As I mentioned we learned a lot from our interview with Ciaran the the 4th year Herbal Science student, (check out the link to see our interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0CPLGCztmQ) so I said I'd pass on the info for anyone in the year interested.
As I also mentioned in a previous blog (rant) about Medicinal Herbalism a two year Masters in Clinical Studies was envisioned to follow our course, leading to practitioner status, but due to EU regulations at present HETAC is not validating courses in complementary therapies and it depends what happens with their consultation process which should be finished next spring what will happen. However the Irish College of Phytotherapy has been set up to administer and run a a "Bridging Training Programme in Western Medical Herbalism" being run for Graduates and Students of the BSc (Hons) in Herbal Sciences at Cork Institute of Technology.
The important thing about this course is the quality of training and that it enables you to join a professional organisation and practice. The Irish Register of Herbalists has agreed to accept those who successfully finish the training. Also, the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy have said that they will also accept applications of graduates, once they have suitable references.
The training programme consists of three elements:
Lecture/ Seminar blocks. These can be attended by students in the 3rd and 4th year of their degree programme as well as graduates.
This allows students to get the credits for this part of the training. Such students would be able to be signed off for those credits and to carry out the second and third elements either during college breaks or upon graduation. The lecture blocks will be held out of term time to enable such students to attend without detracting from their degree.
(Lecture blocks will also be open to herbal practitioners as CPD; this means that students gain additional exposure to practising herbalists during their training).
Self directed study following a carefully designed study plan to guide students through this element of learning. This will be assessed by continuous assessment consisting of a study portfolio and some long essays. It is felt that, by this stage of training, multiple examinations are not needed as a form of the assessment. Assessments will be designed to allow the student to display the ability to synthesise together the different strands of their learning to formulate a diagnosis and treatment plan. Students will be expected to include relevant elements of their undergraduate training such as nutrition, pathophysiology, materia medica etc with the information delivered in the lecture blocks.
Students in 3rd and 4th year of BSc in Herbal Science should note that the self-directed study element may be postponed to be completed out of semester time or after graduation; such students just need to notify the Course administrator of their intention to do so and indicate the time frame that they intend to follow.
I'll also set up a meeting with Nikki Darrell who is one of the course co-ordinators in the new year if anyone has questions.
I hope this is of some interest to the class :)
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