Return to: College of Chiropractic

Mission and Goals

Mission

The Mission of the Life University College of Chiropractic, centered on the Vertebral Subluxation Complex, is to educate, mentor and graduate skilled and compassionate Doctors of Chiropractic to be primary care clinicians, physicians, teachers and professionals, using the University’s Core Values as their foundation.

Goal #1 - Assessment & Diagnosis

An assessment and diagnosis requires developed clinical reasoning skills. Clinical reasoning consists of data gathering and interpretation, hypothesis generation and testing, and critical evaluation of diagnostic strategies. It is a dynamic process that occurs before, during, and after the collection of data through history, physical examination, imaging, and laboratory tests.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to create and document a list of differential diagnosis (’s) and corresponding exams from a case-appropriate health history and review of external health records.
2. Students will determine and document the significance of physical findings and thereby the need for follow-up through a physical examination, application of diagnostic and/or confirmatory tests and tools, and any consultations.
3. Students will be able to generate a problem list with diagnoses after synthesizing and correlating data from the history, physical exam, diagnostic tests, and any consultations.

Goal #2 - Management Plan

Management involves the development, implementation and documentation of a patient care plan for positively impacting a patient’s health and well-being, including specific therapeutic goals and prognoses. It may include case follow-up, referral, and/or collaborative care.

Objectives:

1. Students will formulate and document an evidence-informed management plan appropriate to the diagnosis, inclusive of measurable therapeutic goals and prognoses in consideration of bio-psychosocial factors, natural history and alternatives to care.
2. Students will demonstrate the ability to inform the patient of any need for emergency care, referral and/or collaborative care.
3. Students will document the patient’s informed consent.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to deliver and document appropriate chiropractic adjustments/manipulations, and/or other forms of passive care as identified in the management plan.
5. Students will demonstrate the ability to deliver and document appropriate active care as identified in the management plan.
6. Students will document patient counseling regarding recommended changes in life style behaviors and activities of daily living.
7. Students will document any modifications to the management plan as new clinical information becomes available, and end points of care.

Goal #3 - Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Health promotion and disease prevention requires an understanding and application of epidemiological principles regarding the nature and identification of health issues in diverse populations and recognizes the impact of biological, chemical, behavioral, structural, psychosocial and environmental factors on general health.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate the knowledge of and documentation for management of health risks and public health issues, including reporting, as required.
2. Students will be able to provide an explanation of health risk factors, leading health indicators and public health issues to patients.
3. Students will be able to provide recommendations regarding patients’ health status, behavior and life style, recommendations or provision of resources (educational, community-based, etc.), and instruction designed to encourage a patient to pursue change.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to provide recommendations of dietary habits and/or nutritional approaches designed to restore, maintain or improve the patient’s health.
5. Students will implement appropriate hygiene practices in the clinical environment.
6. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate health improvement strategies with other treating health professionals.

Goal #4 - Communication and Record Keeping

Effective communication includes oral, written and nonverbal skills with appropriate sensitivity, clarity and control for a wide range of healthcare related activities, to include patient care, professional communication, health education, and record keeping and reporting.

Objectives:

1. Students will provide accurate and understandable explanations of health issues and management options considering the patient’s health care needs and goals, and documentation of any health risks and management options for the patient.
2. Students will demonstrate consideration of the patient’s ethnicity, cultural beliefs, and socio-economic status when communicating.
3. Students will be able to generate patient records, narrative reports and correspondences that are accurate, concise and legible, and show evidence of safeguarding the patient’s protected health and financial information.

Goal #5 - Professional Ethics and Jurisprudence

Professionals comply with the law and exhibit ethical behavior.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate a maintenance of appropriate physical, communication (verbal and non-verbal) and emotional boundaries with patients.
2. Students will demonstrate a maintenance of professional conduct with patients, peers, staff, and faculty in accordance with established policies.
3. Students will demonstrate compliance with the ethical and legal dimensions of clinical practice, including generation of patient records and diagnostic and billing codes in compliance with federal and state law.

