National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) participates in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. Institutions that are members of SARA are authorized to provide online education to students from all SARA member states. States and institutions that choose to become members of SARA operate under a set of policies and standards overseen by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and administered by four regional higher education compacts. NUNM is authorized to provide online education to students who reside in 49 SARA member states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For more information about the SARA initiative and the progress of state and institutional membership, please visit the NC-SARA website.
While California does not currently participate in the NC-SARA initiative, NUNM is authorized to operate in California via the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE). Please see below for additional information.
Complaints
National University of Natural Medicine students should first seek to resolve concerns and complaints by reviewing the policy and follow procedures outlined in the Student Conflict and Resolution Policy section of the student handbook.
Students should attempt to resolve any grievances they may have with their school first. Should attempts to resolve these problems with appropriate school officials fail, or should the student be dissatisfied with the final outcome of the college complaint process, then the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), can respond to a formal complaint. Students may contact the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, 3225 25th St. SE, Salem, OR 97302 or by sending an email to complaints@hecc.oregon.gov. Students may also access our Complaints web page at https://www.oregon.gov/highered/about/Pages/complaints.aspx or visit the complaints page at NC-SARA’s website: https://nc-sara.org/student-complaints.
Complaints may also be filed with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Students from California can file a complaint with California Department of Consumer Affairs Consumer Information Center.
Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement (NC-SARA)
State regulations regarding naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, or nutrition licensure or certification evolve frequently. Thus, while NUNM reviews requirements annually, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information on a continuous basis. Students should meet with their dean and be familiar with the regulations in the state in which they intend to practice.
NUNM prepares students to take licensure or certification exams in Oregon. Current and prospective students who plan to practice outside of Oregon, should research licensure or certification requirements in the state they would like to practice. Students who intend to practice outside of Oregon post-graduation, should set up a meeting with their program dean to ensure that they meet the requirements of that state. Additional information on licensure is provided in the NUNM Catalog and Student Handbook.
Naturopathic Medicine Licensure
NUNM has made a determination that the ND program meets requirements to attain a license to practice Naturopathic medicine in the following states. If a state licensing agency is available, a link to the state agency may be found by selecting the state below.
The following jurisdictions use the NPLEX exam as part of their licensure requirements.
| ND Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| Yes | Alaska |
| Yes | Arizona |
| Yes | California |
| Yes | Colorado |
| Yes | Connecticut |
| Yes | District of Columbia |
| Yes | Hawaii |
| Yes | Idaho |
| Yes | Kansas |
| Yes | Maine |
| Yes | Maryland |
| Yes | Massachusetts |
| Yes | Minnesota |
| Yes | Montana |
| Yes | New Hampshire |
| Yes | New Mexico |
| Yes | North Dakota |
| Yes | Oregon |
| Yes | Pennsylvania |
| Yes | Rhode Island |
| Yes | Utah1 |
| Yes | Vermont |
| Yes | Washington |
| Yes | Wisconsin |
| Yes | US Territories: Puerto Rico |
In other U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions, a varying scope of naturopathic practice may be permitted or protected by court decisions, attorney general opinions, or local custom.
Naturopathic Medicine Licensure – States Without Regulatory Authorities
NUNM has made a determination that the requirements to become licensed are not applicable because they do not exist in the following states:
| ND Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a State licensing board exists) |
| No | Alabama |
| No | Arkansas |
| No | Delaware |
| No | Florida |
| No | Georgia |
| No | Illinois |
| No | Indiana |
| No | Iowa |
| No | Kentucky |
| No | Louisiana |
| No | Michigan |
| No | Mississippi |
| No | Missouri |
| No | Nebraska |
| No | Nevada |
| No | New Jersey |
| No | New York |
| No | North Carolina |
| No | Ohio |
| No | Oklahoma |
| No | South Carolina |
| No | South Dakota |
| No | Tennessee |
| No | Texas |
| No | Virginia |
| No | West Virginia |
| No | Wyoming |
NUNM has made a determination that the requirements to become licensed are not met in the following location. While licensure or registration regulations exist, a licensing or registration board has not been established and is not issuing licenses or registrations at this time.
