposit. Pacific College participates in federal financial aid. The catalog says eligible U.S. citizens and permanent residents in qualifying associate, bachelor’s, master’s, entry-level doctorate, massage, and nursing programs may be considered for federal or state assistance. Depending on eligibility and program, options may include Pell Grants, federal loans, work-study, state aid, private loans, veterans’ benefits, and institutional or external scholarships. Aid availability is not universal, and the college advises students needing assistance to begin at least 30 days before a term. Career preparation is closely connected to regulated health professions. Qualified prelicensure nursing graduates may apply for the NCLEX-RN, while acupuncture and massage graduates may pursue the examinations or credentials required by their jurisdiction. The college provides career and alumni services, but it does not guarantee licensure, placement, earnings, or access to a clinical site. Before enrolling, students should compare program outcomes and debt obligations and confirm every licensing requirement directly with the relevant state board.