The Master of Science in Complementary and Integrative Health is a career-focused, non-licensure graduate program preparing students for employment and career advancement in non-clinical and non-licensed professional roles involving health and wellness education, integrative health program coordination, care navigation, community health programming, aging and eldercare program management, and technology-enabled health services.

The curriculum combines evidence-informed health sciences with applied communication, program planning, health technology, artificial intelligence, aging-services concepts, ethical decision-making, and professional project development. Students demonstrate occupational competencies through case-based assignments, simulations, workplace-oriented projects, presentations, and a culminating capstone project.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the program will be able to:

1. Analyze the historical, cultural, philosophical, and scientific foundations of complementary and integrative health.

2. Evaluate research evidence, limitations, safety considerations, contraindications, and ethical implications across health-related traditions.

3. Relate molecular, cellular, psychological, nutritional, herbal, mind-body, and traditional-health concepts to interdisciplinary academic inquiry.

4. Communicate responsibly with diverse audiences while avoiding unsupported medical, licensure, or outcome claims.

5. Assess responsible uses and risks of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in health-related settings.

6. Produce graduate-level written work, research analyses, and culminating projects using credible sources and ethical citation practices.

Curriculum and Delivery

CIH 510 Theories and Foundations of Complementary and Integrative Health - 4 semester units

Course Description

This course offers an in-depth exploration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), emphasizing its theoretical foundations and practical applications. Designed specifically for graduate students in medical fields, it aims to broaden their understanding and integration of CAM into conventional medical practice. As a student interested in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), you will acquire a solid understanding of CAM's basic concepts, principles, and practical methods through reading and comprehending course materials. The course covers an overview of CAM's origins and development, its theoretical foundations (including the holistic approach of integrative medicine and the principles of natural therapies), understanding of the normal body and health (including body energy, natural healing, and mental well-being), as well as the recognition of diseases and various treatment methods. Through this course, you will develop a comprehensive CAM mindset, strengthen your knowledge foundation.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final research paper at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the paper in the last week (the end of course module).

CIH 520 Advanced Molecular Cell Biology Principles and Techniques - 4 semester units

Course Description

This graduate course thoroughly covers the fundamental concepts and sophisticated methods of molecular cell biology. Nucleic acid structure, molecular genetics, the biochemistry of transcription, protein synthesis, and important facets of cell structure, function, and biosynthesis, such as the function of cellular membranes and organelles, cell growth, oncogenic transformation, and mechanisms of transport, receptors, and cell signaling, are just a few of the topics covered in the curriculum.

The course also examines how genes affect traits and development and the molecular mechanisms underlying gene expression. The curriculum also examines how toxins work and how the environment affects molecular biology.

This course is theoretical and conceptual. Laboratory techniques are studied at the level of principles, experimental design, and data interpretation; the course does not include hands-on laboratory work.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final research paper at the end. Each week, a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the paper in the last week (the end-of-course module).

CIH 530 Theory of Acupuncture and Asian Bodywork, and Their Modalities - 4 semester units

Course Description

Needling and moxibustion are both referred to as acupuncture in traditional Chinese medicine. This course introduces the concepts of meridians, acupuncture points, acupuncture, and moxibustion in daily practice. It also illustrates the fundamental operations of acupuncture and Tui Na, as well as the treatment of fundamental diseases. Tui Na, which literally means "pinch and pull," refers to a wide range of Traditional Chinese Medicine therapeutic massage and bodywork. Acupuncture and Tui Na are similar in that both can be used to unblock meridians and treat diseases by stimulating specific acupuncture points. This course introduces, at a theoretical level, the concepts of meridians, acupuncture points, acupuncture, moxibustion, and Tui Na. It examines the theoretical foundations and traditional applications of these modalities and their evidence base in the research literature. This course is theoretical and academic; it does not include hands-on clinical practice and does not train students to diagnose or treat any person.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final research paper at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the paper in the last week (the end of course module).

