I'm right there with you in interest and wanting a distance learning course.

There is a university that offers a BS. I think it's Baylor and it gets into chemical structure and nutriceutical/cosmetic applications.

I am looking at the books by Rosemary Gladstar and I heard somewhere that she has a correspondence course.

V

 

Rosemary Gladstar's course is described in detail on her webste (sage mountain herbs?). It's $300 and I was thinking it might be possible to get these same skills and lessons through a variety of books? But I would be interested in any reviews. It certainly looks fun.
I've been researching this as well and haven't come up with anything that is my cup of tea. I barely have time for looking at stuff though so I don't think this is the right time for me to pursue it.

 

I thought I would first start with her books and then decide from there if I want to spend some serious money and time.

I've heard good things about her courses and I liked the excerpts of her books I read. Just need the money for the books.

V

 

I have learned a LOT from herbmentor.com I love that I can pay monthly...

 

I also belong to Herbmentor.com and it is an amazing resource. I am also taking Rosemary Gladstar's course and I am learning a huge amount. It is going to take me well over a year to get through the course, there is so much information to learn and process.

When looking for an herbal "school" beware of the ones that have a fancy certification and cost tons of money. There is one near me through a university that costs tens of thousands of dollars because you get a BS degree. Well, that degree in herbalism isn't going to mean anything to anyone else but me, and if I was hoping to start an herb career I probably wouldn't be any better off. There is no national herbalist certification right now, the FDA is cracking down on the public practice of herbalism. Also, what you learn in many of those courses is not necessarily more than what you might learn by starting at the beginning with the basics, several good books, a mentor, and a correspondence class.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinuviel_k I also belong to Herbmentor.com and it is an amazing resource. I am also taking Rosemary Gladstar's course and I am learning a huge amount. It is going to take me well over a year to get through the course, there is so much information to learn and process. When looking for an herbal "school" beware of the ones that have a fancy certification and cost tons of money. There is one near me through a university that costs tens of thousands of dollars because you get a BS degree. Well, that degree in herbalism isn't going to mean anything to anyone else but me, and if I was hoping to start an herb career I probably wouldn't be any better off. There is no national herbalist certification right now, the FDA is cracking down on the public practice of herbalism. Also, what you learn in many of those courses is not necessarily more than what you might learn by starting at the beginning with the basics, several good books, a mentor, and a correspondence class.

I completely agree with you but just wanted to add that from what I researched a degree could get you into a cosmetics lab doing product research.

Not my goal, but just FYI for anyone else.

V

 

Awesome!

My first herb teacher (10 years ago) was a native woman. I learned SO much from her! Though she also taught with a host of other folks and was constantly introducing us to other teachers. My best advice is to find someone who does medicinal plant walks in your area to start. Or my (first) teacher also taught at the community college as well as through her own private school. That was how I initially found her!

I just started 2 courses this month through www.swsbm.com and so glad I did! They will take me until December to complete. It is very VERY good program. I have waited over 10 years to take it actually! My first teacher was a student of the late Michael Moore's too so I feel a strong connection in these courses to the way I initialy learned about medicinal plants and how I am continuing my path. Really it has come full circle for me and opening up a whole next chapter in my learning which is pretty amazing to me!

This May I will also be starting an intense 3 year community herbalist program (and will get a chance to study in Italy as well each spring)! I am sooooooo beyond excited!!!!!!!!!

Sure you don't need a degree but you WILL want training from something or someone other than books. Field work and clinical time is VERY important if you plan to become a practicing herbalist. I think it really comes down to what you plan to do with your training. Teach? Write? Practice?

I disagree fully that herbal degrees are not worth anything. Now for one you don't even need a degree to become a practicing herbalist. This fact alone makes an herbal degree to ME even more valuable. It says alot about a person willing to do it IMHO! (and not always that they just might have the money to blow on it) I also don't mean that negatively for someone who doesn't have the $$ to study at a fancy school. Fancy schools aren't necessary but not everyone has access to the same studies as there are really not a TON of herb schools. But I do think you will only get out what you get in. One can only learn so much from books too.. Maybe the herbal degrees are not worthwhile in academia circles but really that is not why herbalists pursue degrees/classes/certificates/certifications IMHO. If you are a body worker these course do count as CEC's though!

Rosemary Gladstar is retired from what I understand just an FYI as she is in my area (I know her school is running still but she is not the one teaching it though I's sure she wrote the curriculum).

There are many different schools and people to apprentice under so look carefully!

I am also a shiatsu practitioner so I would like to eventually study more about Chinese herbs (I studied TCM for 2 years) so I am also taking Michael Tierra's "East West" course next year as well as another course through www.naimh.com (and a few others believe it or not)in between so my plate is full up! and I absolutely love it! My goal is to learn from as many different herbalists as possible and NEVER stop studying.

I absolutely

herbmentor.com! The podcasts alone are worth the $10 per month! I also like the Herbwifery board too though it isn't really super active.. www.herbwifery.org

 

That's weird I just checked the Sage Mountain site and it says Rosemary IS the primary teacher. I swore she had retired from teaching there! Weird! So never mind me!!!!!!

 

I just rec'd Rosemary Gladstar's course (nought thru sagemountain.com and have started. I am so excited to be learning more thru her. It will probably take me about a year to get through. Her course states that her or one of her fellow herbalists that she trusts will mark our homework because it has gotten so big that she can't keep up with it herself. You also get a certificate upon course completion.

I also get the herbmentor's emails.