DC - Doctor of Chiropractic
Download as PDF
Degree Type
Major Title
Mission
Catalog Full Description
Consistent with the 2025 Standards of the Council on Chiropractic Education, the Doctor of Chiropractic program prepares:
…graduates to serve as competent, caring, patient-centered, and ethical doctors of chiropractic/chiropractic physicians qualified to provide independent, quality, patient-focused care to individuals of all ages and genders by:
Providing direct access, portal of entry care that does not require a referral from another source;
Establishing a partnership relationship with continuity of care for each individual patient;
Evaluating a patient and independently establishing a diagnosis or diagnoses; and,
Managing the patient’s healthcare and integrating healthcare services, including treatment, recommendations for self-care, referral, and/or co-management.
Parker University’s Doctor of Chiropractic program includes basic, clinical, and chiropractic education with an emphasis on conservative, functional, integrated, and patient-centered methods.
At Parker, chiropractic is taught as a science, philosophy, and art concerned with the relationship between the structure and function of the human body. Parker Doctors of Chiropractic focus their attention on the neuro-musculoskeletal system’s impact on the restoration and preservation of health and function while performing as unique practitioners in the modern integrated health care system.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
Enrollment in and graduation from Parker University’s Doctor of Chiropractic program does not guarantee future licensure or employment.
Each state sets the requirements for professional licensure within that state. In addition to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree and passage of National Board exams, some states require completion of a bachelor’s degree and quantitative requirements for specific clinical procedures. Students are responsible to know and to meet the licensure requirements of the state(s) in which they intend to practice. The chart below details the state requirements for licensure.
Additional information along with a state-by-state directory is published by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards on the Federation’s website www.fclb.org.
State | Disclosure |
Alabama | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV . |
Alaska | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
American Samoa | Unknown as there is no licensing regulations or regulating body |
Arizona | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Arkansas | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT. Minimum 4,400 total hours. Minimum 120 hours of physiological therapeutics. |
California | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT; Minimum 4,400 total hours. Specific subjects and hours in the curriculum. To meet the clinical requirements, the student must complete 25 physical examinations, at least 10 of which must not be performed on student patients. Additionally, the student must perform 25 urinalyses, 20 complete blood counts (CBCs), and 10 blood chemistry tests. Conduct 30 X-ray examinations and provide 30 written interpretations of X-rays (film or slide); 10 proctological examinations and 10 gynecological examinations; 30 physiotherapy procedures on their own clinic patients; 250 patient treatments, including diagnostic procedures, adjustive techniques, and patient evaluations. |
Colorado | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV. Minimum 120 hours of electrotherapy. |
Connecticut | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Delaware | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
District of Columbia | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Federated States of Micronesia | Unknown as there is no licensing regulations or regulating body |
Florida | With a bachelor’s degree from an institution holding accreditation for that degree from a regional accrediting agency which is recognized by the United States Department of Education and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Georgia | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Guam | Unknown. Contact the Guam regulatory board at http://dphss.guam.gov/guam-board-of-allied-health-examiners/ |
Hawaii | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Idaho | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Illinois | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Indiana | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Iowa | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Kansas | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Kentucky | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Louisiana | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Maine | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT. Minimum 4,400 total hours. |
Maryland | With a bachelor's degree from a college or university approved by an accrediting agency of the United States Department of Education and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV. Minimum 4,400 total hours. |
Massachusetts | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Michigan | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Minnesota | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Mississippi | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV. Not less than 40 hours of instruction in the operation of X-ray machinery and not less than 40 hours of instruction in X-ray interpretation and diagnosis. |
Missouri | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Montana | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Nebraska | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Nevada | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
New Hampshire | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
New Jersey | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV, Complete curriculum with specific subjects and percentages. |
New Mexico | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
New York | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV; minimum of 24 semester hours in life and physical science courses, which may include, but not be limited to, courses in general biology, human anatomy, physiology, general chemistry, biochemistry, physics, biomechanics and kinesiology. At least half of these courses shall include a laboratory component. |
North Carolina | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
North Dakota | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Northern Mariana Islands | Unknown. Contact the Northern Mariana Islands regulatory board at http://cnmibpl-hcplb.net/resources/files/Chiropractic%20Regulations.pdf |
Ohio | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Oklahoma | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Oregon | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Pennsylvania | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Puerto Rico | With a bachelor’s degree earned before enrollment in the Doctor of Chiropractic degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Republic of Palau | Unknown as there is no licensing regulations or regulating body |
Republic of the Marshall Islands | Unknown as there is no licensing regulations or regulating body |
Rhode Island | With a bachelor’s degree earned before enrollment in the Doctor of Chiropractic degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
South Carolina | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
South Dakota | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Tennessee | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Texas | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT, and have earned 90 undergraduate credit hours that are transferrable to the University of Texas at Austin. |
Utah | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Vermont | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, IV, and PT |
Virgin Islands | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, and III |
Virginia | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Washington | By passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
West Virginia | With a bachelor’s degree earned before enrollment in the Doctor of Chiropractic degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Wisconsin | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |
Wyoming | With a bachelor’s degree and by passing the National Board of Chiropractic Exam parts I, II, III, and IV |