| ND Licensing Board | State or Territory (A link is present if a State licensing board exists) |
| No | US Territories: U.S. Virgin Islands |
Requirements to Becoming Licensed
Following graduation from an accredited four-year naturopathic medicine program, NDs must pass the Naturopathic Physicians License Exam (NPLEX) board examinations to receive their medical license. This tests their understanding of biomedical and clinical sciences, as well as their diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge. After passing the NPLEX exams, applicants are then required to pass exams specific to the state or jurisdiction in which they seek to obtain a license and practice.
The first ND licensing exam (NPLEX Part I) focuses on foundational medical sciences. It is similar to those used by conventional medical schools, testing the applicants’ knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology and pathology. The second exam (NPLEX Part II) assesses an applicant’s grasp of the clinical sciences, diagnosis, and the unique modalities of naturopathic medicine, including but not limited to clinical nutrition, botanical medicine and physical medicine. After passing the NPLEX examinations, applicants are then required to pass exams specific to the state or jurisdiction in which they seek to obtain a license and practice.
Advocacy
Efforts to enact licensing laws are underway in several states. The best sources of current information about the legal status of naturopathic medicine in a particular area are the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (818 18th St. NW, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006 or www.naturopathic.org), state or provincial naturopathic associations, or individual naturopathic physicians in that area.
Currently, all states that license naturopathic physicians require graduation from a residential course of study offered through a college accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). National University of Natural Medicine meets all requirements and is accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.
Completion of the ND degree at National University of Natural Medicine or another recognized institution qualifies candidates to sit for board licensing examinations that every applicant must pass to be licensed. Similarly, National University of Natural Medicine graduates are eligible to sit for examination in Canadian provinces that license naturopathic medicine. While each jurisdiction has its own examination requirements, an increasing number use the Naturopathic Physicians License Exam (NPLEX) as part or all of the required testing.
Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization Licensure
Graduates of the Doctor of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM, previously DSOM), Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (MAcCHM, previously MSOM), and MAc programs are eligible to apply for acupuncture licensure in the State of Oregon. DAcCHM and MAcCHM graduates are eligible to take all exams administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), which most states use as a basis for licensure. MAc graduates are eligible to take all NCCAOM exams except the Chinese Herbology Module Exam, which is required for licensure in some states.
Acupuncture licensure regulations vary state to state among the 47 states that offer acupuncture licensure. In almost all of these states, graduates must pass the NCCAOM national board exams to obtain licensure.
California requires passing a separate exam, the California Acupuncture Licensing Exam (CALE), and does not currently recognize the NCCAOM exam. The California Acupuncture Board (CAB) has additional requirements for programs graduating students who wish to practice in California. The DAcCHM and MAcCHM programs satisfy all requirements of the CAB and are thus considered “CAB compliant,” so graduates of the DAcCHM and MAcCHM programs are eligible to sit for the CALE.
Because the MAc program does not include Chinese herbal medicine training, MAc graduates are not eligible to practice in some states, including California. Additionally, MAc graduates may sit for the Foundations, Biomedicine, and Acupuncture with Point Location modules of the NCCAOM exam. Graduation from an accredited program such as all of those in the College of Classical Chinese Medicine does not guarantee licensure in a state. Licensure in a given state depends upon the licensure requirements of that state.
The DAcCHM completion track does not by itself confer licensure or certification eligibility, as in this case, the master’s degree of DAcCHM-completion program determines eligibility. Prior master’s training and degree are required as a prerequisite for the DAcCHM completion program.
