240 credits, of which 60 credits are at the corresponding advanced level.
Education Board.
Swedish.
Post-secondary education, 4 years, full-time.
General eligibility for higher education.
General eligibility for higher education.
Total credits year 1 at undergraduate level: 60 credits
Total credits year 2 at undergraduate level: 60 credits
Total credits year 3 and 4 at undergraduate/graduate level: 45/15 credits
Total credits year 4 at undergraduate/graduate level: 15/45 credits
First-cycle studies shall essentially build on the knowledge students acquire in national upper-secondary school programs, or equivalent knowledge. The government may, however, decide on exceptions regarding artistic education.
First-cycle studies shall develop the students':
Within the field of study, students shall, in addition to knowledge and skills, develop the ability to:
Second-cycle studies shall essentially build on the knowledge students acquire in first-cycle studies, or equivalent knowledge. Second-cycle studies shall involve a deepening of knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to first-cycle studies and shall, in addition to the requirements for first-cycle studies:
The educational objectives encompass knowledge and understanding, skills and abilities, and judgment and approach regarding the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of pain conditions and functional disorders in the neuromusculoskeletal system. The objectives are structured around five competency areas: medical, clinical, professional, health-promoting, and scientific.
The objectives encompass key values such as commitment, creativity, a positive social study environment, gender equality, and sustainable development, as well as resources in the form of suitable facilities, learning materials, technical equipment, and information and communication technology. In addition, there is an active research environment that stimulates the student's scientific approach and development. Collaboration with other higher education institutions, industry organizations, and the future professional field is also of great importance. Taken together, these factors influence the conditions for the learning process, something the Scandinavian College of Naprapathic Manual Medicine is constantly working to maintain and further develop.
The educational program is structured into six subject areas: human anatomy and function, health and disease, chiropractic, sports medicine, and scientific and professional development. Among these, chiropractic is the major subject and the most extensive area of study. Courses are offered at both the undergraduate and advanced levels, with advanced courses totaling 60 credits. Studies at the advanced level begin in the sixth semester and include specialization in the subject areas of health and disease and chiropractic.
To create a clear structure and context between the different parts of the program, the education is divided into five areas of competence, which serve as a common thread throughout the courses. These are based, among other things, on the seven roles of the CanMEDS competency framework, which encompass the skills and knowledge required to practice the chiropractic profession in a professional manner. These roles and competencies are integrated and continuously developed throughout the education to promote a responsible and reflective approach within chiropractic.
The Chiropractic program's pedagogical profile is based on a social constructivist perspective on knowledge, learning, and teaching. This approach emphasizes how learning is shaped in interaction between individuals and how context, environment, and setting influence both what and how an individual acquires knowledge. The chiropractor's professional role places high demands on competence, and the rapid development of knowledge in the field makes it necessary for the student to develop the ability to independently and together with others seek information, analyze it critically, and reflect on their learning.
Learning is an individual process that occurs in interaction with the surroundings and involves both intellectual and emotional processing. The program aims to support the student's development and strengthen self-awareness by creating an awareness of diversity, personal values, and professional approaches. This provides the conditions for the student to reflect on their behavior and their role in collaborations with other people.
The Chiropractic program puts the student at the center. The teaching is based on a student-activating and problem-based methodology where the student is expected to take active responsibility for their own learning and development. By using pedagogical methods that encourage independence and lifelong learning, a stable foundation is created for scientific and critical thinking, which is crucial for successful professional practice.
Throughout the entire Chiropractic program, there is a structured progression that includes:
Progression is clarified through a well-thought-out connection between leveled learning objectives and the choice of teaching and examination forms. The education is built around the main subject of chiropractic and is based on manual medical issues. The internal order of the courses is planned based on the need for progression, deepening, and integration between chiropractic and other subject areas, which gradually increases both complexity and independence.
A central principle for progression is based on established knowledge taxonomies, which structure learning into hierarchical levels. The program is inspired by various taxonomic models, such as Bloom's revised taxonomy, the SOLO taxonomy, and Miller's pyramid. Although these models are used in an integrated and adapted manner, Bloom's taxonomy has a leading role where knowledge is divided into the levels: facts, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, and critical evaluation.
