Won Institute of Graduate Studies

About Won Institute of Graduate Studies

Won Institute is a small, mission-focused graduate institution rather than a broad research university. Its stated purpose connects professional education in the healing arts and spirituality with individual and social well-being. Members of the Korean Won Buddhist order developed the school; its institutional timeline says it opened with seven students in 2002. The school later added acupuncture education, gained institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and relocated to the Global Dharma Building in Warminster in 2021. MSCHE lists Won as accredited, under private nonprofit control, with master's degrees and the professional Doctor of Acupuncture within its approved credential scope. Accreditation was reaffirmed in 2023. This external status, the published 2026–27 calendar and the active 2027 application process support treating Won as an operating, independent degree-granting institution in 2026. The educational model is deliberately specialized. Students choose among acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and Won Buddhist studies rather than a conventional range of graduate disciplines. Meditation, contemplation and self-reflection form a common thread across programs. That orientation may suit applicants seeking a close connection between professional preparation and contemplative practice, but applicants who want a secular, comprehensive graduate-school environment should examine the mission and curriculum carefully. The institution reports both institutional accreditation and specialized accreditation for its acupuncture and herbal-medicine offerings; candidates pursuing clinical practice should still verify the licensing rules of their intended jurisdiction.

Won is a graduate-only institution: applicants to every degree program must hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or an accepted international equivalent. The institute uses rolling admissions, accepts applications year-round and reviews completed files monthly, but program start terms and final deadlines still apply. For the active 2027 cycle, the published priority deadlines are March 1 for fall and September 1 for spring. Fall final deadlines are July 1; spring entry is limited to Won Buddhist Studies and the Doctor of Acupuncture completion track, with November 1 final deadlines. International deadlines are June 1 for fall and October 1 for spring. A typical application includes a letter of intent, time-management statement, two academic or professional references, identification and an application fee. Doctor of Acupuncture applicants also submit a writing sample and résumé or CV. Completed applications proceed to committee review and a remote admissions interview. Admitted students are asked to pay a $500 enrollment deposit within 30 days. Requirements differ materially by program. The Doctor of Acupuncture and Master of Acupuncture Studies require Anatomy and Physiology I and II before classes begin; the doctoral program also identifies biology, chemistry and psychology corequisites. The doctoral completion track requires a qualifying acupuncture master's education plus a bachelor's degree. Won Buddhist Studies has its own academic and, for ordination-track candidates, reference requirements. International applicants generally follow the same academic process, provide evaluated international transcripts when applicable and demonstrate English proficiency under the institute's stated rules. A significant restriction applies: Won states that it can no longer issue F-1 documentation for its acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine programs. International applicants should confirm visa eligibility directly before applying.

Won Institute's degree portfolio is concentrated in three related areas. The four-year Doctor of Acupuncture combines master's- and doctoral-level study for entrants who do not already hold a qualifying acupuncture master's credential. A separate one-year Doctor of Acupuncture completion track is delivered asynchronously online for graduates of qualifying accredited acupuncture programs; it comprises eight courses, 24 credits and a community-based clinical experience. The three-year Master of Acupuncture Studies covers Chinese medical theory and acupuncture practice. The Master of Won Buddhist Studies is a two-year program designed to present Won Buddhism in a Western context and prepare students for ministry, teaching or lay leadership. Certificate options include an 18-credit Won Buddhist Studies curriculum and a two-year Chinese Herbal Medicine certificate. The latter uses online lectures with in-person clinical requirements and is intended for current acupuncture students or practitioners meeting its prior-education conditions. These certificates should not be confused with additional degree levels. A common contemplative component links the programs through meditation and self-reflection. Clinical education is particularly important in the healing-arts programs: the institute operates student acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine clinics, while its academic pages describe laboratory, clinical and community-based requirements that vary by program. Delivery format also varies, so applicants should not assume every offering is fully residential or fully online. The official site links a 2026–27 academic calendar. Because clinical education and professional authorization can be location-sensitive, prospective distance or hybrid students should confirm whether their state permits the required placements and whether the resulting credential satisfies local licensure rules before enrolling.

