Accredited Herbal Medicine Course
This online course offers an in-depth education in Herbal Medicine accredited by the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and consists of approximately 3,600 hours of taught and directed study, divided into 17 modular components. The course is rooted in the understanding that an authentic herbal medicine course must resource our rich tradition, draw from the best practice of contemporary herbalists as well as the growing body of scientific knowledge of the healing power of plants.
The path to certification is offered either as a 4 year course or as a 6 year course, seeking to accommodate the variable competing demands on available study time for students. For those on the 4 year course, expect to devote, on average, between 21 and 30 hours per week, although some periods of study, for example, around assessment times, will be more intensive than others. For those on the 6 year pathway, expect to spend between 14 and 21 hours a week on your academic studies.
Clinical training is an additional time commitment, with 500 hours being required during your studies before you may sit your final clinical exam. This is a combination of online clinic hours and in-person clinics with our clinical trainers. Additional time will be required for writing up case history notes.
Course description
Your studies start with a focus on providing foundational knowledge in anatomy and physiology, materia medica, plant chemistry as well as how to find and evaluate knowledge sources relevant to herbal medicine. Building on this experience you will then study pathophysiology, extend your materia medica knowledge, learn how to make herbal medicines and start to develop your clinical skills in case taking and differential diagnosis as well as explore counselling approaches relevant to herbal practice.
Now half way through your training you will study the therapeutic application of herbs for particular body systems, conditions and patient groups as well as explore human attraction to and relationship with nature in ways that may benefit yourself and your patients. You will also study and develop clinical examination skills and start to draw all the threads of your learning together in the first of two Integration Modules, where case-based learning guides your development of patient-centred clinical reasoning.
In the final phase of your studies you continue your exploration of the therapeutic application of herbs and hone your clinical examination skills to enable you to select and fluently perform examinations relevant to your future patients. You will also learn how to set up and manage your future practice and complete your second Integration Module of case-based learning. With this behind you, you will take your final clinical exam.
Study Methods and Course Schedule
The delivery of this course takes place through a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) called Moodle.
A range of learning and teaching activities take place via this online delivery platform including -
- Substantial weekly lessons embedded into the delivery platform, featuring filmed tuition by expert practitioners from around the world, underpinned by text, graphics, and additional learning resources
- Intake-specific forums for group discussions and enrichment of learning as well as a community forum for all students on the Professional Course
- One-to-one personal tutorial guidance
- Online training clinics, for up to half of the clinical training hours, with case analysis and discussion
Video materials are accompanied by slide presentations, detailed notes and other break-out materials, as well as carefully targeted external links to photos, public domain audio, and relevant video snippets.
The course modules are divided into 3 terms per year to allow for summer, Christmas and spring breaks.
| Year and Module | Course Title | Course Content |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 Herbal Tradition 1 | Materia Medica 1 | Materia medica of key medicinal plants |
| Year 1 Plant Science 1 | Pharmacology | Plant chemistry and plant pharmacology |
| Year 1 Human Science 1 | Anatomy and Physiology for Herbalists | Biochemistry, anatomy and physiology |
| Year 1 Practitioner Development 1 | Research Methods | Research skills for herbalists |
| Year 2 Herbal Traditions 2 | Materia medica 2 | Materia medica of key medicinal plants (cont.) |
| Year 2 Plant Science 2 | Making and Taking | Herbal pharmacy skills |
| Year 2 Human Science 2 | Pathophysiology | Disease processes, presentations of conditions |
| Year 2 Clinical Methods 1 | Case taking, differential diagnosis and medical tests | Introduces students to case taking skills, the art of differential diagnosis and understanding medical tests |
| Year 2 Clinical Methods 1 | Counselling | Counselling skills for herbalists |
| Year 3 Herbal Traditions 3 | Herbal Therapeutics 1 | Herbal therapeutics for body systems and common conditions |
| Year 3 Herbal Traditions 3 | Biophilia | Exploration of beneficial human relationships with nature |
| Year 3 Clinical Methods 2 | Clinical examination techniques and safeguarding | Clinical examination skills and safeguarding for herbalists |
| Year 3 Integration Module | Integration Module 1 | Case-based learning |
