About American College of Healthcare Sciences
ACHS was originally founded in 1976 as the extramural or distance education department of an on-campus naturopathic college in Auckland, New Zealand.
Dorene Petersen, a graduate of the South Pacific College of Natural Therapeutics, Inc., was assigned head of the new department. In 1978, ACHS split off into a stand-alone institution to better meet the needs and goals of distance education students. Dorene Petersen became the head of the new institution.
Since its inception in 1978, ACHS has remained an industry leader, well respected worldwide for its distance education holistic health programs. The U.S. office opened in 1991 and is now owned and operated independently from the New Zealand school and has expanded exponentially since its inception. In 1998, ACHS achieved state licensing with the Oregon Department of Education, becoming the first state-licensed holistic medicine college in the U.S. offering online programs.
In February of 2003, the American College of Healthcare Sciences (formerly Australasian College of Health Science) opened the doors of its new campus in Portland, Oregon. The Portland, Oregon, campus features a botanical teaching garden, the Apothecary Shoppe College Store, and more than 4,500 square feet of custom-designed and accessible classroom and administrative offices.
In 2003, ACHS achieved national accreditation with the Distance Education and Training Council after a rigorous two-year review process. Also in 2003, the College changed its name from the Australasian College of Herbal Studies to the Australasian College of Health Sciences to reflect the expanded curricula of holistic medicine education programs available at ACHS.
In December 2007, ACHS became approved to offer a Master of Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine followed by approval in March 2008 to offer an Associate of Applied Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine. ACHS offers the first and only accredited programs in aromatherapy and many other holistic medicine modalities. In 2009 the College launched seven new career-oriented certificate programs, six new graduate-level certificate programs, and celebrated its 20th year of operations in the U.S. Also in 2009, ACHS changed its name from the Australasian College of Health Sciences to the American College of Healthcare Sciences to better reflect the College's geographical location and future plans.
On April 25, 2011, the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) approved the Certificate in Aromatherapy program as a Level II Aromatherapy training program. The Diploma in Aromatherapy and the AAS with Aromatherapy specialization were also approved as Level III Aromatherapy training programs.
In 2011, ACHS continues to evolve to offer the greatest learning opportunities to students, blending the support and learning advantage of a traditional semester schedule with the flexibility of fully online degrees.
ACHS is nestled in the beautiful Johns Landing area, which sits alongside the Willamette River. Bald eagles can be seen nesting in the cottonwoods and not a day goes by without the sighting of a great blue heron, Portland's unofficial city bird. Johns landing is just five minutes drive from downtown Portland. The campus lies two blocks from the Willamette, in a blended retail, residential, and commercial neighborhood. There are many restaurants and stores within a short walk of the College.
We welcome graduates, students, prospective students and our visitors anytime during regular business hours. We'd be more than happy to show you around--even take you for a walk down to the river!