Goal #6 - Information and Technology Literacy

Information and technology literacy are manifested in an ability to locate, evaluate and integrate research and other types of evidence, including clinical experience, to explain and manage health-related issues and use emerging technologies appropriately.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate a critical appraisal of scientific literature and other information sources.
2. Students will incorporate health care informatics into patient care.
3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of research methodology and exposure to research in chiropractic.

Goal #7 - Intellectual and Professional Development

Intellectual and professional development is characterized by maturing values and skills in clinical practice; the seeking and application of new knowledge; and the ability to adapt to change.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate satisfactory performance on licensing board exams and other assessments of student learning.
2. Students will use appropriate self-evaluation and other feedback for personal and professional development.
3. Students will demonstrate the incorporation of critical thinking and clinical experience into patient care.
4. Students will demonstrate knowledge of business practices in the chiropractic office setting.

Goal #8 - Chiropractic Adjustment

Central to the chiropractic profession is the detection and correction of the chiropractic subluxation, which requires defined parameters. Efficacy of a chiropractic adjustment requires, but is not limited to, utilization of the following defined parameters: range of motion analysis, postural analysis, palpation, neurophysiologic instrumentation, gait assessment, imaging analysis; leg length analysis; selection of appropriate adjustment methods and vector and controlled use of thrust; and post- adjustment reassessment and follow-up.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate the health benefits of the chiropractic adjustment.
2. Students will select and effectively utilize methods to identify subluxations of the spine utilizing the defined parameters listed in the required components above.
3. Students will document findings indicative of the vertebral subluxation.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to deliver a chiropractic adjustment that utilizes appropriate positioning, alignment, contact, and execution.
5. Students will record accurately the method for location, specific procedure followed, and outcome of the chiropractic adjustment.
6. Students will select and employ methods for identifying the effects following the chiropractic adjustment utilizing the defined parameters listed in the required components above.
7. Students will conduct and document post adjustment analysis for each patient visit.

Goal #9 - Philosophy of Chiropractic

Life University has always embraced the philosophy of vitalism. The chiropractic profession is a philosophy, science and art and vitalism has been a core principle of the university. This philosophy proposes that there is an innate intelligence to the body that provides for self-adapting, self-regulating, and self-healing.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the concept of vitalism and innate intelligence.
2. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate to patients the body’s ability to self-adapt, self-regulate, and self-heal.
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate to patients the subluxation as an interference to the body’s control system, the nerve system, thereby causing an interference to the body’s ability to self-adapt, self-regulate, and self-heal.

Goal #10 - Service

Life University has always maintained a value of service. ‘To give, do, love and serve out of a sense of abundance’ is the expression of this value and provides a guiding principle for the university. The college of chiropractic attempts to instill this value and attitude in students.

Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the value of community service by actively participating in the community and outreach activities.

Introduction

LUCC Primary Healthcare Clinician Definition:

“A primary care clinician is an individual who serves as a point for direct access to healthcare delivery; the doctor of chiropractic’s responsibilities include: (1) patient’s history; (2) completion and/or interpretation of physical examination and specialized diagnostic procedures; (3) assessment of the patient’s general health status and resulting diagnosis; (4) provision of chiropractic care and/or consultation with continuity in the management or referral to other healthcare providers; and (5) development of sustained healthcare partnership with the patients.”

At Life University, the Doctor of Chiropractic Program prepares students to be primary care clinicians who possess the knowledge, attitude and skills required to provide a portal of entry into the healthcare system. The clinician’s main focus is the body’s innate adaptive and homeostatic response to internal and external stimuli. The practice of Chiropractic emphasizes the integral role of the nervous system in coordinating/facilitating this innate capacity in the preservation and restoration of health. Clinicians evaluate and facilitate biomechanical and neurobiological function through the use of appropriate diagnostic assessment, chiropractic case management and care procedures. Particular focus is placed on the identification and management of the vertebral subluxation and the enhancement of health through preventive, corrective and rehabilitative practices. Clinicians demonstrate the ability to employ skills and judgment necessary to establish a diagnosis in order to formulate a prognosis, modify and apply the proper corrective techniques, and develop a proper patient care plan. They possess case management skills for a variety of symptomatic (both musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal) and non-symptomatic presentations. Clinicians are prepared to integrate chiropractic care into the healthcare delivery system. They have the responsibility of acknowledging precautions/contraindications to chiropractic care and making appropriate decisions related to continuity in patient co-management or referral to other healthcare providers. They also educate other healthcare professionals as to the benefits of Chiropractic.

