Certificate in Herbal Studies
Interest in traditional herbal medicine is growing once again, as people look for gentler, more natural approaches to health. It reflects a renewed respect for plant wisdom, traditional healing practices
Learn to work with medicinal plants, understand the body's capacity to heal, and build a foundation that can take you as far as you choose to go on your herbal path
Course Delivery
Blended learning through online study and practical clinical training
Duration
1 Year. Two structured terms
Start Date
21 September 2026. Enrolment now open
Fees
€4,350. Payment plan available
Start your journey into the fascinating world of herbal medicine.
The Certificate in Herbal Studies is a one-year programme that gives you a working knowledge of herbal medicine, natural healing, and vitalistic plant-based nutrition. It is a complete qualification in its own right, and the first step of a pathway that can take you all the way to professional practice, if you choose.
Most of our students are working adults: people with jobs, families, and full lives who have been drawn to herbal medicine for years and are finally ready to study it properly. The course is designed around that reality. All academic learning is delivered online.
In-person attendance is reserved entirely for clinical training in the college herbal clinic, and in the herbal dispensary
By the end of the year, you will appreciate how the body heals, how herbs work within that process, and how to use food, plants, and lifestyle as genuine tools for health. You will leave with a qualification you can use for yourself and your family. You will also have the option to continue to study to make herbal medicine your career.
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.
Practical Herbal Learning
From the beginning of the programme, students are welcomed into the living world of herbal medicine. First year is about watching, listening, asking questions and gradually understanding how herbal medicine works in real life.
Students spend time in the college clinic, dispensary and herb gardens in Castlecomer, and also attend two intensive training weekends at Maynooth.
In the clinic, they observe consultations and begin to see how practitioners approach each patient as an individual.
In the dispensary, they are introduced to the practical work of preparing, mixing and making up herbal remedies. In the gardens, they connect the plants they study with the medicines used in practice.
This gives first-year students a grounded and inspiring introduction to herbal medicine, helping them move beyond theory and begin to understand the profession from the inside.
150 Clinical training hours over two years
14 Days at Castlecomer clinic and gardens during the year
2 Training weekends during the one-year programme. These are held at Maynooth University Conference Centre
Course Format
The first year is designed to be manageable for students with busy schedules, while still providing a strong, structured introduction to herbal medicine.
Most of the academic learning takes place online, through video lectures, podcasts, written notes and guided discussion forums. There are no fixed class times or live online sessions, so students can study at times that suit them while keeping up with the daily rhythm of the course.
Students are supported throughout the year by a personal tutor, who guides the group learning, encourages discussion and answers individual questions. Students are part of a real cohort and are guided by an experienced practitioner.
“You are never studying alone; you are part of a cohort, connected to peers and guided by an experienced practitioner”
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 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 Castlecomer clinical training in a concentrated block of approximately three weeks, making it easier to plan travel and accommodation.
Three elements rarely offered in herbal education
A working clinic
Herbal students train in a real clinic (not online), observing and participating in live consultations. Each patient receives a remedy made specifically for them, not a standard formula. This is where theory becomes practice.
Certified 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. There is also a processing area allowing us to use what we grow directly in the clinic.
The dispensary
In this one-year programme, you will begin practical work in the dispensary, learning how to prepare tinctures, herbal teas, powders, and simple formulas by hand.
From the beginning, you will be introduced to the different parts of medicinal plants used in herbal practice, and how these are matched to the most appropriate method of preparation, such as infusions, decoctions, tinctures, powders, or other traditional forms.
Your herbal studies pathway…
This course is the first year of the Herbal Medicine Practitioner Training Programme. But you do not need to commit to four years to begin. Each stage of the programme is a complete qualification in its own right, and you choose how far you go.
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
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 and its assessments, students are awarded a Certificate in Herbal Studies by Core College.
Graduates are equipped to use herbal medicine, vitalistic nutrition, and natural healing principles in a personal and family 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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Yes. No prior knowledge of herbal medicine, nutrition, or anatomy is required. The programme is designed to take you from the beginning, whether you are entirely new to natural healing or have been reading about it for years. What matters most is genuine interest and a willingness to commit to the work.
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All academic learning is online, 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, which takes place 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, so if a day is missed, the material is always there to return to. That said, this is a serious programme, it rewards consistent engagement.
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In-person attendance is focused entirely on clinical training. Over the course of the year, you will complete approximately 150 clinical hours, an average of twelve days at the Castlecomer clinic, plus two weekends at Maynooth Campus. Clinic days run Tuesday to Friday, and you choose from the available dates to suit your schedule. Overseas students can complete their clinical training in concentrated blocks.
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Yes. All academic learning is online, and clinical training can be arranged in longer, concentrated visits to Ireland. We have had students travel from the US, the UK, and mainland Europe to complete the programme. If you are considering enrolling from abroad, we are happy to discuss how the clinical training schedule can be arranged to work for you.
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You will hold a recognised qualification from Core College and the skills to use herbal medicine and nutrition in a personal and family setting. If you wish to continue, you can apply to progress to Year 2, the Vegan Nutrition and Iridology Diploma, and from there to the full four-year Herbal Medicine Licentiate. There is no obligation to continue, and no decision needs to be made before you begin.
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Places are offered following a short interview, which can take place in person at Castlecomer or online via Zoom. The interview is not a test; it is a conversation. We want to make sure the programme is the right fit for you, and to answer any questions you have before you commit. Book a Discovery Call below and we will arrange the next steps from there.
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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. It is the most complete picture of what Core College is and what we teach.