
Northwestern Health Sciences University is a private health-professions university in Bloomington, Minnesota. It began in 1941 as Northwestern College of Chiropractic, and its later expansion into other health fields helps explain why chiropractic remains central to its identity even though it now offers a broader range of programs.
The institution subsequently adopted the Northwestern Health Sciences University name. Its development has included education in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, massage therapy, and other health sciences. Prospective students should understand it primarily as a specialized institution, rather than a general-purpose university with a large range of unrelated majors.
Northwestern Health Sciences University organizes its academic offerings around health care and the health sciences. Its best-known professional program is the Doctor of Chiropractic; its other offerings include acupuncture and Chinese medicine, massage therapy, and undergraduate health-science pathways.
Credentials, prerequisites, clinical training, and licensing outcomes differ substantially by program. A student considering chiropractic should review the professional doctorate curriculum and its admission requirements, while an undergraduate applicant should identify the particular degree or certificate they intend to pursue. The university's current academic catalog is the appropriate place to confirm a program's credential, required courses, clinical placements, and expected length.
Northwestern Health Sciences University's main campus is at 2501 West 84th Street in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. Its setting is more relevant to commuting and access to Twin Cities health-care opportunities than to a traditional residential-college experience.
Students considering clinical placements or part-time work should plan for travel beyond campus as well as their trip to class. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport serves the region, but everyday transportation needs will depend on a student's schedule and where they live. Applicants should check whether their particular program requires attendance at other clinical or training sites.
Northwestern Health Sciences University presents its educational mission as preparing health professionals through learning, clinical practice, and an emphasis on whole-person care. That focus is reflected in its mix of chiropractic and other health-related programs.
The mission describes the university's priorities, not a measurable guarantee about a student's education or future practice. Applicants can assess how those priorities appear in a specific program by comparing its curriculum, supervised clinical requirements, and licensure preparation with their professional goals.
Name of the institution
Northwestern Health Sciences UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: SmallInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
TrimestersFoundation year
1941Northwestern Health Sciences University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.