Diploma in Plant-Based Nutrition and Iridology
Iridology offers a fascinating way to observe constitutional patterns in the iris and consider how they may relate to a person’s overall health and vitality.
Learn to practise as a professional nutritionist and iridologist. This course provides a complete qualification in two years, and is the second step in the herbal medicine pathway, if you choose to continue.
Course Delivery
Online study and hands on in-clinic
Duration
2 Years. Four structured terms
Start Date
21 September 2026. Enrolment now open
Fees
€4,350. Payment plan available
Nourish the body's own capacity to heal
The Diploma in Plant-Based Nutrition and Iridology is a two-year programme that trains you to practise as a professional nutritionist and iridologist. It covers vitalistic, plant-based nutrition in depth and further explores Iridology as a clinical assessment tool, a non-invasive method of understanding a patient's health that is unique to this tradition of natural healing.
This diploma is a complete professional qualification in its own right. It is also identical to the first two years of the Herbal Medicine Practitioner Programme, which means that graduates who wish to continue can progress directly to Years 3 and 4 without repeating any study.
Most of our students are working adults. The programme is designed around that reality. All academic learning is delivered online, on your own schedule. In-person attendance is reserved entirely for clinical training.
Helen Begadon, Director at Core College, demonstrates an iridology consultation.
A diagnostic tool unlike any other
Iridology is the study of the iris of the eye as a map of the body's health. Vitalist Nutritionists and Herbalists use it as a non-invasive assessment tool to identify areas of the body that may need support, and to suggest a specific healing regimen for each patient.
What makes Iridology distinctive is its holistic approach. It acknowledges the mind-body connection as central to health, and it allows a practitioner to build a picture of a patient's constitution, not just their symptoms.
At Core College, Iridology is taught alongside plant-based nutrition and herbs.
The course is recognised by the Irish Institute of Iridologists, and graduates qualify for professional indemnity insurance.
Iridology and Nutrition in Practice
Building on the foundations of the first year, this two-year programme develops students’ ability to work more directly with patients. Through observation, dispensary work, time in the herb gardens, and supervised clinical experience, students begin to understand how herbal medicine, iridology, and plant-based nutrition are applied in practice.
The clinical focus is on patient observation, case discussion, communication skills, iris analysis, and learning to provide clear, practical dietary and natural-healing advice. This is supported by hands-on training in the college clinic, dispensary, and herb gardens in Castlecomer, as well as intensive training weekends at Maynooth.
By completing the two-year programme and the required case studies, students gain the skills needed to work as nutritionists and iridologists, offering dietary and lifestyle guidance based on iris findings and recommending suitable herbal products to support their patients.
Those who wish to continue can progress into the full professional herbal medicine training, where they learn to prescribe and dispense individual herbal remedies as clinical herbalists.
300 Clinical training hours over two years
14 Days at Castlecomer clinic and gardens during each year
4 Training weekends during the two-year programme. These are held at Maynooth University Conference Centre
Course Format of the Two year Programme
The two-year programme is designed for students who want a deeper, more applied training in herbal medicine, iridology and plant-based nutrition, while still studying in a flexible way. The 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 following the clear structure of the course.
Throughout the programme, each student is supported by a personal tutor who guides group learning, moderates online discussion and is available for individual questions. Although much of the study is online, students remain part of an active cohort, learning with others and supported 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 each year, making it easier to plan travel and accommodation.
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.
A complete qualification
and a stepping stone, if you choose
The Diploma is a standalone professional qualification. Graduates can practise as nutritionists and iridologists. Those who wish to continue can progress directly to Years 3 and 4 of the Herbal Medicine Practitioner 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
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 ❋
-
On successful completion of the programme and its assessments, students are awarded a Diploma in Iridology and Nutrition from Core College.
The course is recognised by the Irish Institute of Iridologists. Graduates qualify for professional indemnity insurance, allowing them to practise as nutritionists and iridologists in a clinical setting.
Students who wish to continue may apply to progress to Years 3 and 4 of the Herbal Medicine Practitioner Programme. There is no obligation to do so, and no decision needs to be made before you begin. -
Study fees are €4,350 per year. This includes full clinical training each year. An optional payment plan is available on request.
-
The next course commences on the 21st of September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
If you have already completed the Certificate in Herbal Studies at Core College, you can progress directly to Year 2. If you are new to Core College, you can enrol in the full two-year Diploma from the start, Year 1 is included in the programme.
-
Graduates are qualified to practise as nutritionists and iridologists in a clinical setting. You can take on clients, offer nutritional consultations, use Iridology as a health assessment tool, and recommend herbal products to support health and well-being. The Diploma qualifies you for professional indemnity insurance.
-
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.
-
Over the two years, you will complete approximately 300 clinical training hours, an average of fourteen 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.
-
Yes. The Diploma is identical to the first two years of the Herbal Medicine Practitioner Programme. Graduates who wish to continue can apply to progress to Years 3 and 4 without repeating any study. There is no obligation to continue, and no decision needs to be made before you begin.
-
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.
-
Places are offered following a short interview, which can take place in person at Castlecomer or online via Zoom. The interview is a conversation, not a test. Book a Discovery Call below and we will arrange the next steps from there.
-
Item descriptisda. dk,gda,gddw,jhgd djmfd jdwddewjfdfhjdwghjfddsdfsdfsfdsghjfdwghjfdfdfdwfon
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 natural healing, the structure of the full four-year pathway, what clinical training looks like in practice, and what a career in herbal medicine and nutrition can offer.