Key Highlights

• Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, with accreditation reaffirmed in 2023.
• Private nonprofit specialized graduate institution offering master's degrees and a professional Doctor of Acupuncture.
• Opened with seven students in 2002 and relocated its main campus to Warminster in 2021.

Student Life & Environment

Student life reflects the institute's scale and professional focus. The official student-services directory links students to the library, Student Council, registrar resources, academic calendars, safety information, financial services and feedback channels. Wellness and contemplative opportunities include the Office of the Chaplain, tai chi meditation, evening meditation and access to the student acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine clinics. The chaplain provides informal advising, supportive counseling and referrals for members of the institute community. Campus activities are more closely tied to contemplative practice, clinical learning and professional community than to the residential traditions of a large university. The institute publishes an events calendar and lists guest speakers, meditation activities and continuing-education events. Some services and gatherings are available in hybrid or virtual formats, which is relevant to students in the online doctoral completion track and programs with online coursework. No institution-operated residence halls or comprehensive residential-life program were verified. The student-services page instead directs students to lodging information, so applicants who need housing should expect to investigate off-campus arrangements and confirm commuting requirements. The mix of campus-based clinical work, hybrid study and fully online coursework also means the day-to-day experience differs substantially by program. Prospective students should ask how often their intended cohort meets on campus and what participation is expected outside scheduled classes.

Location & Surroundings

Won Institute's current main campus is at 800 Jacksonville Road in Warminster, Pennsylvania, not Glenside as shown in the supplied database record. MSCHE records the relocation of the main campus in 2021, and the institute consistently publishes the Warminster address on its current pages. Warminster is in Bucks County, north of Philadelphia, placing students within the broader Philadelphia metropolitan area while providing a suburban setting. The closest regional-rail stop is Warminster Station on SEPTA's Warminster Line. The institute describes the campus as about a five-minute drive from the station; therefore, the rail connection does not eliminate the need to plan the final part of the trip. SEPTA links Warminster with Center City Philadelphia stations, and Amtrak passengers can transfer from 30th Street Station. The institute estimates that a taxi trip from 30th Street Station takes approximately 45 minutes. Applicants should evaluate transportation alongside program format. Students in acupuncture and herbal-medicine pathways may need to reach campus for laboratories or clinical work even when some lectures are online. No campus housing was verified, making proximity to the institute, access to a car or a workable rail-and-local-transport plan particularly relevant.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Tuition varies substantially by program. On the official tuition page accessed in August 2026, the four-year Doctor of Acupuncture is listed at $24,255 annually for each of the first three years and $10,995 for the final year. The one-year doctoral completion track is $10,995. The three-year Master of Acupuncture Studies is listed at $24,255 per year with no part-time option, while the two-year Chinese Herbal Medicine certificate is $9,837 annually. Master and certificate study in Won Buddhist Studies is priced at $453 per credit, with preparatory courses at $283 per credit. These figures do not represent the whole budget. Published charges include a $100 application fee, $150 term fee, $115 term technology fee and program-dependent laboratory and clinic fees. Books, supplies, transportation and off-campus living costs can add materially. The tuition page does not label these figures with a specific academic year, so applicants should request a written 2026–27 or 2027–28 cost estimate before committing. The institute provides federal financial-aid information, scholarships, payment-plan guidance, veterans-benefit information and 529-plan instructions. It says federal aid requires at least half-time enrollment. Its 2026–27 aid page also limits Grad PLUS availability to qualifying continuing students who began and borrowed previously, making direct consultation with the financial-aid office especially important for new entrants. Programs target clinical acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and Won Buddhist ministry or leadership. Career outcomes depend heavily on professional licensing, certification and geography. The herbal-medicine certificate is designed to prepare eligible students for the NCCAOM Chinese Herbology examination, but completion does not by itself establish authorization to practice. Applicants should compare curriculum and clinical requirements with the rules in the state where they intend to work. No current salary or placement-rate claims were used because they were not verified in the selected sources.