We center our curriculum strongly upon the chiropractic paradigm - that Chiropractic is a separate and distinct healing science, art and philosophy. Our curriculum and its didactic presentations are primarily health-based, stressing the human organism’s self-healing capacity when structural and neurological interferences are removed. At Life University, we place particular emphasis on the importance of restoring and maintaining structural and neurological integrity.

We affirm Chiropractic as a non-duplicating healthcare profession, empowering individuals to attain optimal health and peak performance.

Life University students also teach patients how to attain and maintain balanced function of the spinal column and nervous system through spinal hygiene, a patient spinal health improvement system.

Career Information

Historically, the chiropractic profession has been open and available to all qualified and interested persons, regardless of sex, race or creed.

In the healthcare marketplace, Chiropractic has been a powerful and highly competitive force. Public acceptance and consumer confidence in Chiropractic is at an all-time high. As public understanding of the positive benefits of chiropractic care increases, so does consumer demand for chiropractic services.

As a primary contact healthcare profession, Chiropractic needs only to point to private sector demand and marketplace viability for economic validation. Thousands of American consumers spend out-of-pocket cash for chiropractic care, even when traditional medical care is available through insurance or government programs at a subsidized cost or, in some cases, no cost at all. This choice is made due to benefits received from chiropractic care.

Employment prospects for the graduates of the Doctor of Chiropractic Program

“Employment is expected to grow faster than average because of increasing consumer demand for alternative health care. Job prospects should be good…

Employment of chiropractors is expected to grow 17 percent between 2014 and 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. People across all age groups are increasingly becoming interested in chiropractic care, because chiropractors use nonsurgical methods of treatment and do not prescribe drugs.”

From the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-2017 edition, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Application Procedures

Chiropractic Applicants

Any student wishing to apply and/or transfer to Life University from another chiropractic college must apply for admission, meet current admission standards, and is subject to review by the Admissions Committee.

In order to have the Life University Doctor of Chiropractic degree conferred, a transfer student must have earned not less than the final 25% of the total credits required for the degree in residence at Life University.

Application Procedures and Requirements:

1. A completed online application or paper application accompanied by an application processing fee of $50.00. (The fee is non-refundable and constitutes part of the applicant’s admissions credentials.);
2. Official transcripts from all of the applicant’s previous college work should be sent directly from the institution where the coursework was accomplished directly to Life University’s Office of Enrollment. International official transcripts must be translated and evaluated via one of these approved agencies: World Education Services, Global Education Group, or Josef Silny & Associates. 

1. Official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores for English language proficiency.
   • Life University’s TOEFL code is 5358. A score of a 500 or higher, 173 or higher on the computer-based TOEFL, or 61 or higher on the Internet-based are acceptable for admission. The test date must be within 2 years of matriculation. *Applicants from the following countries are exempt from the English language proficiency exam: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, some parts of Canada, Dominica, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Liberia, New Zealand, Sierra Leone, Tobago, Trinidad, United Kingdom or Zimbabwe. Students who have received a four-year degree from a college in the United States are also exempt from an English language proficiency exam.
   • A minimum score of 5.5 on the IELTS is considered acceptable for admission.
2. Submit fully completed I-20 Request Form and Confidential Financial Statement to the Life University Office of Enrollment.

International Application Deadlines

Life University recommends that all international students apply at least one year prior to their intended start date. International students must submit required application materials at least 30 days prior to domestic term application deadlines. (anchor or hyperlink)

Criminal Record

All applicants must reveal whether they have a criminal record and cooperate by providing complete information for its review. A record of serious criminal convictions, particularly for a felony, may disqualify an applicant for admission and/or for licensure in most states.

Application Schedule

A student may begin their course of study at Life University in any quarter as applications for admission are accepted quarterly throughout the year. All admissions requirements should be met and all official documentation received in the Office of Enrollment (Admissions) 30 days (60 days for all international students) prior to the beginning of the quarter of intended matriculation.