CIH 540 Theory and Applications of Homeopathy - 4 semester units

Course Description

In this course, students will comprehensively understand homeopathy and its practical applications in healthcare, prevention, and alternative treatment. Homeopathy is based on the principle that "like cures like," where natural substances producing symptoms similar to those being treated by the drug are used in minimal doses to reduce toxicity and promote healing without causing harm to the body. The benefits of this approach include shorter treatment times, high safety, and low recurrence rates.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final research paper at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the paper in the last week (the end of course module).

CIH 550 Comprehensive Oriental Medicine Diagnosis and Skills - 4 semester units

Course Description

This course examines, at a theoretical level, the diagnostic framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including the four diagnostic methods (inspection, listening/smelling, inquiry, and palpation/pulse) as described in TCM theory, and the principles of syndrome differentiation. Students study how TCM diagnostic theory categorizes and interprets signs and symptoms. This course is theoretical and academic; it does not include clinical practice and does not train students to diagnose, examine, or treat any person.

The inspection involves using vision to observe the patient's appearance, tongue, and other physical characteristics to identify any abnormal manifestations and arrive at a diagnosis. Auscultation and olfaction is a diagnostic method where doctors use their hearing and smell senses to assess the disease's state. Inquiry is a diagnostic method that entails asking the patient questions about their condition to understand their various symptoms, the progression of the disease, and treatment options. Finally, pulse-taking and palpation involve doctors using their hands to examine the relevant organs of the patient to understand the disease's condition.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final group project at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the project in the last week (the end of course module).

CIH 560 Nutritional Therapeutics: Oriental Medicine Nutrition and Food Therapy - 4 semester units

Course Description

Grounded in the theoretical underpinnings of classical Chinese medicine and dietetics, the course incorporates modern nutrition principles to foster a holistic understanding of nutritional health. You will expand your nutrition knowledge while delving into the practical applications of oriental medicinal dietary therapeutics. By merging traditional food properties and functions with contemporary research and Western medical perspectives on disease, you will examine tailored dietary principles based on the unique characteristics of each condition. This engaging and scientifically robust course skillfully intertwines Chinese medicine and dietetics with contemporary nutrition, highlighting the dynamic interplay between theory and practice. 

This course is theoretical and academic; it does not include clinical practice and does not train students to diagnose, treat, or prescribe dietary therapy for any person, including themselves. Course content addressing the dietary management of conditions is presented for theoretical understanding of TCM dietary theory only, and does not constitute medical or nutritional advice.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final group project at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the project in the last week (the end of course module).

CIH 610 Healing Energy Medicine: Mind-Body Techniques - 4 semester units

Course Description

This course examines, at a theoretical and academic level, a range of mind-body and energy-based practices — including music and sound, meditation, therapeutic/healing touch, Reiki, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, qigong, and acupuncture — and the concepts associated with them, such as the biofield and chakras. For each modality, students study its theoretical claims, historical and cultural context, and critically evaluate the current scientific evidence regarding its proposed effects. The course distinguishes between practices with an emerging evidence base (e.g., meditation, music therapy) and those whose claims remain scientifically unverified. This course is theoretical and academic; it does not include clinical practice and does not train students to diagnose, treat, or perform any healing technique on any person, including themselves.

Upon completing this course, learners will be equipped to describe the fundamental principles of energy medicine, encompassing topics such as the biofield (human energy field), chakras, the impact of music and sound, meditation practices, etc. qigong, and acupuncture. So embark on this enlightening journey to harness the power of energy medicine and transform your understanding of holistic healing.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final research paper at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the paper in the last week (the end of course module).

CIH 620 Artificial Intelligence Applications in Complementary and Integrative Health - 4 semester units

Course Description

This course delves into applied artificial intelligence methodologies tailored to complementary and integrative health, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Students explore machine learning, deep learning, and NLP applied to diagnostics, personalized treatment, and patient monitoring—e.g., tongue and pulse analysis, radiomics, predictive herbal efficacy, and AI-driven psychotherapy. The curriculum integrates multimodal medical data (imaging, text, time-series), encompassing technical foundations and implementation strategies.

