Licentiate in Herbal Medicine
The complete professional training in herbal medicine. Four years of study, clinical practice, and apprenticeship, leading to qualification as a Master Herbalist.
The complete professional training in herbal medicine. Four years of study, clinical practice, and apprenticeship, leading to qualification as a Master Herbalist.
Course Delivery
Online study and hands on in-clinic
Duration
4 Years. Eight structured terms
Start Date
21 September 2026. Enrolment now open
Fees
€4,350. Payment plan available
Train in a real clinic open to the public
The Licentiate in Herbal Medicine is Core College's full professional training programme. Over four years, students develop the knowledge, clinical skills, and practical experience to practise as a Master Herbalist, assessing patients, prescribing herbal medicines, and preparing and dispensing remedies in a clinical setting.
The programme is built around the apprenticeship model. Clinical training is not a supplement to academic study; it is the foundation of it. From Year 1, students train in a real working clinic alongside experienced practitioners. By the time they graduate, they have completed 600 clinical training hours.
Most of our students are working adults. The programme is designed around that reality. All academic learning is delivered online. In-person attendance is reserved entirely for clinical training.
What it means to practise as a Master Herbalist
Master Herbalism is a tradition of medicine rooted in the use of plants as the primary healing tool. It draws on centuries of clinical knowledge, combined with a vitalist philosophy, the understanding that the body is inherently capable of healing when given the right conditions.
At Core College, the emphasis is on herbs that grow in Ireland, and on the full preparation of remedies by hand.
Every patient receives a formula made specifically for them. This is not a standardised supplement-based approach; it is a clinical discipline that requires deep knowledge of plants, the body, and the individual in front of you.
The programme also incorporates Iridology, Vitalist Nutrition, and natural healing protocols, giving graduates a broad and integrated set of clinical tools.
Begin your next adventure…
This short film gives you a real sense of what studying at Core College looks like: the dispensary, the herb garden, the clinical training, and the students who are already on this path.
600 hours of clinical path to herbal practice
Clinical training is at the heart of the four-year programme. Students gain experience in Core College’s working herbal clinic in Castlecomer and through training weekends at Maynooth Campus.
The Castlecomer clinic is open to members of the public, giving students the opportunity to learn within a real professional setting, supported by the college dispensary and herb gardens.
Over four years, students complete approximately 600 clinical hours. Their progression from observer to practitioner is gradual and structured, with increasing responsibility for patient care in the later years, always under supervision.
Students learn the practical skills needed for life as a herbalist: how to take a full case history, communicate clearly with patients, understand pathology and medication use, recognise herb–drug interactions, and prescribe herbs safely and responsibly.
At the same time, they are trained to maintain a holistic mind-body approach, bringing together iridology, plant-based nutrition, diet, lifestyle, constitution, and herbal prescribing into an individual treatment plan.
Graduates are prepared to establish their own practice and work professionally as Master Medical Herbalists and can join the Irish Association of Master Medical Herbalists in Ireland and the Association of Master Herbalists in the UK.
Course format
The four-year programme is designed for students who wish to train professionally as Master Medical Herbalists. It is part-time in attendance, but serious and structured in its depth, combining online academic study with regular in-person clinical training.
Academic content is delivered online through video lectures, podcasts, written materials and guided discussion forums. There are no fixed class times or compulsory live sessions, so students can study at times that suit them while keeping to the rhythm and requirements of the programme.
Each student is supported by a personal tutor who guides group learning, moderates online discussion and is available for individual questions. Students are part of a real cohort, learning alongside others and supported by experienced practitioners throughout their training.
“All academic learning is delivered online, on your own schedule. In-person attendance is reserved entirely for clinical training.”
The in-person days are devoted to practical clinical learning. First-year students attend the Castlecomer clinic for an average of 14 days during the year, as well as two weekends at the Maynooth Campus.
The college's herbal clinic operates on weekdays. Students can choose the days on which they prefer to attend clinical training.
International students may arrange to complete their clinical training in a concentrated block of approximately three weeks each year, making it easier to plan travel and accommodation.
Over the four years, students complete approximately 600 clinical training hours, progressing gradually from observation and assistance to increasing responsibility for patient care under supervision.
Three unique elements offered in the Core College herbal medicine programmes
A working clinic
Herbal students train in a real working clinic, not only online. Members of the public attend with a wide range of health concerns, giving students the opportunity to observe live consultations and, as their training progresses, to become deeply involved in consultations under the close supervision of a qualified herbalist.
Organic herb gardens
Our medicinal herb gardens at the Castlecomer campus are certified organic. Students can see, smell, and study the plants they read about. We are also building a processing area to use what we grow directly in the clinic.
A herbal Dispensary
Students also gain experience in the dispensary, where remedies are prepared individually for each patient. This includes learning how herbal formulations such as tinctures, powders, infusions and fomentations are selected, combined and made up as part of the clinical process.
