Nature Care College

Sydney's well-known Nature Care College has certainly come a long way in the 31 years since running massage classes in an apartment at Bondi Junction. The College has just become the first and only private education provider in NSW to offer Degrees in Natural Therapies from its St Leonards campus.

From 2005, Bachelor Degrees in Naturopathy, Homoeopathy and Herbal Medicine will be offered alongside the many other certificate and diploma courses in various natural therapy disciplines that the College has long been famous for. "We see this initiative as a logical extension to an established trend," said Director Rodney Brennan, "We have seen other professions like Nursing and Chiropractic move towards degree status and see our degree programs, from a specialised institution such as Nature Care, as the way forward."

And these awards are not just designed to look good on a therapists' wall, as Brennan says, "While we have long maintained a reputation for training the best clinicians, now the College is able to offer our graduates opportunities for higher qualifications and research. We have been approached by a number of Australia's prestigious Universities toward setting up Honours and Masters programs."

Australia is generally regarded as a world leader in training Natural Therapists and Brennan says these new degrees will further support that reputation. In meetings with Tony Abbott Federal Minister of Health, the idea of a 'wellness model' towards a healthier Australia was brought up more than once. "I think these new degrees will further the credibility of a profession willing and keen to play a larger role in that kind of health care for this country" says Brennan.

A University Admission Index is not required to enrol in these degrees; offers are made based on maturity, an interest in the profession and a personal face to face interview to determine suitability. Degrees enable students to proceed more easily into postgraduate awards and are also well suited for those who are interested in a teaching or research focused career.

Bachelor of Naturopathy:
Naturopathy is a science and philosophy based on a non-surgery and non-drug approach to healing. Naturopathic practitioners work holistically with their clients to pinpoint causes and not just symptoms of disease. The Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy remains the base qualification in this field of study and the degree is a natural extension to this programme. Students are required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of clinic based training where they engage in observing and conducting consultations with clients under the supervision of an experienced practitioner. This degree can be completed either in a full time format which takes 4 years to complete or a flexible format where students can chose to study part time in the day or evening.

The College's existing diploma level qualifications continue to be recognised by all the major Natural Therapists Associations including the Australian Traditional Medicine Society, Complementary Medicine Association, National Herbalists Association of Australia and Australian Natural Therapists Association. In addition, the University of New England, Southern Cross University and Charles Sturt University all accept Nature Care College's higher-level qualifications for advanced level entry into their degree programs. Consequently, the degree awards are expected to further enhance Nature Care's standing with those bodies.


Bachelor of Homoeopathy:
Homoeopathy is a comprehensive holistic system of medicine using highly diluted remedies that aim to subtly enhance a person's well-being. The Bachelor of Homoeopathy may be studied in a minimum of 3 years full time. Subjects include Anatomy and Physiology, Holistic Counselling and Nutrition to name a few. There are a number of institutions who recognise qualifications from Nature Care College including the Australian Homeopathic Association, Australian Register of Homeopaths and the Australian Traditional Medicine Society in addition to the government agencies and universities aforementioned.


Bachelor of Herbal Medicine:
Herbal Medicine is the use of medicinal plants within a holistic healing context. The degree can be studied in a minimum of 3 years. Subjects include Pharmacology, Toxicology, Anatomy and Physiology to name a few. Existing qualifications in Herbal Medicine from Nature Care College are recognised by the Australian Traditional Medicine Society, Complementary Medicine Association, National Herbalists Association of Australia and the Australian Natural Therapists Association, in addition to the government agencies and universities listed above.


Enrolments for the degrees commence 11th November 2004 until 14th February 2005, subject to available places.

About Nature Care College:
Offering some of the most progressive areas of study in natural therapies worldwide, Nature Care College since its inception in 1973, is widely accredited by the profession, government agencies and industry alike. Its mission is to provide quality education in natural therapies for students from all over the world. Nature Care College is conveniently located at St Leonards. For more information visit www.naturecare.com.au or call (02) 9438 3333.