| Year 4 Herbal Traditions 4 | Herbal Therapeutics 2 | Herbal therapeutics for body systems and common conditions (cont.) |
| Year 4 Clinical Methods 3 | Clinical Examination Skills in Context and Herbal Safety | Clinical examination skills in clinical context, Final Clinical Exam preparation, herbal safety including Schedule 20 herbs |
| Year 4 Practitioner Development 2 | Business skills and Practice Management | Setting up and running a herbal practice |
| Year 4 Integration Module | Integration Module 2 | Case-based learning |
| Year & Module | Component Title | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 Herbal Tradition 1 | Materia Medica 1 | Materia medica of key medicinal plants |
| Year 1 Human Science 1 | Anatomy and Physiology for Herbalists | Biochemistry, anatomy and physiology |
| Year 1 Practitioner Development 1 | Research Methods | Research skills for herbalists |
| Year 2 Plant Science 1 | Pharmacology | Plant chemistry and plant pharmacology |
| Year 2 Herbal Traditions 2 | Materia medica 2 | Materia medica of key medicinal plants (cont.) |
| Year 2 Human Science 2 | Pathophysiology | Disease processes, presentations of conditions |
| Year 3 Plant Science 2 | Making and Taking | Herbal pharmacy skills |
| Year 3 Clinical Methods 1 | Case taking, differential diagnosis and medical tests | Introduces students to case taking skills, the art of differential diagnosis and understanding medical tests |
| Year 3 Clinical Methods 1 | Counselling | Counselling skills for herbalists |
| Year 4 Herbal Traditions 3 | Herbal Therapeutics 1 | Herbal therapeutics for body systems and common conditions |
| Year 4 Herbal Traditions 3 Biophilia Exploration of beneficial human relationships with nature | Biophilia | Exploration of beneficial human relationships with nature |
| Year 4 Clinical Methods 2 | Clinical examination techniques and safeguarding | Clinical examination skills and safeguarding for herbalists |
| Year 5 Integration Module | Integration Module 1 | Case-based learning |
| Year 5 Herbal Traditions 4 | Herbal Therapeutics 2 | Herbal therapeutics for body systems and common conditions (cont.) |
| Year 5 Practitioner Development 2 | Business skills and Practice Management | Setting up and running a herbal practice |
| Year 6 Clinical Methods 3 | Clinical Examination Skills in Context and Herbal Safety | Clinical examination skills in clinical context, Final Clinical Exam preparation, herbal safety including Schedule 20 herbs |
| Year 6 Integration Module | Integration Module 2 | Case-based learning |
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start date: | September each year |
| Duration: | 4 years and 6 years |
| Entry Criteria: | Successful completion of the Heartwood Foundation Course (or equivalent), plus 4 GCSEs at grades A-C / grade 4 or above (including English, Maths and a Science); or BTEC Level 2/First Diploma (in a relevant subject with merit or distinction); or NVQ Level 2; or equivalent Level 2 qualification. Those without GCSE English at grade C / grade 4 or above need to offer proof of proficiency in English, for example:
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| Enrolment: | To enrol, please visit: Enrol on course |
| Total study hours: | 3,600 hours plus 500 clinical training hours |
| Assessment methods: |
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| Completion criteria: |
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| Fee: 4 year | The fee for the course starting in September 2023 will be £3213 per year. You will be required to have paid the first term’s fees (£1,071) by Monday 7th August 2023. You may then pay for the year in full (£3,213), or as monthly instalments of £280. Your fees should always remain a term in advance. If you withdraw at any time you will forfeit these fees. |
| Fee: 6 year | The fee for the 6 Year Pathway in September 2023 will be £2475.34 per year. You will be required to have paid the first term’s fee (£830) by Monday 7th August 2023. You may then pay for the full year in full (£2,475.34). Or as monthly instalments £212.18. Your fees should always remain a term in advance. If you withdraw at any time you will forfeit these fees. |
| Enrolment Fee | There is a non-refundable or transferable enrolment fee of £100 for all applicants (payable on confirmation of acceptance onto the course). |
| Awards: | Diploma in Herbal Medicine (DipHM), conferring eligibility to apply for membership of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (NIMH). More information about NIMH – Britain’s leading (and longest established) professional body representing herbal practitioners, can be found here: https://www.nimh.org.uk |
FAQs
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What is the difference between the diploma and a BSc?
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How does the professional course compare to an MSc in Herbalism?
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Is there a difference between achieving a Diploma or a BA in terms of acceptance to the profession and the reality of practising professionally upon completion?
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Approximately how many hours of study is the course a week?
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I haven’t completed your Foundation Course, am I able to enrol directly on to the Professional Course?
