Core College
Study Nutrition and Iridology
Explore vitalistic, vegan nutrition, and discover the extraordinary assessment tool of Iridology
Vegan Nutrition and Iridology Diploma
Course Delivery
Online with Site Based Clinical Training
Duration
2 Years
Start Date
February 2025
The Diploma can be completed in two years and equips the graduate to practise as a professional Nutritionist and Iridologist using Iridology as the health assessment tool.
Apply NowThe Programme.
The Diploma, being identical to the first two years of the herbal medicine programme, can be completed in two years and equips the graduate to practise as a professional Nutritionist and Iridologist.
Vitalist Nutrition is entirely plant-based nutrition, with a focus on living food, i.e., foods which are uncooked and eaten while they are as near to their wholesome state as possible. This kind of nutrition allows the body to detoxify food and chemical pollutants and to access a broad range of essential nutrients to support the body's efforts to heal itself.
Vitalist Nutritionists also use Iridology as their health assessment tool. It is used to suggest a particular diet and healing regime for each patient. This assessment tool points to the key areas of emotional and physical health of a person that may need attention, and suggests specific methods of treatment. Iridology is unique among assessment tools, in that it facilitates a very holistic approach that acknowledges the centrality of the mind-body connection in healing.
Most participants in this course are mature people, often in full-time employment, raising a family, or both. With this in mind, the academic content is delivered entirely through online learning, allowing for the face-to-face experiences of the student to be entirely dedicated to clinical training.
Clinical Training
The college places great emphasis on clinical training, and the course is essentially built around the apprenticeship model. Clinical training is currently provided by the college at its busy herbal clinic at the Old Rectory in Portlaoise, as well as in the Maynooth University Conference Centre.
Clinical training is by far the most important component of any professional training in medicine or natural healing. It allows the student to experience the reality of working in a clinical setting and to encounter a broad range of patient cases.
Alongside clinical training at the college clinic, students attend workshop-style clinical training at Maynooth University Conference Centre. These take place over two to three weekends each year.
Clinical training also includes a proportion of hours offered in the herbal gardens at the new college premises, located in the old convent in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny.
On completion of the first two years and 300 hours of clinical training, students can be awarded a Diploma in Vitalistic Nutrition and Iridology.
They can also use the herbal knowledge they have gained to recommend herbal products available in health food stores to their patients.
If students wish, they can continue and complete the next two years of the Herbal Medicine Practitioner Training in order to be qualified to prepare and dispense herbal medicines and also practise as a Master Herbalist.
Course Format
The Vitalist Nutrition and Iridology Diploma is part-time in terms of attendance. In terms of study, however, it is equivalent in commitment to a full-time course.
The academic content of the course is entirely delivered online. The course is designed with the maximum use of online resources, including podcasts, videos, and discussion forums. Students are assigned a personal tutor who is in charge of moderating student groups and online activities and is always available to deal with students' queries. This helps the student to feel part of the larger academic community and to be in touch with other students on a daily basis.
Because of the online nature of the course delivery, attendance at the school's clinic, at the conference centre in Maynooth, and in the herbal gardens at the convent in Castlecomer, is dedicated to the completion of the 300 clinical training hours required by the programme.
Each academic year, a student is required to attend an average of twelve days in the college clinic in Portlaoise, with a possible two days in the herb gardens, and three weekends in Maynooth University Conference and Accommodation Centre. Overseas students who travel a long distance can attend in two blocks of clinical training, which take place directly before or after the Maynooth University weekends.
Module Schedule
First Year
Second Year
Qualification
On successful completion of the course and examination students will receive a Diploma in Iridology and Nutrition from The Irish School of Herbal Medicine. The course is also recognised by The Irish Institute of Iridologists Graduates will qualify for professional indemnity. Please note that this programme is the same as the first two years of the Herbal Medicine Licentiate and students can continue their studies to complete the herbal course in the following two years if they so wish.
Application Procedure
To register for a place on the course, applicants should first arrange an interview with the Course Director. Places are allocated based on this interview/discussion, during which students can also have further questions answered.
To progress with this process, please complete the online application form below.
Fees
Study fees are €3,850 per year. This includes full clinical training each year. An optional payment plan is available on request.
Start Date
Courses start twice yearly. The next course commences in February 2025.