The education is designed so that individual courses build upon previously acquired knowledge, where theories and skills recur and are deepened in different contexts. During the course of the education, especially from the advanced level (semester 6), increased demands are placed on students' ability to systematically integrate previous knowledge and skills into new clinical situations.
The program begins with courses that provide fundamental knowledge in the subject areas of body structure and function as well as chiropractic. This also includes an introduction to professional and scientific competencies. Work-integrated learning (WIL) and clinical placement (VFU) begin as early as semester 2 and continue throughout the entire program, concluding in semester 8. Courses within health and disease run in parallel throughout the education (semesters 2–8) to provide broad and deep medical competence.
The student is continuously trained in understanding, synthesizing, and applying factual knowledge within manual medical examination, treatment, and rehabilitation. From semester 3, longer placements within clinical training are included, where special emphasis is placed on analytical ability based on a person-centered manual medical work model. To shape a critically thinking and reflective chiropractor, scientific education begins as early as semester 1 and runs throughout the entire program, with successive deepening that culminates in an independent degree project during the final year.
The Chiropractic program utilizes varied working methods that stimulate student activity, deepen learning, and promote collaboration. Teaching and learning activities are adapted to the course's purpose, learning objectives, and content, with a primary focus on problem-based learning (PBL). Examples of student-active pedagogical methods include flipped classrooms and team-based learning (TBL).
Flipped classrooms involve students engaging with web-based lectures and assignments individually or in groups before gathering in the classroom. This frees up time for in-depth discussions, reflection, and practical components when teachers and students meet.
Team-based learning (TBL) is built on active learning through group discussions and problem-solving. Discussion is central and prepares students to solve complex problems in their future professional role as chiropractors.
In addition to these methods, further teaching and learning activities are used where the student is active in their knowledge development with the support of supervisors and teachers. Examples of this include group work, laboratory sessions, project work, thematic studies, and seminars. Some knowledge is also acquired independently through literature studies, interactive media, and web-based resources.
Practical instruction within the program is based on a problem-based perspective, where skills training, practical exercises, and patient cases are used to create authentic and meaningful learning. Functional aspects are emphasized, and students' ability to analyze and solve patient-related problems is developed throughout the education.
Lectures are often integrated with student-active elements such as buzz group discussions (paired conversations), audience response systems to increase engagement, and formative assessments with direct feedback through digital tools like Socrative and Mentimeter.
The overall pedagogical objective of the Chiropractic program is to provide students with the conditions to take responsibility for their learning, develop a person-centered approach, and combine commitment with empathy in their professional practice. Furthermore, the student shall develop into a scientifically and critically thinking individual, both during their studies and in their future professional career. A competent chiropractor should feel confident in their professional role, be humble in collaboration with healthcare colleagues, and possess good communication skills toward both patients and other professional groups.
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a collective term for pedagogical models based on collaboration and integration between higher education and working life. In the chiropractic program, WIL takes place through clinical training (VFU), study visits, and observations.
WIL/clinical training is a central and integrated part of the program and is introduced as early as semester 2. The majority of the clinical training is carried out at the institution's own patient clinic during semesters 2–6 (first-cycle level), where students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a clinical environment. Observations with licensed chiropractors take place every semester to create a clear link between the education and the future professional role early on.
During semesters 7–8 (second-cycle level), clinical training is expanded with longer observation periods with licensed chiropractors and other healthcare providers in related professions. This deepened contact with professionals in the field provides the student with valuable practical experience and strengthens the collaborative skills required in the role of a licensed chiropractor.
Assessment and examination within the chiropractic program are conducted systematically within each course to ensure a legally secure and transparent process. Formative assessments and summative examinations are clearly linked to learning objectives, teaching and learning activities, and examinations (constructive alignment). Students' theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, and analytical ability are assessed continuously throughout the program, with a focus on problem-oriented issues and a holistic perspective.
In the theoretical parts of the program, written examinations are most common, but assignments and group work with both written and oral presentations also occur. Different forms of examination are often combined, for example, through mandatory individual and group-based assignments supplemented by a written exam. In practical courses, examination takes place through both written tests and one or more practical partial exams where the student's knowledge, skills, and professional approach are assessed.