Financial Aid Information

For additional information and details about financial aid, please visit www.life.edu/financialaid or make an appointment with your financial aid counselor www.lattiss.com. 

 Admission Information

For all categories of applications, the Office of Enrollment (Admissions) maintains communications and files. Recommendations for admission status are sent directly to the Dean of the College of Chiropractic or to the Admissions Committee. The Dean of the College confirms recommendations for admission status, including denial.

The College of Chiropractic strives to admit a diverse student population. It is at the discretion of the Admissions Committee and/or the Dean to set additional conditions or stipulations for the acceptance, if deemed necessary.

The study of the philosophy, art and science of Chiropractic is comprehensive, challenging and demanding. Every chiropractor is expected to be a professional leader and an example of good character and goodwill in the community. The University, therefore, has set standards for admissions.

Doctor of Chiropractic Admission Requirements

Life University’s College of Chiropractic (COC) is committed to following the accepted standards of professional ethics, especially with respect to student recruitment and public information. The College of Chiropractic’s Doctor of Chiropractic Program (DCP) supports and is in compliance with the Standards of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) in regards to admission requirements.

The Doctor of Chiropractic Program has specific prerequisites as follows: Prior to beginning your chiropractic education, you must have completed a minimum total of 90 semester credit hours or 135 quarter credit hours of non-duplicate coursework with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above.

A minimum of 48 semester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours must be credits in the coursework listed below.

Required Coursework: (each course must be earned at a 2.0 GPA or higher)

* At least half of these courses must have a substantive laboratory component.

Survey, or non-major courses, may not be accepted. Check with your Enrollment Specialist at (770) 246-2884.

In each of the distribution areas above, if more than one course is taken to fulfill the requirement, the course contents must be unduplicated. In situations in which one or more courses have been repeated with equivalent courses, the most recent grade(s) may be used for grade point average computation and the earlier grade(s) may be disregarded.

Credits Earned via Examination: Applicants may earn a portion of the required/pre-requisite credits through examination or means other than formal coursework, but only if these credits are identified by an institution accredited by a nationally recognized agency and if the institution has formally accepted or awarded such credits. Admission to the Doctor of Chiropractic educational program may be contingent upon receipt of such evidence of earned credits by the Admissions Department.

Alternative Admissions Track

Students who have not met the standard requirements for admissions may be considered for the Alternative Admissions Track if they: 

1. have a GPA of 2.75 - 2.99 for the required 90 semester credit hours/135 quarter credit hours OR
2. have completed a bachelor’s degree and have a GPA of 2.75 - 4.0 for the required 90 semester credit hours/135 quarter credit hours but do not possess the minimum CCE criteria for regular admissions.

All science courses used towards admissions must be completed with a grade of C or higher and at least half should have a substantive laboratory component. All students eligible for admission under the AAT will be considered on an individual basis based upon their educational transcript evaluation. Final decision for admission rests with the Dean of the College of Chiropractic.

Interested in learning about various pathways to studying Chiropractic at Life University and/or not sure how your credit hours line up with Life University degree requirements? We’re here to help. Call one of our Enrollment Specialists at 1-800-543-3202 or 770-426-2884 or send an email to Admissions@LIFE.edu. We’ll be glad to answer any questions you have and get you started with your career in Chiropractic.

Technical Standards Doctor of Chiropractic Program

Life University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended and the ADAA 2008. These laws provide a framework for qualified individuals with documented disabilities to request reasonable accommodations needed to participate in a program. Reasonable accommodations are defined as adjustments or modifications that enable a qualified individual with a documented disability to participate as fully as possible in an educational program. An adjustment or modification must be reasonable and may not be provided if it would alter essential academic or technical requirements or result in undue financial or administrative burdens.

Qualified candidates with documented disabilities who wish to request accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act must follow the University’s procedure for requesting an accommodation. This procedure requires the submission to the Student Success Center of a written request for accommodations, along with supporting documentation from a licensed professional demonstrating the existing of a disability, the functional limitations resulting from the disability and the need for specific accommodations. Documentation must meet specific Guidelines, which are set forth in the Student Handbook.