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Where are the clinics based and how are the clinic hours organised?
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Is it possible to complete the Professional Course without the clinical element?
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I live overseas, am I still able to enrol onto the Herbalist Course?
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I work full time, am I able to enrol on this Herbalist Course?
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Can the course be completed in a shorter time period than 4 years?
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Why is the Heartwood Professional Herbalist Course more demanding than some other courses?
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Do you offer recognition of prior learning?
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Will the course curriculum change during my studies?
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What if my personal circumstances change and I need to take a year out from my studies?
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Since all of the study is online, if a student is having an issue or struggling with a topic how would this be best resolved – i.e. what support is there to overcome these types of situations?
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Cost
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Completion of modules
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Do I need to attend all the webinars?
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Do you have international recognition?
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Career opportunities
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What next?
What is the difference between the diploma and a BSc?
Those who successfully complete the Professional Course are awarded a Diploma in Herbal Medicine, which confers eligibility to apply for membership of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, the largest and oldest professional body of herbal practitioners in the UK. The course involves study up to Level 6 (i.e. BSc level) but we have intentionally chosen a diploma award in order to retain the academic freedom to offer a fully comprehensive training and broad-based clinical apprenticeship encompassing all aspects of western herbal medicine.
How does the professional course compare to an MSc in Herbalism?
The Professional Course is at the level of an undergraduate honours degree (encompassing levels 4, 5 and 6) and is designed to educate students in the clinical practice of Western herbal medicine. An MSc in Herbal Medicine is a post-graduate qualification (level 7) and is not usually seen as sufficient, on its own, to meet the requirements to practice that are placed on individuals by professional bodies of practitioners, such as the National Institute of Medical Herbalists.
Is there a difference between achieving a Diploma or a BA in terms of acceptance to the profession and the reality of practising professionally upon completion?
No. The key factor is recognition of the qualification by a professional body of practitioners. We are one of only three educational institutions that are currently training students that are recognized as conferring eligibility to apply to become members of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists.
Approximately how many hours of study is the course a week?
A professional training course demands a serious investment of time.
For the 4 year course, the recommended study time is 21-30 hours per week depending on the demands of the course at the particular time and relevant prior learning. For the 6 year course the recommended study time is 14 to 21 hours per week.
Of these hours, 30-50% would typically be computer based (watching videos and completing online tasks, attending webinars, and completing quizzes and short tests). The remainder comprises directed or self-directed background reading, research and project work, tutorials, residential gatherings and herb garden projects. Students are expected to engage in their studies for at least 40 weeks of the year.
I haven’t completed your Foundation Course, am I able to enrol directly on to the Professional Course?
Students do not normally enrol on the Professional Course without having completed a suitable Foundation Course (such as the Heartwood Foundation Course), except in cases where previous educational or professional experience qualifies them to register. We can supply a list of suitable Foundation courses on request.
Where are the clinics based and how are the clinic hours organised?
The clinical training is managed and overseen by Heartwood and involves each student “rotating” through a number of different clinics during their clinical years. We also have an online Heartwood training clinic.
We have a network of training clinics around the country, as well as some beyond the UK, so that students can complete the clinical elements of their course as near to home as possible. Please email us at admin@heartwoodteam.net for an up-to-date list.
Is it possible to complete the Professional Course without the clinical element?
The professional course is a training course for herbal practitioners, and the clinical element is an integral part of that training.
I live overseas, am I still able to enrol onto the Herbalist Course?
For overseas students, we work on a case-by-case basis to establish training clinics in all relevant territories for those who cannot travel to the UK. Such clinics already exist in North America and Canada.
I work full time, am I able to enrol on this Herbalist Course?
The provision of the 6 year course has been designed specifically for students who have other demands on their time, to ensure that they do not feel that they have to make compromises either in the training or in their other commitments, and in particular, there is time to complete some of your clinical training after the main academic modules are complete. However, you will need to make sure that you can still commit to the study hours and make some time available during weekdays when your clinical training starts for clinical hours and you should look into the viability of this before you commit to joining the course.
Can the course be completed in a shorter time period than 4 years?
The training Is already very concentrated and it would not be realistic to complete it in a shorter time than 4 years.
Why is the Heartwood Professional Herbalist Course more demanding than some other courses?
