Our history

1988 - 1992
First of its kind

In 1988 the Council for National Academic Awards agreed to validate a Bachelor of Science degree. We became the first school in the field of complementary and alternative healthcare to offer such a validated degree course.

In 1990, our twenty-fifth anniversary year HRH Diana, Princess of Wales, became our Patron and in 1992 we became the first school to be accredited by the newly formed European Council on Chiropractic Education.

1992 - 1997
Masters degrees

The Council for National Academic Awards was decommissioned in 1992 as part of reforms to the university sector and we were obliged to find a new validating authority for its degree. Following the Chiropractors Act of 1994, in response to perceived need for formal postgraduate education, we introduced a postgraduate MSc Clinical Chiropractic. In 1997 the undergraduate course was upgraded from Bachelors to Masters level - both were validated by the University of Portsmouth.

1998 - 2000
Statutory regulation

The Chiropractors Act called for the formation of a General Chiropractic Council (GCC) to regulate chiropractic in Britain, including the education of chiropractors. That body came into existence in 1998. During 2000, the GCC examined the courses offered by six schools providing undergraduate training for chiropractors in Britain, with the aim of ensuring high standards of education. Of the six schools, we are one of just three which continue to offer courses accredited by the GCC. 

2005 - 2008
Developments in education

In 2005 we entered into an agreement with Bournemouth University (BU) to validate our degrees which allowed for public funding of undergraduate chiropractic education. In the twenty-first century an increasing variety of postgraduate courses to support the continuing professional development of chiropractors have professional doctorates. A broadening educational focus saw the introduction of new healthcare subjects other than chiropractic. 

MSc Advanced Professional Practice courses were first BU validated in 2006. Prior to this they were validated by University of Portsmouth. 

With the growing realisation that the next generation could be the first to live shorter lives than the one before due to inactivity; the government launched an initiative to promote a healthy population. We launched the BSc Clinical Exercise Science course, delivered in conjunction with Bournemouth University, in response to this in 2007. The course offered students the chance to gain clinical competence in the fitness industry and knowledge of contemporary research relating to exercise. 

MSc Medical Ultrasound was BU validated in 2008 and Consortium for Accreditation of Sonographic Education accredited from 2009 onwards.

2009 - 2012
Advance in research

Research aims to contribute new knowledge to experimental, clinical and educational fields, especially in relation to the understanding of musculoskeletal health. Our research activity has focused on areas such as diagnostic imaging, patient-reported outcome measures, the assessment of movement and function, and clinical education.

In 2012, the introduction of the Access to Higher Education Diploma enabled us to offer both prospective students without the necessary grades to go straight to university and people looking to retrain the opportunity to move in to healthcare or further study.