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Academic Prerequisites for Naturopathic Medical Colleges

Naturopathic medicine is a four-year post-degree program in which students learn the same sciences as in a medical degree program, with the addition of holistic and alternative modalities and approaches to therapy. The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education has accredited six naturopathy schools in North America. Upon completion of their studies, graduates of these schools can apply for state and provincial licensing in the U.S. and Canada

  1. General Requirements

    • Accredited naturopathy schools require that applicants have a base of undergraduate science courses, including biology, chemistry and organic chemistry. Physics, biochemistry, math and psychology courses are often required as well. Additional courses that strengthen an application are anatomy, botany, developmental psychology and physiology.

    Bastyr University

    • Applicants to the Bastyr University naturopathy degree program in Seattle, Washington, should already have earned a bachelor's degree. This degree can be in any subject, although a strong focus on science as well as a broad background in humanities and liberal arts will aid the application. The student needs at least one course in algebra, along with four courses at a senior level in chemistry, one course in physics and another one in psychology. Two semesters of senior general biology courses, including lab work, are also prerequisites. All the required chemistry and biology classes must have been taken in the previous seven years. The college also recommends courses in biochemistry, botany and anatomy and physiology.

    Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences

    • All prospective students for a naturopathy degree at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences must have a bachelor's degree, or equivalent, with an overall grade-point average of at least 2.5. In addition, the Tempe, Arizona, college requires a GPA of at least 3.0 in these courses: 12 credits in biology, eight credits in chemistry and four credits in organic chemistry. The biology and chemistry courses must be at a senior level, and all courses must include lab work. The student also needs to have an algebra-based physics course and six credits in each of the psychology, English and humanities fields. The college also recommends that undergraduates with non-science majors take additional life science or biology courses.

    Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine

    • Applicants must have completed an accredited three- or four- year bachelor's degree before they begin their studies at Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Required courses for admission to the naturopathy program are six credits of biology, physiology and psychology and a humanities elective. Three credits of biochemistry and organic chemistry complete the required courses. The GPA of students accepted into the program is from 2.7 to 4.0 on a four-point scale, with an average GPA of 3.3.

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