Within the framework of WIL/clinical training, the student's clinical skills, evaluative ability, and professional approach are assessed continuously through partial exams and a final exam in each academic year. The examination focuses primarily on allowing the student to demonstrate their ability to manage authentic patient cases in a clinical context. In addition, patient simulations and patient case discussions are conducted, as well as structured skill tests such as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in a simulated environment. The assessment pays special attention to several central aspects of the student's clinical competence. This includes patient interaction, examination skills, and selectivity in the examination. Furthermore, diagnostic ability is evaluated, including differential diagnostic considerations, as well as the ability to plan and carry out treatment and the student's ability to inform and motivate the patient.
The chiropractor's communicative and pedagogical skills are highly valued, as they are crucial for offering high-quality, evidence-based care. Student progression is documented in a learning portfolio, where development in relation to the program's central competencies is followed up and provided with continuous feedback throughout the entire education.
Examinations are conducted based on pre-established assessment criteria that are clear to the student. In the event of a fail on a regular examination, the student is given the opportunity for re-examination, with a total of five examination attempts. If a student has failed five examinations, no further attempts are granted. A student who has failed the same examination component twice may request a new examiner for the next examination attempt by submitting a written application to the Director of Studies. The application is granted unless there are special reasons to the contrary.
If there is a need for adjustments for a student with a documented permanent disability, the examiner, in consultation with the Director of Studies, may decide to deviate from the course syllabus regulations. However, learning objectives, content, or expected levels of knowledge and skills may not be changed, removed, or lowered.
During semesters 6–8, students complete a degree project that constitutes a specialization within the main field of chiropractic, worth 15 credits (equivalent to 10 weeks of full-time work). The project may have a quantitative or qualitative approach and must address a clearly formulated and delimited research question using a scientifically relevant method. The independent work aims to help the student develop the ability to independently evaluate, integrate, and apply knowledge of scientific methodology. The degree project also provides insight into the research process and prepares the student for future development and research work within manual medicine. The work is supervised by researchers or teachers with medical and/or scientific expertise in the relevant field. To ensure scientific quality and adherence to research ethics, the project plan is reviewed and approved by the institution's research board before work begins. The degree project is assessed by external reviewers with at least associate professor (docent) qualifications and is examined through a written report and an oral defense during an opposition.
To balance athletic pursuits with academic studies, students active at an elite level may apply for an individualized study schedule. This means that mandatory components, such as work-integrated learning (WIL), practical lessons, and examinations, can be scheduled around the student's athletic commitments. The individual study plan is designed in consultation with the Director of Studies and requires a certificate from the relevant national sports federation within the Swedish Sports Confederation confirming the elite athletic commitment.
The education plan was implemented in 2025. Students wishing to resume their studies after a leave of absence will receive an individual study plan in consultation with the Director of Studies to ensure a smooth return to the program.
The language of instruction is Swedish, though some teaching in English may occur. Literature in both English and Swedish is used.
The grading system uses the terms Fail (U) or Pass (G). The grading scale is specified in the course syllabus.
Students may apply for credit transfer for all or part of a course based on previously completed education or professional experience. Applications for credit transfer must be submitted in writing to the responsible director of studies. If an application for credit transfer is rejected in whole or in part, the decision must be justified in writing.
The programme has specific entry requirements for its courses. These requirements are stated in the course syllabi. In cases where requirements are linked to progression to a higher semester, these are described in the Chiropractic Academy's student handbook.
If a student demonstrates such serious deficiencies in knowledge, skills, or professional conduct that patient safety or patient trust in the healthcare system is at risk, the examiner may terminate the student's work-integrated learning (WIL) with immediate effect. In such cases, an individual action plan must be drawn up, specifying the components and assessments required before the student is granted the opportunity for a new clinical placement. The number of assessments in the action plan is limited to two. If the student has failed the final possible examination attempt, no action plan shall be drawn up.
Studies within the chiropractic programme shall be conducted on equal terms in accordance with the Chiropractic Academy's policy document "Equal rights, obligations, and opportunities."
