Herbalist Programs and Schools

An herbalist uses plants and medicinal herbs that are known to help prevent and treat diseases; these herbs help strengthen the body's ability to heal and protect itself. Although a license is not needed to become an herbalist, many choose to obtain the proper training to gain knowledge of every aspect of herbalism.

Clayton College of Natural Health

• The Clayton College of Natural Health offers a master herbalist certificate program that consists of three sections, or levels, that must be completed to receive certification. The three levels are the family herbalist, which is for those who want to improve family health; consulting herbalist, which is for those who plan to work with herbs in various settings; and master herbalist, which is for those who wish to have extensive learning to prepare for consulting, educating or becoming a private practitioner. All three levels consist of 26 lessons including topics such as basic nutrition and herbology, aromatherapy, women's and children's health, the history of western herbology and Chinese and ayurvedic medicine. Students who enroll in this program will receive a free one-year membership in the American Herbalist Guild.

  Clayton College of Natural Health
  2140 11th Avenue South
  Suite 305
  Birmingham, AL 35205
  205-323-8236
  ccnh.edu

Global College of Natural Medicine

• The Global College of Natural Medicine offers a master herbalist program that needs to be completed in one year. Students who wish to enroll and do not have a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED) will be required to pass a basic knowledge exam during the application process. The program itself consists of twelve lessons that are divided into three modules; these lessons include topics such as terminology and the history of herbal medicine, eastern and western medicine, learning how to make herbal remedies and business procedure associated with becoming an herbalist. Those who wish to learn more can enroll in a program to receive a certificate as a holistic health practitioner. Eighty percent of the tuition that has been paid for the master herbalist program will go toward the holistic health practitioner program.

  Global College of Natural Medicine
  250 Natural Bridges Drive
  Santa Cruz, CA 95060
  831-458-4196
  gcnm.com

Heart of Herbs

• Heart of Herbs offers a master herbalist certificate program that has no time limit on when the coursework needs to be completed. It is a distance learning program, but you also have the option to attend the intensive apprenticeship summer program in Vermont that has the same coursework. For those interested in obtaining a guild certification, such as with the American Herbalist Guild, Heart of Herbs will provide the organization with documentation of your studies when you apply with the guild. There are 19 lessons in this program and include topics such as how to harvest herbs and determining if an herb is of good quality to other topics such as an in-depth study of each of the body's systems. You will also learn about the male and female reproductive systems and wellness treatments that include ayurveda, reflexology and yoga.

  Heart of Herbs
  PO Box 268
  Princeton, MA 01541
  866-303-4372
  heartofherbs.com