Technical Standards Procedures

While inviting and encouraging voluntary self-identification by students with disabilities, Life University has always related to its students as responsible adults with the independent right to make such life decisions. One of those responsibilities is to work with the Student Success Center in requesting reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services pursuant to the procedures set forth in this catalog.

Any Chiropractic candidates who self-identify their disability during any of the four stages will be referred to the Director of Disability Services: 

• Prior to applying for admission,
   
• During the application process,
   
• After acceptance but before attending classes or
   
• While currently attending classes

The Director of Disability Services will work in concert with the Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) whenever a question arises as to an individual’s ability to meet the requirements and technical standards of the specific program to which the student is applying, or in which the student is enrolled. The DAC has been established to adjudicate this process in a timely manner. The Director of the SSC ensures compliance with policy.

Technical Standards for Admission

In addition to the general requirements for admission and continued enrollment, all applicants to Life University must be able to meet and maintain the University’s technical standards for the specific program for which they are applying or enrolled. Technical standards are those physical, behavioral, emotional and cognitive criteria that an applicant must meet at the time of application to and during enrollment in that specific program at the University. These standards are essential requirements needed to participate fully and complete the entire spectrum of study, training and experiences within an educational program offered by the University. All official clinical and academic communications will be in English.

Applicants must review the technical standards that apply to the specific educational program in which they intend to enroll. All applicants are required to certify in writing that they have read, understand and are able to meet and maintain the standards of that program with or without a reasonable accommodation. This information is provided in order to help every applicant be aware of the required performance and expectations associated with different educational programs that the University offers.

Chiropractic Students

Individuals who receive a Doctor of Chiropractic degree must be able to assume responsibility for providing chiropractic care to patients safely and ethically. Because the care provided by Doctors of Chiropractic touches a broad variety of clinical disciplines, the education for the D.C. degree must be broad in nature. All chiropractic students must take the full curriculum of academic and clinical courses in order to graduate with a D.C. degree. Chiropractic students must have the following abilities and skills:

Sensory/Observation: A chiropractic student must be able to observe and participate in demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences including, but not limited to, demonstrations on human cadavers, animals, microbiologic cultures and microscopic studies of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. A chiropractic student must be able to observe a patient accurately, both at a distance and nearby, using hearing, touch and vision. A chiropractic student must also be able to perform a thorough physical examination using customary diagnostic techniques, including but not limited to auscultation (listening with a stethoscope); percussion (tapping of the chest or abdomen to elicit a sound indicating the relative density of the body part); palpation (feeling various body parts such as the spine, extremities or abdomen so as to discern the size, shape and consistency of masses and other pathologies); visual observation sufficient to note changes such as color and condition of the skin, the eyes and other areas of the body; to use instruments such as an otoscope (magnifying device for examining the ear); ophthalmoscope (magnifying device for examining the eye); and to note subtle changes in grey scale (viewed on x-rays and other diagnostic imaging).

Communication: A student must be able to communicate with patients and their family members in order to elicit information, describe changes in affect, mood, activity and posture and to perceive nonverbal communications. A student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients. Communication includes not only speech, but also reading and writing. The student must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written form. In summary, a student must have verbal and written communication skills sufficient to conduct patient interviews and record clinical histories, communicate results of diagnostic findings and make assessments and plans known to patients, their family members and members of the healthcare team.

Motor/Strength/Coordination: A student must have sufficient dexterity and motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation and percussion, to perform basic laboratory tests (urinalysis, CBC and etc.), to perform diagnostic procedures including but not limited to tools of physical examination (digital exams, chiropractic instrumentation and reading EKGs and X-rays). A student must also be able to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, balance and equilibrium, in the provision of general chiropractic care. A student must be able to provide minimal emergency treatment required of healthcare providers, including the ability to perform quickly and effectively such emergency procedures as CPR, the application of pressure to stop bleeding and the opening of obstructed airways. Examples of general chiropractic care involve the requisite strength and dexterity to be able to effectively perform procedures such as but not limited to static and dynamic palpation of joints, movement of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and sufficient motor function to coordinate and balance the hands and body while manually delivering the thrusting action associated with the controlled chiropractic adjustments frequently applied to the spine or extremities of a patient, and providing documentation in a legible format.

Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include but are not limited to measurement, calculations, reasoning, analysis and synthesis. Additionally, a student must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures. Problem solving in group, individual and collaborative settings requires all of these intellectual abilities. Testing and evaluation of these abilities in the College of Chiropractic employ examinations as an essential component of the curriculum. Successful completion of these examinations is required of all candidates as a condition for continued progress through the curriculum. Examples of these assessments include but are not limited to essay, oral and/or extended multiple choice tests, compositions, oral presentations and lab practicals designed to assess a variety of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in simulated or supervised clinical settings, including the ability to make a differential diagnosis. All written or word processed information must be in a comprehensible format.

Behavioral and Social Attributes: Students must possess the emotional health required for utilization of their intellectual abilities. Students must be able to exercise good judgment in the prompt completion of all academic and clinical responsibilities. Students must be able to develop mature, sensitive, ethical and effective relationships. Students must be able to function effectively under stress or potentially life threatening emergency care. Stressors may include but are not limited to environmental, chemical, physical or psychological. Students must also be able to adapt to change, display poise and flexibility in the face of uncertainties and stressful situations and independently demonstrate empathy, integrity, compassion, motivation and commitment commensurate with the habits and mannerisms of professional training to become a chiropractor. Students must portray attributes of professionalism that include but are not limited to honesty, caring, respect, trustworthiness, competence and responsibility to and for their colleagues and patients.

Admitted Students

Upon application to the Doctor of Chiropractic Program, all candidates are subject to the Technical Standards Policy as presented in this Catalog. During application, all candidates must sign a certifying statement as represented below for placement in their permanent record.

“I hereby certify that I have read and understand the Technical Standards Policy as listed in the Life University Catalog and am able to perform the essential and fundamental functions and tasks of the Doctor of Chiropractic Program with or without a reasonable accommodation.”

Current, Readmitting and Reapplying Students

In considering a currently or formerly matriculated student with disability, the Director of Disability Services will work in concert with the DAC, pursuant to the Policies and Procedures for Enrolled Students, under the process as published in the Student Handbook.

All returning students (whether readmitting or reapplying) should sign a certifying Technical Standards document.

Suitability for Chiropractic

Faculty members should evaluate every chiropractic student’s suitability for the practice of Chiropractic in addition to every student’s academic performance. This assessment is continuous for all chiropractic students enrolled in clinical internships and other related courses and includes, but is not limited to, the following considerations:

Each chiropractic candidate must possess the physical, mental, emotional and ethical ability to competently perform in the various clinical, chiropractic and basic sciences laboratories safely and without posing a danger to themselves or others. In addition to the information provided concerning the Technical Standards Policy students should demonstrate the following:

• concern for the welfare of patients,
• patient rights,
• responsibility to duty,
• trustworthiness and
• professional demeanor in the clinic and classroom.

Unsatisfactory evaluations for suitability for the practice of Chiropractic may affect a student’s status at Life University.

Faculty who recommend that a student may not be suitable for Chiropractic should submit this evaluation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for appropriate action by the Conduct Review Board (CRB) (or if necessary the Technical Standards Compliance Committee). This evaluation should include documentation of the events leading to that evaluation. The Director of Student Conduct will forward copies of all related documents to the student. If the documented event involves a serious offense, a student may be permanently expelled from Life University regardless of academic record.

Unsatisfactory evaluations for suitability for the practice of Chiropractic of a less serious import may result in a letter of warning or probation. Two or more such unsatisfactory evaluations may result in permanent expulsion.

Appeal of unsatisfactory evaluations may be made to the Dean of the College of Chiropractic within ten (10) days of notice to the student of such evaluation, or if appropriate, notice of disciplinary action by the University. The student will be advised of the decision by the Dean in writing. The decision will be final.

