FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Hai ārahi i ā tātou mahi – to guide us in our work.
When can I expect to receive my Course once I have paid?
Once your specific order arrives via the www.herbaleducation.co.nz website link, both the website system and our office confirms your order. If your order is made by email or phone, again the order is confirmed. Once payment has been received your course material is then posted through NZ Courier Post, with a general delivery turnaround of 2-4 days. NZ postage fee is $12, rural $18.00.
Overseas enquiry – i.e Australia takes around 10 days with an additional postage fee of $25NZD.
All postal orders vary for delivery depending on the zone, area, or country purchased from.
Please contact us beforehand to receive a postal quote for your country.
For further enquires, email: janice@healthyoptions.co.nz
Are there any other costs involved?
Each Course purchased arrives as a complete study Workbook, with accompanying questionaire test paper, except the herbal and Diploma courses require test paper requests, when ready to sit. There are no further costs, or installmentsonce you have made your purchase. The chosen Course Workbook, once completed becomes your future reference hard copy literature. We find digital media less supportive and software can become outdated and online Courses become inaccessible over time. As writers of these Courses our philosophy is about making the Courses cost effective as possible for everyone, with a durability for future reference use. They are not AI written, or AI adapted, every Course is historic, researched with academic knowledge.
How long will my course take to complete?
Whilst our courses provide students with study guidelines, this is not set as a deadline, One can study at your own pace, in your own time, Each course has a general study guideline. These are as follows:
Healthcare Courses:
Basic Natural Healthcare Course – 6 weeks
Basic Nutritional Healthcare Course – 6 weeks
Homeopathic Healthcare Course – 8 weeks
Herbalism Courses:
Botanical medicinal education requires more involvement in personal time, with areas like brewing, growing, drying, all on a seasonal basis. Therefore determined study hours do vary, instead we provide study guidelines, not deadlines, as nature and seasons determines how long you spend on your studies.
Primary Traditional Herbal Certificate – 3-4 months
Senior Traditional Herbal Diploma – 5-6 months
Master Traditional Herbology Degree – 6-12 months
However, please note that these are only general guidelines and there is no set time limit for their completion.
Are the Courses online?
All our correspondence Courses are physical Workbook copies that are posted. There is no online study required, no computer required, however you can email a request for your Herbal Questionaire papers, but that must be completed by handwriting before posting to your tutor.
Are the courses NZQA accredited?
No, we are not affiliated, or are we a member of NZQA, our vision is different. We have a more holistic, community based education vision, focusing on -Taonga tiko iho – gods plants- natural medicine. The Herbal Education Centre mataurangā otaotā was established in 1985, before the Education Act of 1987. The New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA), as a membership organisation, was established 1991 and is a NZ Qualification only. However, the Herbal Education Centre stands first in law, in our own rongoā jurisdiction, under common law and as members of the New Zealand Health Education Association (NZHEA) and Health Promotion Forum of NZ. The Director is a registered natural health practitioner (NHPNZ) and Tohunā blessed.
Given the worldwide interest in traditional health and herbalism taonga tiko iho, God’s medicines, the Centre chose the World Health Organisation’s Traditional Medicine guidelines and the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Indigenous Educational Standards, all alongside WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Standards and Cultural Guidelines. As such our qualified students have an international standard and are able to act as practitioners and dispense under the NZ Medicines Act.
The Herbal Education Centre matauranga otaota has a ‘grandfather status’ under Common Law and tangata te whenua, the people of the land standing in their jurisdiction, and first by right law (lore), mainly due to the herbal education centre’s courses established before the 1987 Education Act Framework began.
In viewing the future of traditional medicine and herbalism we expanded our horizons and adopted the World Indigenous Commission guidelines, under the World Health Organisation’s indigenous educational standards, given that our tutors and director are Tohungā’s providing community based holistic wairua, hinengaro and tinana and rongoā educational training.
Upon stating that NZQA is only a NZ Qualification the NZQA’s legal response was: quote 30 August 2024: “NZQA oversees a New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF). NZQA does not issue international qualifications however, part of its function is to support comparisons with a other qualifications, national and international.”
Is my qualification covered under legislation?
