AMERICAN COLLEGE OF HEALTHCARE SCIENCES
Mission, Vision, & Values
ACHS leads evidence-based, sustainable, holistic health education – online, globally accessibly, and rooted in community impact.
WHO WE ARE
Mission, Vision, & Position Statement
For over four decades, ACHS has educated health professionals around the world through rigorous, evidence – based online programs. Our founding principles, integrative health, sustainability, and global access, remain at the center of everything we do.
Mission
To lead the advancement of evidence - based, integrative health and wellness education through experiential online learning and sustainable practices.
Vision
Integrative health and wellness education is accessible to global communities, promoting sustainable and healthy futures for all.
Position Statement
We are global stewards, fostering the advancement of sustainable communities through innovative, online integrative health and wellness education.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Institutional Learning Outcomes
The Institutional Learning Outcomes represent intended accomplishments of the College. They closely relate to program learning outcomes and course learning outcomes. Learning outcomes represent what students should learn in that course. The Institutional Outcomes Achievement Plan measures whether the institution is achieving that which it has set out to do.
All ACHS Students & Graduates Will:
- Embrace the philosophy of integration of integrative health and wellness, encompassing the whole person and foundation of lifestyle change
- Develop diverse perspectives on wellness to encourage creative problem solving to achieve balance and wellness
- Develop skills of critical analysis and reasoning
- Develop communication skills, including expressing quantitative ideas and facts effectively in writing and orally.
- Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and ethical and social responsibility
- Cultivate a sense of connection and involvement, including a willingness to volunteer and give back to appropriate community groups
- Cultivate a worldview in which values, goals, strategies, initiative, and relationships are positively developed, and that emphasizes sustainability of all resources, including environmental stewardship.
- Add to the culture of academic integrity and learning at ACHS
Undergraduate Institutional Learning Outcomes
Undergraduate students at ACHS will:
- Complete coursework in which they are exposed to new knowledge, new perspectives, and new skills
- Develop a sense of career goals, strategies, and accomplishments that build on their gifts, talents, education, and special interests
- Develop the ability to use an online college library and to retrieve data from a variety of sources, including reliable online sources
- Develop a professional relationship with at least five different faculty members who have been able to advise, motivate, and direct their learning activities
- Develop peer relationships with fellow students throughout their studies that are constructive and supportive of their learning and engagement, and learn how to effectively with other adults in learning situation
- Acquire extensive knowledge, perspective, and skill in areas of their major which can be utilized in a job situation and in their life in general
Graduate Institutional Learning Outcomes
As a result of the efforts of the College, graduate students will:
- Develop quantitative skills, including comprehending and analyzing scientific texts, interpreting research using the scientific method, and accessing and making effective use of quantitative information
- Demonstrate a commitment to contributing value to the industry through a researched and scholarly approach to CAM and multiple research and writing projects
- Maximize the innovative use of information and research, and set the groundwork for advancement in both
- Demonstrate an in-depth, advanced knowledge base in their major that maximizes the innovative use of information that reflects the current theories, best practices, and research in preparation for application or further research
- Pursue intellectual integration, similarities and differences, and engage in dialogue and debate across disciplines.
CERTIFICATIONS & COMMITMENTS
Sustainability & Ethical Business
ACHS integrates sustainability into every layer of the institution – from academic curriculum to daily operations and public-facing retail. Our certifications are not just badges; they represent binding, accountability to people, planet and purpuse.
Certified B Corporation® Since 2016
ACHS meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability set by B Lab. As a B Corp, ACHS is legally required to balance profit and purpose - benefitting workers, communities, and the environment alongside students.
Oregon Tilth Certified Organic Facility
The ACHS Apothecary Shoppe holds Oregon Tilth Certified Organic status - one of the most rigorous organic certifications in the U.S. Every essential oil, botanical, and wellness product is sourced and handled to the highest organic standards, connecting academic learning to real-world sustainable supply chains.
Sustainable Herbs Initiative
ACHS participates in the Sustainable Herbs Initiative, an industry-wide effort to increase transparency and sustainability across the botanical supply chain - from cultivation and wildcrafting to processing and retail.
#1 Oregon Green Workplace
ACHS has been recognized as an Oregon Top 100 Green Workplace for eight consecutive years, earning the #1 ranking in 2023. Green campus practices span energy use, purchasing, transportation, and waste reduction.
Certified B Corp
Oregon Tilth Certified
The Apothecary Shoppe
INDSUTRY & COMMUNITY
Community Impact & Industry Leadership
ACHS extends its mission beyond the classroom through direct community investment, ethical retail operations, international industry participation, and global volunteer service. Our commitment to the public good is woven into the institution’s daily operations — not treated as an afterthought.
The ACHS Apothecary Shoppe: Where Education Meets Sustainability
The ACHS Apothecary Shoppe is an Oregon Tilth Certified Organic facility that integrates sustainability into both academic and public-facing operations. Open to the public and staffed by knowledgeable practitioners, the Shoppe specializes in certified organic essential oils, botanicals, and wellness supplies — serving as a living laboratory where students experience real supply chains, ethical sourcing, and sustainable business practices firsthand.
The Shoppe donates 2% of all sales to sustainable soil-to-oil aromatherapy education initiatives, supporting the next generation of practitioners and growers committed to ecological stewardship from farm to formulation.
Industry Leadership & Professional Associations
ACHS holds longstanding membership in the International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT) and actively participates in sustainability initiatives including the Sustainable Herbs Initiative. These affiliations position ACHS graduates at the forefront of an industry increasingly defined by traceability, ethical sourcing, and environmental accountability. International admissions pathways further ensure that accredited holistic health education reaches learners across the globe.
Community Organizations We Support
ACHS focuses on charities that support basic human dignity — addressing hunger, homelessness, and access to education at home and abroad.
Community Transition School
Pre-K through 8th grade serving homeless children
Global Volunteer Service
ACHS Founding President Dorene Petersen has earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her work in Nepal through USAID and Winrock International’s Farmer-to-Farmer program — a direct expression of ACHS values in action at a global scale. ACHS also provides staff scheduling flexibility to encourage ongoing volunteerism, building a culture of service at every level of the institution.
1978
B Corp
2%
#1
YEAR FOUNDED
SINCE AUGUST 2016
APOTHECARY SHOPPE SALES DONATED TO EDUCATION
OREGON GREEN WORKPLACE 2023
CREDENTIALS & RECOGNITION
Accreditation & Affiliations
American College of Healthcare Sciences is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). DEAC accreditation ensures that ACHS programs meet rigorous standards for academic quality, student services, and institutional integrity.
ACHS also holds membership in and recognition from a range of professional and sustainability organizations, reflecting its commitment to academic excellence, industry leadership, and responsible business practices.
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