The herbal studies journey….
These are the stages through which students can work towards the final goal of becoming a professional herbalist, while also achieving meaningful milestones along the way, including the opportunity to begin professional practice as an iridologist and nutritionist after the two-year programme.
Certificate in Herbal Studies
First Year
Students are introduced to the fundamental principles of herbal medicine and natural healing, including herbs, plant-based nutrition and living-food approaches. By the end of the programme, they will have practical knowledge they can use in personal and family settings, or they may choose to continue into professional studies in herbal medicine.
Diploma in Plant-based Nutrition & Iridology
Second Year
Completion of the two-year programme provides a distinct professional qualification for those who wish to continue. Graduates can practise as a nutritionist and iridologist, using plant-based nutritional guidance, iridology, and herbal knowledge to support patients in a clinical setting. View programme
Licentiate in Herbal Medicine
Third and fourth Year
The four-year programme provides the full professional qualification in herbal medicine. Graduates are trained to practise as Master Medical Herbalists, enabling them to establish their own clinical practice and build a professional career in herbal medicine.View programme
“Having a working medicinal garden and being able to actually connect with the plants is something I had not found in other schools. You cannot teach that connection. You have to live it.”
— Antonella, Herbal Medicine student
What graduates do with this qualification
Many graduates establish their own herbal medicine practice, seeing patients individually and preparing bespoke herbal remedies.
Graduates with a passion for the tradition go on to teach, write, and contribute to the wider field of herbal medicine and natural healing.
Some graduates work alongside other health practitioners in integrated or complementary health clinics.
What Students Say
In America, we really don't have any schools for herbalism that are quite this quality. That was what attracted me to this school, just how in-depth the programme is.
— Jillian H. Student - USA
“I really loved the iridology component of this course in particular. I felt like that was something unique about this programme that most other naturopathy and herbalism programmes didn't offer.”
— Kara N. Student
We're here to help each other. It's not a competitive course. We're all on this learning journey together.
— Antoinette C. Student
Next steps ❋
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On successful completion of the programme, its examinations, and clinical training, students are awarded a Licentiate in Master Herbalism from Core College.
Graduates are eligible to join the Irish Association of Master Medical Herbalists in Ireland and the Association of Master Herbalists in the UK, the professional bodies for Master Herbalists in both jurisdictions.
Graduates are qualified to practise as herbal medicine practitioners: assessing patients, prescribing herbal medicines, and preparing and dispensing remedies in a clinical setting.
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Study fees are €4,350 per year. This includes full clinical training each year. An optional payment plan is available on request.
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The next course commences on the 21st of September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. You begin with Year 1, which leads to the Certificate in Herbal Studies, a complete qualification in its own right. After Year 1, you can apply to continue to Year 2. After Year 2, you can apply to continue to Years 3 and 4. Each stage is a decision you make when you are ready.
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Yes. No prior knowledge of herbal medicine, nutrition, or anatomy is required. The programme is designed to take you from the beginning. What matters most is genuine interest and a willingness to commit to the work.
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All academic learning is online, including video lectures, podcasts, written materials, and guided discussion forums. You study at your own pace, with no fixed class times. In-person attendance is for clinical training only, at our clinic in Castlecomer and at Maynooth Campus.
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We recommend planning for around 1.5 to 2 hours of focused study per day, five days a week. This is a guideline, not a rigid schedule. There are no live sessions you must attend at a specific time. That said, this is a serious programme, it rewards consistent engagement.
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Over the four years, you will complete approximately 600 clinical training hours, an average of twelve days per year at the Castlecomer clinic, plus two weekends per year at Maynooth Campus. Clinic days run from Tuesday to Friday, and you choose from available dates to suit your schedule.
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Yes. All academic learning is online, and clinical training can be arranged in concentrated visits to Ireland. We have had students from the US, the UK, and mainland Europe complete the programme. If you are considering enrolling from abroad, we are happy to discuss how the clinical schedule can be arranged to work for you.
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Graduates are eligible to join the Irish Association of Master Medical Herbalists in Ireland and the Association of Master Herbalists in the UK. These are the recognised professional bodies for Master Herbalists in both jurisdictions.
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Places are offered following a short interview, which can take place in person at Castlecomer or online. The interview is a conversation, not a test. Book a Discovery Call below, and we will arrange the next steps from there.
Book a Discovery Call
A 20-minute Discovery Call gives you the opportunity to ask questions, understand how the course works in practice, and get a clear sense of whether it is the right step for you.
Many students tell us that this conversation simply made the decision feel clear.
You can simply phone the college during office hours to arrange this or choose a slot in the calendar.
The phone number is +353 56 4440254.
Want to understand the full programme before you apply?
This 29-minute introduction covers the philosophy behind our approach to herbal medicine, the structure of the full four-year pathway, what clinical training looks like in practice, and what a career in herbal medicine can offer.