Admission Status

Accepted - Full 

This status is assigned to each applicant whose completed record has been evaluated by the admission advisor who subsequently recommends that the applicant meets the admission requirements. This recommendation is presented to the College of Chiropractic Admissions Committee and/or the Dean of the College of Chiropractic. An applicant will be and is accepted by the Committee and/or the Dean with no outstanding requirements.

Accepted - Conditional

Applicants will be designated as conditionally accepted pending the receipt of their official transcripts indicating completion of prerequisite coursework, or reference letters and all other requested materials. In cases in which coursework is completed but delivery of official transcripts is pending, enrollment may be permitted.

Upon completing conditions successfully, the applicant’s status will be converted to full admission status.

Accepted - Auditing Student Admission

Students-at-Large wishing to audit classes at Life University may apply at the Office of Enrollment Services. Auditing placement is based upon registration seating availability. Proper paperwork obtained from both the Office of Enrollment and the Office of the Registrar must be filed before the quarter begins. No credit is granted for courses scheduled on an auditing basis, and students are not permitted to change to or from an auditing status except through the regular procedures for admissions acceptance and registration schedule change. The grade for auditing is “AU” for Audit, and students will not be permitted to have the audit grade changed at any future date.

Auditing is available to students, staff and faculty as well as interested persons from the general public. Students who audit a course will be charged $100.00 per course (+ $20.00 parking fee, as applicable). Students who wish to audit only portions of a course for course hours will be charged $100.00 per 30 hours (+ Student fees, as applicable).

Students who are auditing are not allowed to take tests but may, at the instructor’s discretion, observe practical/lab examinations.

Readmit

A student in the College of Chiropractic program, who voluntarily or involuntarily remains out of the program for less than three consecutive quarters, must complete a Readmit form to return to the program. This form can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. Once completed, this form may be referred to the College of Chiropractic Admissions Committee and/or Dean of the College for evaluation.

Readmission

If a Life University student remains out of the program for three consecutive quarters or more, for any reason, that student must first apply for readmission. This will include completing a new admissions application through the Office of Enrollment. The completed application will be referred to the College of Chiropractic Admissions Committee and/or Dean of the College for evaluation.

When a student has remained out of the program for more than five consecutive years, no credit will be awarded for courses taken during their previous enrollment. If the student’s application for readmission is reaccepted then they will be required to start the program over.

A maximum time limit of eight calendar years is placed on the completion of all requirements for a chiropractic degree. Any former student petitioning for reactivation, readmission or reinstatement (see below) who cannot be expected to complete their degree within the eight (8) calendar years must obtain a waiver of the “eight-year rule” from the Dean. This waiver must be obtained as part of the petition process, or returning status may be denied.

Reinstatement Policy

For the College of Chiropractic Reinstatement Policy, please refer to Academic Policies & Information .

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is granted on the basis of work completed at an institution approved by the Dean of the College or their designee.

Each transferring student is required to present the following information:

1. Any Credits considered for transfer must have been awarded for courses taken in a DCP accredited by the CCE or in a program accredited as a first professional degree in one of the health sciences by another nationally recognized accrediting agency, or in a graduate program in an academic discipline closely related to the health sciences offered by an institution which is recognized by a national accrediting agency.
    
2. Evidence that courses are substantially equivalent in credit hours, content and quality to those given at Life University. This shall be evaluated by an admissions advisor in cooperation with the COC Dean’s Office.
    
3. Official transcripts from all of the applicant’s previous college work should be sent by the Office of the Registrar of the institution(s) to the Office of Enrollment Services at Life University. International transcripts must be evaluated by an approved international evaluation agency such as World Educational Services (WES). Some Canadian schools need not be evaluated externally. Please call the Office of Enrollment Services for the exceptions. Students that do not provide “final official transcripts” from all previously attended institutions would be subject to delayed or negated transfer credit.
    
4. Evidence that the work has been satisfactorily completed (grade “C” or better, 2.0 on a 4.0 scale) at a chiropractic college acceptable to the Chiropractic Admissions Committee of Life University.
    
5. Credits accepted for transfer must have been awarded within five years of the date of admission to the receiving DCP, except that the receiving DCP may at its option accept older credits if the entering student holds an earned doctorate in one of the health sciences (e.g., D.C., M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.P.M.) or a graduate degree in an academic discipline closely related to the health sciences.
    
