Professional Health Care Career Path: Chiropractor

About this field

This professional health care career path requires an advanced degree beyond the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences.  

A Chiropractor is a health care professional who focuses on diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders with the use of treatment using manual adjustment and manipulation of the spine.  They seek to reduce pain and improve function for patients as well as education of patients using exercise, ergonomics, and other therapies.

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Degree Requirement

Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree from a Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) accredited program.

Typical Prerequisites Needed for Admissions to a DC program

• 3 semester hours of English language skills
• 3 hours of College Algebra
• 3 semester hours of humanities
• 3 semester hours of social science
• 6 semester hours of biological sciences with labs
• 6 semester hours of chemistry with labs
• 12 semester hours of additional life/natural sciences

NOTE: Students are strongly encouraged to determine the exact DC prerequisites for a program by visiting that program’s website.  The link provided below shows all accredited DC degree programs.

CCE Accredited DC Degree Programs.

Why choose Health Sciences as a bachelor’s degree?

In addition to offering a strong background in orthopedic assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation, the Health Sciences degree also provides a great degree of flexibility in course options for the student.  Courses with content such as musculoskeletal evaluation, therapeutic interventions, kinesiology, and medical disease and illness provide the student with a strong foundation for the chiropractic program of study.  The degree offers flexibility by allowing the student to take 9 hours outside of the health science area.  When combined with core requirements, students should be able to meet all the typical prerequisites required of the average DC degree program.