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Herbalism is the use of plants for therapeutic purposes to treat and prevent disease and promote health. Although today there are dedicated herbalism schools to train would-be herbalists, the practice of using plants as remedies is traditional in many cultures.
Whole medical systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine rely on herbal therapy for many of their treatments. Often, herbal medicines in the United States are derived from European or North American plants, but herbal practitioners may use medicinal plants from all over the world.
Herbalism Career Overview
Herbal therapy is practiced by a range of health professionals, from herbalists to chiropractors to naturopathic doctors. And with increasing numbers of patients interested in complementary therapies and dietary supplements, even conventional medical practitioners may seek out herbalism training to enhance their skill sets. A degree from an herbalism school may qualify you to become a physician or nurse, grow or manufacture herbs, study plants as an ethnobotanist, or teach others about herbal therapy.
The Herbal Therapy Profession
In the United States, an herbalist is a self-defined professional. Here are some herbalist career concentrations:
- Growing herbs
- “Wildcrafting” or picking herbs
- Manufacturing herbal products
- Teaching or counseling people about the use of herbs as medicine
- Supplementing another profession, such as naturopathic medicine, nutrition or chiropractic careers.
One branch of anthropology, called ethnobotany, studies the use of plants in other cultures, particularly their use as medicine. Ethnobotanists, who receive their training through the standard university system, have classified a number of medicinal herbs. Their work helps preserve the traditional folk medicine of indigenous people around the world. The American Botanical Council provides current ethnobotanical expeditions.
Training and Education
What You’ll Study in Herbalism School
Most herbal therapy training will include curriculum in botany and plant identification, pharmacology, human physiology, biochemistry, nutrition, the history and philosophy or herbalism, and issues of professional practice. Many herbal medicine schools also teach clinical skills such as assessment and recordkeeping.
Average Length of Study
To become a practicing herbalist, the American Herbalists Guild recommends a program of at least 1600 hours of study at a school of herbal medicine, including a 400-hour clinical requirement. Naturopathic physicians must complete a bachelor’s degree as well as a 4-year Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine [ND] program.
Average Tuition
Some basic distance learning programs in herbal therapy cost as little as $400 to $2,500. A full-time course of study may range from $5,000 to $15,000 per year. Naturopathic medical schools generally cost between $20,000 to $25,000 per year.
Herbalism Certification
Currently, 23 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands require licensing for naturopathic doctors. For graduates of herbalism school, there is no specific federal- or state-level regulation. However, if you work as a chiropractor or other health practitioner, you may have to meet licensing requirements for that field in order to practice. Membership in the American Herbalists Guild can grant an additional degree of professionalism, since guild members are required to complete a set of standardized educational requirements.
Herbalism Career Outlook
Practitioners with herbalism training can expect their skills to be in increasing demand. With more and more herbal medicines proven beneficial through scientific research—the development of the heart medicine digitalis from the foxglove plant being just one example—interest in herbal therapy is growing throughout the world. The World Health Organization reports that herbal medicines generate billions of dollars in revenue.
At this point in time, most herbologists or herbalists are self-employed. Here are a few herbal therapy career options:
- Run small manufacturing companies making herbal products
- Grow herbs for sale to manufacturers
- Own retail stores
- Counsel others about herbal products
There are also a few teaching positions available through the alternative medicine colleges. Some herbalists do go to work for other herbalists at the type of businesses listed above. To find these jobs, the most effective way is to network by attending the conferences of the various professional groups or by getting to know herbalists in your area. Very few of these positions are advertised through the standard means, such as through the Classifieds or the Web.
Is an Herbal Medicine Career Right for You?
The burgeoning field of herbal medicine offers a wide variety of career opportunities, whether you plan to find a job in research, academia or clinical practice. As a trained professional, you’ll perform the important work of ensuring that people use herbal medicines safely and effectively in conjunction with other medical treatments and lifestyle choices. If you’re interested in holistic natural therapies and traditional remedies, then herbal medicine school may be right for you.
Sources: American Herbalists Guild, University of Maryland Medical Center, HolisticOnline.com, Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges, World Health Organization, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
You’ve come to this article to better understand herbal certification [or the lack thereof!] and how it affects your journey toward becoming a professional herbalist. You see, here in the United States, there is not a federally recognized, licensed path for becoming a certified herbalist like there is for becoming a doctor, naturopath, or chiropractor and any school that claims you will be a “certified” or “master” herbalist upon graduation is stretching the truth. However, there are ways that you can gain a high-quality herbal education and become a trusted, registered herbalist with good standing.
As we mentioned above, there’s no such thing as federally or state-recognized herbal certification in the United States, and any school that claims you will be “certified” upon graduation is stretching the truth.
