Graduate Certificate in Herbal Studies

Now Enrolling for April 2010
View the complete program brochure.

Program Overview

Traditional people all over the world had a vast knowledge of their local plants, using them as allies to tend to their health through the changing seasons. Become empowered to care for yourself using herbs, food, and an increased awareness of the natural world.

Tai Sophia Institute’s Graduate Certificate in Herbal Studies combines modern, scientific knowledge with traditional wisdom, using the cycles of nature to guide the integration of herbs into daily life. The program will empower you with the basic knowledge and skills to support self care through the incorporation of herbs into food preparation and a healthy diet. The program’s emphasis on practical skills ensures that you will become familiar with the preparation of simple and useful herbal remedies and the application of herbs to daily life.

Delivered by an internationally recognized faculty, the Herbal Studies program is designed for anyone who has a keen interest in herbs, wellness, and self care. In particular, people with a background or interest in horticulture and gardening, public health and education, the environment and sustainability, culinary arts and nutrition, as well as parents and caregivers, will find the program both relevant and valuable.

The nine-month Herbal Studies program consists of four master’s-level courses offered in an executive format to accommodate working professionals. Situated just miles from the renowned Green Pharmacy Garden, Tai Sophia’s main campus offers an impressive herbal dispensary, library, and herb garden to support all of its academic programs in herbal medicine.

Program Outcomes

• Gain an understanding of the principles of a wellness-based model of health care and apply these principles in self care.
• Identify local herbs in the field, recognize raw materials, assess quality and manufacture simple herbal preparations.
• Understand the safe and appropriate use of a select number of herbs as dietary supplements within the framework of a wellness based model of health care.
• Recognize how human life is intertwined with the natural environment and affected by the changing seasons.
• Utilize herbs to support self care througout the year and incorporate herbs into food preparations as a way to provide daily wellness support.

Program Dates

ISci 632: Foundations of Health and Wellness
April 14-18, 2010

HRB 530: Fundamentals of Herbal Medicine: Past to Present & Soil to Clinic
May 15-16, 2010
June 19-20, 2010
July 24, 2010

HRB 655: Herbs and Wellness: Promoting Self-Care
July 25, 2010
August 15, 2010
September 25-26, 2010
October 23, 2010

HRB 618: Herbs for Home Use: Living in Harmony with the Seasons
October 24, 2010
November 20-21, 2010
December 18-19, 2010

Tuition and Fees

Application Fee: $50
Matriculation Fee (due upon acceptance): $100
Tuition: $500 per credit for a total program cost of $6000

Financial Aid

Federal Financial Aid is available for this program.  To apply for federal financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Tai Sophia Institute's school code for completing the FAFSA is G25784.  A limited number of scholarships are also available.  For additional funding options, such as private or alternative education loans, please contact the Director of Financial Aid John Gay, Jr., at ext. 6628 or .

Course Descriptions

ISci 632: Foundations of Health and Wellness

This course provides a context for a wide variety of studies relating to perspectives on wellness by introducing basic health philosophies, history of the current healthcare system, proposed health-care reform legislation, balance/imbalance in health, and the investigation of how these issues apply to an informed perspective on our current health-care system. Concepts of wellness and sickness are discussed, including the role that language plays in supporting wellness. The foundations of health and wellness are further examined focusing on the knowledge of the physiologic basis for wellness practices.

HRB 530: Fundamentals of Herbal Medicine: Past to Present & Soil to Clinic

This survey course begins by looking at the history and use of herbal medicine around the world. The course continues with a more focused look at the history of herbal medicine in the United States, up to and including current practices and regulations. The second part of this course familiarizes the student with the fundamental areas of study relevant to medicinal plants, providing an overview of field botany, harvesting and drying, herbal preparations, phytochemistry, phytopharmacology, and materia medica.

HRB 655: Herbs and Wellness: Promoting Self-Care

This course will focus on the integration of herbs into daily life. Particular emphasis will be placed on utilizing herbs in cooking and as a way to enhance nourishment. Other areas covered will include identifying and utilizing local weeds as well as cultivating garden herbs. Building on skills learned in “Fundamentals of Herbal Medicine,” techniques for drying, storage, and the transformation of herbs into various preparations for home use will be incorporated.

HRB 618: Herbs for Home Use: Living in Harmony with the Seasons

This course looks in-depth at approximately 30 herbs that are most appropriate for self care and use in the home. Taking a seasonal approach, the course will cover herbs, such as ginger, for winter use, and hibiscus for the summer. Each herb will be discussed in terms of quality assessment, traditional use, and modern research perspectives. Time will be spent tasting each herb and discussing incorporation into beverages and foods. Traditional herbal formulation will also be covered with a focus on creating seasonal blends.

Faculty

Elizabeth Bartlett, M.S., CNS
Jillian Borchard, M.S., RH(AHG)
Sharon Brewer, M.S.
Robert Duggan, M.A., M.Ac. (UK), Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)
James Duke, Ph.D.
Sara Eisenburg, M.S.
Camille Freeman, M.S., LDN, RH (AHG), CNS
Rosemary Gladstar
Jim Gordon, M.D., FACP
Paige Lescure, M.S., J.D., LL.M.
Tina Lightner-Morris, M.S., LCPC
Helen Metzman, M.S.
Andrew Pengelly, Ph.D., RH (AHG), FNHAA
Rebecca Snow, M.S., LDN, RH (AHG), CNS
James Snow, RH(AHG)
Kevin Spelman, Ph.D., RH (AHG), MCPP

To learn more about this dynamic and life-changing program, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at admissions@tai.edu or 410-888-9048 ext. 6647.