Ethical, legal, and policy frameworks—including fairness, transparency, interpretability, and patient safety—are interwoven throughout. Practical components cover clinical deployment, compliance, workflow integration, and quality assurance. Through real-world case studies (e.g., MIT J‑Clinic antibiotic detection, Mirai/Sybil breast and lung cancer AI tools), students evaluate AI efficacy and risk. By the end, learners are equipped to critically assess, ethically deploy, and manage AI solutions in integrative healthcare while advancing patient outcomes and systemic efficiency.

This course is theoretical and analytical. Students study and critically evaluate AI applications in health care at a conceptual and ethical level; the course does not train students to deploy AI systems to diagnose or treat any person, nor to provide clinical care.

CIH 630 Clinical Psychology - 4 semester units

Course Description

This course provides a thorough examination of modern clinical psychology, with a focus on how it might be used to relieve psychological discomfort in a variety of clinical settings. It encompasses the entire life span and emphasizes the relationship to medical specialties, particularly psychiatry. Students will investigate psychotherapy and evaluation methods, integrating the most recent findings and technological developments, such as the application of artificial intelligence to therapy. The course also explores research approaches that are crucial to the advancement of the discipline. Upon completion, students will possess a thorough comprehension of the services rendered by clinical psychologists and will be equipped to make valuable contributions to the changing field of mental health care. This course is theoretical and academic; it provides an academic overview of the field of clinical psychology. It does not include clinical practice, supervised training, or psychotherapy training, and does not train or authorize students to diagnose, assess, or treat any person's mental or psychological condition.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final group project at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the project in the last week (the end of course module).

CIH 640 Integrative Herbal Therapeutics Strategies and Materia Medica - 4 semester units, including the Capstone Project

Course Description

This course examines, at a theoretical level, common medicinal herbs—including their identification, historical background, harvesting methods, active constituents, and traditional uses. Students will develop an understanding of the active constituents associated with the traditional uses of herbs, with particular emphasis on safety, contraindications, herb-drug interactions, and the precautions necessary to understand potential adverse reactions.

Throughout the course, learners study the medicinal properties traditionally attributed to common herbs and examine, at a conceptual level, the methods by which plant material is processed into herbal preparations. Students critically evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the uses and safety of medicinal herbs.

By the end of this course, participants will have developed a foundational, academic understanding of herbal medicine and the ability to critically assess information about herbs in a responsible and evidence-informed manner.

This course is theoretical and academic. It does not include hands-on preparation of herbal products, clinical practice, or supervised training, and it does not train students to diagnose, treat, or prescribe herbs for any person, including themselves.

Problem-based learning is used to make this course with a final group project at the end. Each week a written assignment is assigned to guide students step by step in approaching it weekly so that they can compile what they've done each week to finish the project in the last week (the end of course module).

Mode of Delivery

The program is delivered fully online and asynchronously through Moodle. Students are not required to attend a live class at a fixed time. BigBlueButton is used for faculty-recorded instruction and optional office hours, review sessions, demonstrations, and supplemental interaction. Required activities provide an accessible asynchronous pathway.

Course Workload

Each four-semester-unit course includes 180 estimated hours: 60 hours of instruction and academic engagement plus 120 hours of outside preparation. The approved instructional model includes approximately 24 hours of faculty-created recorded instruction and 36 hours of other faculty-directed academic engagement over a typical six-week course.

Culminating Work

Students complete graduate-level papers, case analyses, research activities, projects, and course-specific final assessments. CIH 640 includes the culminating integrative project. The program does not require an internship, externship, or comprehensive institutional final examination.

Program Length

The program is designed for flexible progression and must be completed within the maximum timeframe stated in current institutional policy. Actual completion time depends on course availability, student pace, satisfactory academic progress, transfer credit if accepted, and other degree requirements.