6. Although transfer credit will be awarded for applicable coursework done at other accredited institutions, the University reserves the right to also require transfer students to audit courses. The audits are required to provide either specific degree completion requirement, State Law eligibility, or to facilitate a better transition of knowledge, attitude and skills from a previous institution to LIFE’s Doctor of Chiropractic Program.

Students from non-CCE accredited colleges must sign a waiver stating that they understand their credits may not be accepted by all state boards. It is the student’s responsibility to verify the awarding of transfer credit within the first quarter of the program.

Offer of Admission Acceptance and Confirmation

An applicant admitted to Life University is expected to enroll in the academic program and the quarter for which they have applied and been admitted.  The admitted student may request to defer their start term within 3 quarters from the quarter for which they were originally accepted. For example, an admitted student for Fall 2017 could submit a request to defer their start term to Winter 2018, Spring 2018, or Summer 2018.  

• The deferral request must be submitted in writing to the Office of Enrollment a minimum of 30 days prior to the start of the quarter for which they were originally admitted. The request can be submitted by email to the student’s enrollment specialist via email or mail, specifying their name and original term of admission and specifying the term for which they wish to defer their enrollment as well as a brief description of the reason for the deferral.
• Requests received after this timeframe are ineligible for consideration, and a new application must be submitted as well as any required documents and/or application processing fees.
• An admitted applicant failing to give notice and secure prior approval of a deferral will be required to reapply for admission.
• Life University reserves the right to request any or all of the required admission materials, updated credentials or documentation, and/or application processing fees for reapplication.

In order to accept an offer of admission, confirm plans to enroll, and reserve a seat in the entering class, admitted students are required to submit the applicable enrollment deposit before the start of the term. (The required and established academic level deposit amounts are posted on the admissions website.

• The enrollment deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable within 30 days of the quarter’s start date. Please note that the full amount of the enrollment deposit will be credited toward the student’s first quarter tuition bill.
• The refund or transfer request can be submitted by email to the student’s enrollment specialist via email or mail, specifying their name and original term of admission and specifying the term for which they wish to defer their enrollment or their refund request as well as a brief description of the reason for the deferral or the refund.
• Late applications (completed after published deadlines) that are considered for and earn admission may be required to submit the enrollment deposit within 7 days of the admission notification.

Denied Acceptance:

This status is assigned to each applicant whose file has been deemed completed by the Office of Enrollment, evaluated by the transcript analyst, presented to the College of Chiropractic Admissions Committee and subsequently denied acceptance by the Committee and/or the Dean of the College of Chiropractic.

College of Chiropractic Organization

Life University’s College of Chiropractic (COC) provides a first professional degree, the Doctor of Chiropractic Program (DCP).

Instructional Organization

The College of Chiropractic is divided into the following academic areas:

1. Division of Basic Sciences

   1. Anatomy

   2. Biochemistry

   3. Microbiology

   4. Pathology

   5. Physiology

2. Division of Chiropractic Sciences

   1. Analysis

   2. Chiropractic Principles and Philosophy

   3. Chiropractic Practice Management

   4. Research

   5. Technique

3. Division of Clinical Sciences

   1. Clinical Education (Didactic)

   2. Diagnosis

   3. Psychology

   4. Public Health

   5. Radiology

4. Clinics

   1. Campus Center for Health & Optimum Performance, Funded by Foot Levelers – (CC-HOP) Student Clinic

   2. Center for Health and Optimum Performance – (C-HOP) Outpatient Clinic

   3. Department of Clinical Education (Practicum)

   4. Department of Clinical Radiology

   5. Functional Kinesiology

   6. International Clinics–International Outpatient Clinic

   7. Outreach Clinic – Special Population Outpatient Clinic

   8. P.E.A.K. Clinic – Doctor’s Office-based Clinical Experience

Academic Policies for Doctor of Chiropractic Program (DCP)

Please visit Academic Policies & Information  for academic policies for the Doctor of Chiropractic Program.

Programs

• Doctor of Chiropractic (Research Track)
• Doctor of Chiropractic Program

Return to: College of Chiropractic