Our Professional Course involves around 3,600 hours of study and 500 hours of clinical training. It is certainly a big commitment. But it is a training course for practitioners who will face a wide range of situations in which the depth and type of knowledge covered in many of the teaching units are absolutely essential. The study required in some other courses is equivalent to our Foundation Course, which we consider to be in no way suitable as training for a professional medical herbalist, and which we generally ask people to undertake before engaging on the Professional Course.
Without exception, the teaching staff have encountered patients facing difficult medical choices, sometimes life-threatening ones. It is important in those situations to understand in proper depth what is going on, how one can help and where the limits to herbal treatment lie.
It is also important to be able to correspond with other health professionals on a basis of shared understanding and mutual respect. A practitioner should, when reading a doctor’s report, for example, fully understand not only the medical terminology used but also the clinical reasoning. Not to do so makes meaningful exchange and potential collaboration impossible, and that is very much not in the patient’s best interest.
This type of communication with other health professionals is also invaluable in establishing a thriving practice. Many doctors are frustrated by seeing patients with long-term problems that are hard to treat safely with pharmaceutical drugs and would like to be able to do more. It helps greatly if they can refer such patients to a practitioner whose treatment is gentle, safe and effective, and in whose professionalism they can be fully confident.
And lastly, there is the need for self-evaluation, research and communication that enable the profession to grow and to be taken seriously by the wider world. This is what being in a profession really means.
We do not claim to be the only course to offer such thorough training, and we are only too happy for there to be a choice. But we are very firmly committed to offering the standards we would like the public to be able to expect in all herbal practitioners.
Do you offer recognition of prior learning?
We have agreements with a limited number of herbal medicine training institutions that allows their students to be given recognition of prior learning. However, we strongly feel that all others should undertake the whole of the training as it is integrated in a way that resists separation.
Will the course curriculum change during my studies?
Heartwood is constantly involved in a process of review and improvement to benefit our students and to remain faithful to the spirit of the accreditation process with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. As part of the process of improvement, we may make some changes to module content or the order in which modules are taught, but the curriculum outline given here will not change dramatically. We notify students of any changes as they occur, usually via announcements on the online learning management system used to host all Heartwood courses.
What if my personal circumstances change and I need to take a year out from my studies?
Yes, this is possible. The stipulation is that the 4 Year Course pathway is completed within 6 years and the 6 Year Course within 8 years. Students are able to switch between pathways at appropriate points if their circumstances change.
Since all of the study is online, if a student is having an issue or struggling with a topic how would this be best resolved – i.e. what support is there to overcome these types of situations?
Since all of the study is online, if a student is having an issue or struggling with a topic, how would this be best resolved – i.e. what support is there to overcome these types of situations?
In addition to the online studies, you have access to the following opportunities:
- Herbal Medicine Study Library at Emerson College, Sussex.
- a personal tutor scheme
- a vibrant student forum for each student group as well as a community forum
- regular live webinars with Module tutors
Cost
The cost of the course substantially less than that of a degree course and allows students the flexibility to complete their studies around work, family commitments. As a matter of policy, the Charity aims to promote professional education at minimum cost to help avoid students incurring debt.
Completion of modules
A new lesson in each module component is posted each week, but learners always have access to all previous lessons for the entire year of study in which they are engaged so that they can adapt their study routine to their personal timetable. However, the end of term and end of year summative assessments must be completed according to terms set out in the relevant assessment briefs.
Do I need to attend all the webinars?
Heartwood webinars are live events, but they are always recorded and archived so that they are available for all learners to view at any time.
Moreover, you are still able to post questions to the webinar leader after you have viewed a recording, so missing a live webinar session because of family, work or other prior commitments will neither detract from your learning nor adversely affect your fulfilment of assessment criteria.
Do you have international recognition?
No UK trainings in Herbal Medicine have formal international recognition, but membership of the NIMH is respected world wide.
Career opportunities
The majority of graduates go on to set up in private practice as professional medical herbalists, and on the Professional Course we cover the process of setting up, developing and managing a practice in great detail. Many practitioners develop networks with local GPs and other practitioners, and again we offer guidance about this process. After some time in practice, opportunities may arise for teaching in the field of medical herbalism, and for some practitioners this is an important part of their work portfolio. Some herbalists choose to move into product manufacturing and herbal supply, and also into growing and herbal horticulture. Whatever path is chosen, there is a network of support offered.
What next?
Successful completion of the on-line course and clinical training scheme leads to the award of a Diploma in Herbal Medicine which confers eligibility to apply for membership of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, thus enabling graduates to practice as professional consulting medical herbalists.