Additional information on state regulations may be found on the NCCAOM website: https://www.nccaom.org/state-licensure/
Requirements for Oregon Licensure
To become licensed to practice acupuncture in Oregon, students must have a master’s or doctoral degree at the first professional degree level from an accredited college and obtained national certification in acupuncture from the NCCAOM. NCCAOM certification involves successfully passing the NCCAOM national exam modules in Foundations of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture with Point Location, and Biomedicine and for MAcCHM and DAcCHM program graduates who wish to practice Chinese herbology, the herbology exam. NUNM students are eligible to take the exam modules after graduation but may apply for certification 60 days prior to their graduation date.
For additional information, contact:
NCCAOM
2001 K Street, NW, 3rd Floor North
Washington, D.C. 20006
888.381.1140
info@thenccaom.org
Visit the NCCAOM website.
For additional information concerning acupuncture licensure in the State of California, contact:
The California Acupuncture Board
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-219
Sacramento, CA 95834
916.515.5200
Visit The California Acupuncture Board
For additional information concerning licensure in the State of New Mexico, contact:
The Board of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Physical Address:
2550 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 7505
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 25101
Santa Fe, NM 87504
505.476.4500
Visit the Board of Acupuncture website
NUNM has made a determination that the DAcCHM, MAcCHM, and MAc programs meet the requirements to become licensed in the following states.
If a state licensing agency is available, a link to the state agency may be found by selecting the state below.
The following jurisdictions use NCCAOM exams as a part of their licensure protocol.
| DAcCHM, MAcCHM, and MAc Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| Yes | Alaska |
| Yes | Arizona |
| Yes | Arkansas |
| Yes | Colorado |
| Yes | Connecticut |
| Yes | District of Columbia |
| Yes | Georgia |
| Yes | Hawaii |
| Yes | Idaho |
| Yes | Illinois |
| Yes | Indiana |
| Yes | Iowa |
| Yes | Kansas |
| Yes | Kentucky |
| Yes | Louisiana |
| Yes | Maine3 |
| Yes | Maryland |
| Yes | Massachusetts |
| Yes | Michigan |
| Yes | Minnesota |
| Yes | Mississippi |
| Yes | Missouri |
| Yes | Montana |
| Yes | Nebraska |
| Yes | New Hampshire3 |
| Yes | New Jersey3 |
| Yes | New York |
| Yes | North Carolina |
| Yes | Ohio |
| Yes | Oregon |
| Yes | Pennsylvania |
| Yes | Rhode Island |
| Yes | South Carolina |
| Yes | Tennessee |
| Yes | Utah |
| Yes | Vermont |
| Yes | Virginia |
| Yes | Washington |
| Yes | West Virginia |
| Yes | Wisconsin |
| Yes | Wyoming |
NUNM has made a determination that the DAcCHM and MAcCHM programs meet the requirements to become licensed in the following states:
The following states require or use the NCCAOM certification
| DAcCHM and MAcCHM Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| Yes | Delaware |
| Yes | Florida |
| Yes | Nevada3 |
| YEs | New Mexico |
The following state requires or uses the California Acupuncture Licensing Examination (CALE) administered by the California Acupuncture Board.
| DAcCHM and MAcCHM Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| Yes | California |
The MAcCHM program is approved by the California Acupuncture Board, allowing graduates to sit for the California licensing exam, and is on the State of New Mexico education program approved list.
NUNM has made a determination that the DAcCHM, MAcCHM, and MAc programs do not meet the requirements to become licensed in the following states:
| Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| No | North Dakota |
| No | Texas |
NUNM has made a determination that the MAc program does not meet requirements to become licensed in the following states:
| Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| Yes | California |
| Yes | Delaware |
| Yes | Florida |
| Yes | Nevada |
| Yes | New Mexico |
Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization Licensure – States Without Regulatory Authorities
NUNM has made a determination that the DAcCHM, MAcCHM, and MAc program’s requirements to become licensed are not applicable because licensure requirements do not exist in the following states:
| Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| No | Alabama |
| No | Oklahoma |
| No | South Dakota |
Additional Information
Chinese Herbology or Oriental Medicine certification is required to practice herbs in the following states:
| Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| Yes | District of Columbia |
| Yes | Illinois |
| Yes | Massachusetts |
| Yes | New Jersey3 |
| Yes | Ohio |
Acupuncture certification is not required; however, passage of the Chinese Herbology exam is required to practice herbs:
| Licensing Board | State (A link is present if a state licensing board exists) |
| Yes | Pennsylvania |
| Yes | Vermont |
3Indicates that the state requires a bachelor’s degree in order to become licensed.