Traditional heath practitioners and qualified rongoā herbalists have cover exemptions under the existing 1981 Medicines Act . The effect of the exemption allows qualified natural health practitioners and herbalists to be able to dispense natural medicines, rongoā herbs, following any consultation with the said practitioner.
Whilst there has been many regulatory proposals i.e the latest Therapeutic Products Act, none of these parliamentary processes have been passed, or altered the existing 1981 Medicines Act regulations, in regards to dietary supplements and herbal dispensing.
Natural health practitioners and herbalists operate under section 32 exemption?
People wishing to practice natural medicines may follow, within the context of the 1981 Medicines Act, provide care to a patient:
- Obtain any general sale medicine on behalf of a patient or for subsequent supply to a patient following a consultation with that patient.
- Prepare, blend or formulate a general sale medicine on behalf of a patient or for supply to a patient following a consultation with that patient.
- Label products supplied to the patient under the exemption with information regarding the intended therapeutic use, providing that the label meets the requirements of the Medicines Regulations 1984.
- Display information sheets pertaining to the therapeutic use of ingredients or blends of ingredients (but not products) but not claim or state a cure.
- Display any general sale medicine (providing it is not labelled with intended therapeutic uses) and add the label describing the therapeutic use of the product following a consultation.
- Advertise the services they provide as long as the advertisement does not breach restrictions in section 58 of the Medicines Act 1981 that relate to advertisements for methods of treatment.
- Provide specific information on a product to a patient providing that the information contained in it was discussed during a consultation with the patient.
Reclassified herbal dispensing
- Medicine Classification Committee (MCC) often review herbal products. Some of which over the years have been reclassified. Qualified traditional health & herbalists can continue to dispense any reclassified herbs that are on MCC’s restricted list such as Artemesia, Lobelia, Valerian, Devil’s Claw, White Willow https://hiralabs.co.nz/prohibited-herbs/. As no God given medicinal herb, especially those listed in the Bible, can be completely banned from dispensing use. Generally MCC’s concern is about manufactured product concerns.
Are the courses funded by WINZ?
WINZ funding has recently changed to Study Link funding under NZQA. However, NZQA courses do not cover medicinal herbal, homeopathic, traditional medicine or holistic qualifications.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, we do. Our philosophy of holistic principles enables us to offer low cost correspondence courses. Our goal is to make studying a full range of traditional medicine as accessible as possible by offering payment by installments as needed. Once the full amount of your course costs are paid off , you receive your study material. There are no extra fees when paying by instalments, simply phone, or email us beforehand to confirm.
Where can I purchase my herbal products from once qualified?
There are numerous companies supplying herbal tinctures, seeds, capsules and teas in NZ and overseas. Please contact us for such a current list.
What organisation can I join once qualified?
Once you have attained your qualification the practitioner body we recommend you join is SNTR (Society of Natural Therapies & Researchers). SNTR offers practitioners an Accreditation Qualification Certificate upon application acceptance and member status alongside your other qualifications. SNTR also provides a member website database accessible for the public when seeking a practitioner. Membership starts at $50.00 per year.
SNTR is the oldest natural therapy organisation in New Zealand. It is also an associated member of the Natural Health Practitioners New Zealand Association.
The national herb organisation that is open to everyone is the Herb Federation of NZ.
We also encourage students to join their local herb societies.
What is a ‘consultation’?
A consultation as such, is not defined in the Medicines Act 1981. Interaction between any practitioner and a patient is covered by the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers Rights 1996, under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994.
Are your courses available for New Zealand students only?
New Zealand citizens and those who hold residence visas, can enroll at any time. For other overseas queries, simply contact us to receive a shipping quote.
I have previous natural health qualifications/experience. Am I able to enroll for the NZ Senior Traditional Herbal Diploma rather than beginning on the Primary level?
If you have previous herbal qualifications, then with the tutor’s approval, upon viewing your certificates, you can go straight to the Senior Diploma Course. however we strongly recommend that you start with the NZ Primary Traditional Herbal Medicine Course, given the traditional historic and holistic content of our herb courses that builds upon each study level.
Taongā tiko iho – gods plants- natural medicine. This juristicion is 1st in time, best in Law – the Origin of Creation.
Nā mātou (noa), nā
Yours sincerely
Herbal Education Centre team
Don’t see your question answered here? Simply email: janice@healthyoptions.co.nz
