I have zero science background — can I really keep up?
Six science courses to have on the books — Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, and General Psychology — sounds intimidating if science was never your subject. That worry is a real and common one, not a sign you're the wrong fit: plenty of TCM students arrive from art, business, massage therapy, or nursing, not pre-med.
Six science courses to have on the books — Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, and General Psychology — sounds intimidating if science was never your subject. That worry is a real and common one, not a sign you're the wrong fit: plenty of TCM students arrive from art, business, massage therapy, or nursing, not pre-med.
Here's the part that actually answers "can I keep up": you don't need any of it finished before you start.
| What's true | Detail |
|---|---|
| Courses required | Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, General Psychology |
| Must all be done before enrolling? | No — may be completed concurrently with the TCM program |
| Where they can be taken | Five natural science courses (Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology) may be taken at Five Branches concurrently with TCM studies; General Psychology must be completed at a regionally accredited degree-granting college or university outside the school, in person or online (accreditation is what matters, not location) |
| Prior science background required? | Yes — applicants must complete these courses as a prerequisite |
| Source | Five Branches Educational Requirements page, fivebranches.edu/dtcm-mtcm/admissions-masters/educational-requirements, checked 07/2026 |
So the honest shape of it: prior science background is indeed required and assumed — the six courses are a prerequisite, not an optional add-on. What softens that is the flexibility in how you get there: often one course at a time alongside your TCM coursework, at whatever pace fits — full-time or part-time. Missing one or two courses on day one doesn't block you from starting.
Is it the science specifically you're worried about, or more the pace of graduate study in general?
Sources
- Five Branches University — Educational Requirements checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — published materials checked 2026-07
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