The Certificate of Clinical Herbology marks the completion of the 36-month program of Jade Forest School of Herbology and serves as an endorsement by our faculty of the graduate’s readiness for clinical practice. 

Students must understand that as of the publication of this FAQ, no national licensure or certification is available for herbalists in the United States. Neither Jade Forest School of Herbology, nor its faculty or staff, make any claim to provide any such certification or licensure. In the U.S. clinical herbalists are essentially consultants who advise clients on herbal and dietary strategies. As with any consultant, they are typically hired based on skill, knowledge, and reputation.

• Basic Statistics
• Algebraic Dimensional Analysis / Conversion Factors
• Laboratory Safety
• FDA Good Manufacturing Practices
• Introduction to Pin Yin (Mandarin) pronunciation
• Introduction to Botanical Latin pronunciation
• Clinical Research Techniques
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Pathophysiology
• Traditional Chinese Herbal Sciences
• Materia Medica (Detailed Herbal Studies)
• The Art and Science of Herbal Formulation
• Formulas of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Herbal Medicine-Making Techniques
• Basic Botany and Plant Anatomy
• Food Energetics and Nutrition
• Plant Chemistry
• How to be a Clinician
• Dispensary Management
• Herb Safety, Toxicity, Contraindications, Interactions
• Basic Pharmacology
• Clinical Ethics / Legal Issues

On average students should be willing to commit 10 hours a week study time, plus 2-4 hours of class time. Classes typically occur twice per week for 1-2 hours. A detailed syllabus is provided upon enrollment.

A new 36-month term begins on the first Tuesday of each month. 

Tuition

$7200  for 36-month program – if paid in monthly installments of $200.

OR

$6,000 for 36-month program – if paid in full at time of enrollment.

Please Note: Listed tuition prices are dependent upon the student successfully completing the Clinical Herbology Program in 36 months. In the rare event that a student takes longer than 36 months to complete the program, additional tuition will be required at a rate of $200 per month.

Books / Supplies

$600 (approx.) for books for the entire program. provided you are comfortable with some rentals and used books. Otherwise, cost will be more. Note: this is just an estimate.

$200 – $300 (approx.) for Lab / medicine-making supplies for the entire program. Note: this is just an estimate.

A schedule will be provided upon enrollment denoting which books, lab supplies, and herbs are needed and by what deadline. Not all are needed right away.

Payment Methods

Acceptable payment methods include major credit cards, check, or cash. Some cryptocurrency payment options are available upon request. All tuition payments are non-refundable.

For students choosing installments, no credit check is required. Payments of $200 must be made by the first Tuesday of each month. If payment, or approved payment arrangement, has not been made by this day, the student will be subject to academic suspension until payment can be made. All tuition payments are non-refundable.

In addition to tuition fees, students will be required to purchase all required books for the program. A schedule will be provided denoting which books are needed and by what deadline. The average estimate of book costs for the entire program– provided books are purchased from Amazon in used condition or rented where possible–comes to approximately $600. Note, this is just an estimate.

Yes. A list of herbal medicine-making supplies will be provided by lab instructor during orientation. Students will be required to have these on hand as needed. We recommend students budgeting approx. $200-$300 for Lab / medicine-making supplies. Note: These are just estimates.

Students must have regular access to a computer with…

• 2 GHz processor or faster
• High-speed Internet connection of 1.5 Mb/s or better
• 4 GB RAM or greater
• 64 GB system storage or larger
• Built-in or external speakers. Hard-wired or Bluetooth speakers are acceptable.
• A word processing program – Microsoft Word (Windows) or Pages (Mac)

The following breaks are included in the 36 month program.

• Thanksgiving – Last week of November (1 week)
• Winter Break – Last week of December and first week of January (2 weeks)
• Spring Break – First week of April (1 week)
• Summer Break – First 2 weeks of July (2 weeks). 

Important Note: Students are not eligible for spring and / or summer breaks if the breaks occur within 2 months of program start date. 

Yes. Student may request up to 2 weeks time off for personal / sick leave. This will not affect the program length of 36 months. Students must speak to an instructor to arrange this time. In the event of sickness, students are expected to contact the instructor no later than 2 hours prior to scheduled meetings or class times. 

Note: Class and meeting attendance is mandatory. It is the students responsibility to coordinate with the instructor to reschedule / make-up classes or meetings missed due to personal or sick leave. 

No. This is a rigorous program which closely follows a syllabus. Pacing is based on the ideal amount of time required to successfully learn and retain the information and skills.

At this time we do not.

No. We are a non-accredited, independent learning institution.

These situations are taken on a case-by-case basis. Contact a faculty member to discuss options.

Students are expected to communicate clearly in writing and during conversations with Jade Forest School of Herbology faculty and staff. If English is not students’ native language, they may be required to submit proof of a qualifying score on the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language.

Jade Forest School of Herbology is a competency-based school. It is up to the sole discretion of the instructors as to whether a student is meeting the requirements for competency and graduation. Wherever possible students will be given the opportunity to redo assignments and prove their academic competency.

There are three levels of grade:

(X) Does not meet expectations (X – Needs Improvement)

(C) Meets Expectations (C- Competent)

(E) Exceed Expectations (E- Exemplary)

If a student receives a grade of “X ” / Does not Meet Expectations” on an assignment, project, or subject, they will be given up to three attempts to correct the problem(s) and achieve competency. If a student is unable to achieve competency after 3 attempts in any given subject, they will be put on academic suspension and potentially released from the program. 

Students who leave the program prior to completion will not be granted a certificate of completion, regardless of previous tuitions paid or work completed. No tuition refunds will be issued.

The syllabus is designed to be completed in 36 months and follows a class schedule closely. If for some reason student becomes delayed in their work, thereby extending the program length, they will be expected to pay tuition of $200 per month for any additional months.

Students based in Billings, Montana USA, or willing to relocate to there, may choose to apply for an apprenticeship with Jim and Stephanie Nymeyer at Jade Forest Wellness. Only a limited number of students will be selected for this program. In addition to the Jade Forest School of Herbology didactic requirements, apprentices will be required to commit an additional 2 hours per week for hands on training and projects at Jade Forest Wellness / Jade Forest Botanicals in Billings, Montana, USA. Interested parties may ask an instructor for application details.