At the Herbal Academy, we award certificates of completion for all of our foundational programs and more in-depth herbal courses, which can be used on your path toward becoming a registered herbalist, but we do not claim that they will make you a certified herbalist. [Keep reading to learn more about this subtle but critical difference between a certified herbalist and a registered herbalist.]
Just because you can’t technically become a “certified” or “master” herbalist doesn’t mean you can’t still practice and receive payment for your skills. This is where things get a bit nuanced.
It’s illegal for herbalists to treat, cure, or prescribe – only licensed medical practitioners like doctors and naturopaths can do that. However, thanks to free speech and the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, herbalists can educate clients on how to use healthful food, lifestyle practices, and herbs to support wellness and correct imbalance so the body can heal itself.
So how does this translate to real life? As a practicing herbalist, for example, you cannot legally diagnose a client with diabetes and then prescribe insulin or herbs. However, you can meet with a client who is already diagnosed with diabetes and educate them about various herbs that may help balance their blood sugar in conjunction with their doctor-recommended treatment plan. Do you see the difference?
If you choose to study herbalism with the intention of becoming a professional herbalist, then this topic will be covered in much greater depth throughout your studies, so don’t worry if you don’t understand all the nuanced details right now. The main takeaway here is that a title like Certified Herbalist or Master Herbalist doesn’t make you any more or less qualified to practice herbalism—and it doesn’t give you any legal protection, either. Don’t pay extra to attend a program that promises “herbal certification” because it doesn’t technically exist.
This is where your journey splits into three different roads, and you’ll need to decide your ultimate destination before selecting which road to walk down.
If you want to own [or work in] an herbal clinic, then you may want to consider taking the steps to become a peer-reviewed Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild. This registration is not required to practice and it is not a legal designation, but it is a wonderful way to establish a recognized level of expertise by your peers and affirm your commitment to the ethical practice of herbalism.
After becoming a registered herbalist, you can use the acronym “RH [AHG]” after your name, which stands for “Registered Herbalist [American Herbalists Guild],” and you will be included in the organization’s trusted Registered Herbalists Database.
To apply, you will need to complete each of these steps:
- Gain at least 800 hours of botanical medicine education, independent study, or a combination of the two [your Herbal Academy courses can go toward this educational requirement]
- Document at least 400 hours of clinical experience, including 300 hours of direct client contact
- Complete a written examination
- Provide case studies and letters of recommendation from herbal teachers or colleagues
If your herbal dreams involve making and selling herbal products, opening an herb store, growing herbs for the market, tending to your personal health and family’s wellbeing, or any other type of herbal living that does not involve working directly with clients in a clinical setting, then you might not even want to become a registered herbalist.
The vast majority of herbal business owners have pieced together their herbal education through online courses, local apprenticeships, and hands-on experience. Like their grandmothers and grandfathers before them who lovingly pressed homemade elixirs into the hands of friends and family members, they’re not “certified” or “registered.” They have, however, taken the time to learn their craft, hone their skills, and pursue the various types of herbalist training needed to share their wisdom safely and effectively.
If this road speaks to you, then you may be interested in our Foundational Herbalism Courses to understand herbalism basics, safety, time-tested recipes, and more, or our Business Herbal Course or more in-depth Entrepreneur Herbalist Path Package, which both include trusted guidance about the rules, regulations, and specific details of starting your own herbal business.
Learn more about our Business Herbal Course
If accreditation is important to you, and you want the freedom to diagnose, treat, and prescribe treatment options to patients, then you will want to explore the path of becoming a licensed medical practitioner.
Attending medical school is a large investment in both time and money; however, you may be qualified for financial assistance, scholarships, or even the GI bill benefits and 529 college funds!
Keep in mind that just because you study herbalism at an accredited university does not mean you’ll receive an herbal certification, either. However, you can pair your herbal education with training for a licensed profession, like naturopathic medicine or chiropractic, to bring an herbal lense to your practice.
A few accredited universities that offer supplementary paths in herbal education are:
Whichever road you decide to take, we encourage you to fact-check all your herbal resources to be sure you receive the quality education you deserve. Don’t hesitate to contact herbal organizations with questions. Review the American Herbalists Guild’s Guidelines for Getting an Herbal Education. Read online testimonials of courses and schools. Talk with the teachers behind online programs you are looking into. Listen to your instincts and follow your heart if a school or program makes you feel excited, inspired, and seen.
As you continue to nurture your herbal education, you can always explore new paths as they open to you. We offer a variety of short online herbalism courses, which serve as inspiring, concise introductions to a wide variety of herbal niches that you may like to explore, like botany, foraging, product development, and more! Like all things, your herbal interests may grow, expand, and change with time, which means all the more avenues to explore and enjoy!
Still have questions? You can get in contact with our team any time with questions or for more information about the Herbal Academy, and we’re always happy to help students explore the exciting possibilities ahead.
More Resources for Becoming an Herbalist:
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