Master of Science in Nutrition Clinical Concentration Licensure
Master of Science clinical concentration graduates are eligible to take the exam administered by the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS), which most states use as a basis for licensure and set the standards for advanced personalized nutrition practitioners via the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) credential. The MScN culinary concentration program is not eligible for licensure.
Graduates of the Master of Science in Nutrition (MScN) are not currently eligible to apply for licensure in the State of Oregon. In early 2025, a bill has been introduced in the Oregon state legislative process that would include a pathway to licensure for a CNS.
For additional information, contact:
Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists
211 Chicago Ave,
Hinsdale, IL 60521
202.903.0267
theana.org
NUNM has made a determination that the Master of Science in Nutrition (MScN) clinical concentration program meets requirements to become licensed in the following states if an individual obtains a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) credential.
If a state licensing/certification agency is available, a link to the state agency may be found by selecting the state below.
| Licensing Board | State/District | CNS eligible for license | License required to practice |
| Yes | Alaska | Yes | No |
| Yes | Delaware | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | District of Columbia | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Florida | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Guam | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Illinois | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Kentucky | *** | Yes |
| Yes | Maryland | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Minnesota | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | New York | Yes | No |
| Yes | North Carolina | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | North Dakota | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Pennsylvania | Yes | No |
NUNM has made a determination that the requirements to become licensed are not applicable because requirements do not exist and there is no licensing board in the following states:
| Licensing Board | State/District | CNS eligible for license | License required to practice |
| No | Arizona | ** | No |
| No | California | ** | No |
| No | Colorado | ** | No |
| No | Michigan | ** | No |
NUNM has made a determination that licensure/certification requirements are not applicable because requirements do not exist in the following states:
| Licensing Board | State/District | CNS eligible for license | License required to practice |
| Yes | Arkansas | No | No |
| Yes | Connecticut | No | No |
| Yes | Hawaii | No | No |
| Yes | Idaho | No | No |
| Yes | Indiana | No | No |
| Yes | Louisiana | No | No |
| Yes | Massachusetts | No | No |
| Yes | Nevada | No | No |
| Yes | New Hampshire | No | No |
| Yes* | New Jersey | No | No |
| Yes | New Mexico | No | No |
| Yes | Oklahoma | No | No |
| Yes | Oregon | No | No |
| Yes | South Dakota | No | No |
| Yes | Texas | No | No |
| Yes | Utah | No | No |
| Yes | Vermont | No | No |
| Yes | Virginia | No | No |
| Yes | Washington | No | No |
| Yes | West Virginia | No | No |
| Yes | Wisconsin | No | No |
| Yes | Wyoming | No | No |
Master of Science in Nutrition (MScN clinical concentration)
NUNM has made a determination that the requirements to become licensed/certified are not met in the following states.
| Licensing Board | State/District | CNS eligible for license | License required to practice |
| Yes | Alabama | No | Yes |
| Yes | Georgia | No | Yes |
| Yes | Iowa | No | Yes |
| Yes | Kansas | No | Yes |
| Yes | Mississippi | No | Yes |
| Yes | Missouri | No | Yes |
| Yes | Montana | No | Yes |
| Yes | Nebraska | No | Yes |
| Yes | Ohio | No | Yes |
| Yes | Puerto Rico | No | Yes |
| Yes | Rhode Island | No | Yes |
| Yes | South Carolina | No | Yes |
| Yes | Tennessee | No | Yes |
For further information regarding programs at National University of Natural Medicine, please contact:
Office of Admissions
National University of Natural Medicine
49 South Porter Street, Portland, OR 97201
Phone 503.552.1660 | admissions@nunm.edu