Naturopathy Courses

A healthy future for naturopaths

With the alternate health and natural food movement on the rise in Australia, the number of naturopath-related jobs has almost doubled in the past four years.  The figure is now at an all-time high and the government expects it to rise further over the coming years.

These TAFE and college short courses, certificates and diplomas offer you the best in nutrition education and nationally recognised qualifications.  You can find options to study online, in class, full time, or at your own pace.

Ready to help get Australia get healthy? Find the course that’s right for you.

Naturopathy Courses

Complementary therapies are steadily growing in popularity, with naturopathy at the forefront. Naturopathy is a natural medicine which focuses on treating the underlying cause of illness and disease through the assessment and treatment of the patient as a whole, not just their symptoms.

Complementary health therapists, such as naturopaths, use various therapies, techniques and practices to treat patients with physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs.  A naturopath’s role during this treatment is to educate the patient, discover the underlying issues, develop preventative practices and reduce the incidence of relapse.

A course in naturopathy will see you learning about diet and nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, flower essences and diagnostic techniques including iridology. Once qualified as a naturopath, you can work in a variety of settings including hospitals, private practices, community centres and clinics, as well as in education, media or as a corporate consultant.

Career Outcomes

A career in naturopathy has the potential to be extremely rewarding, flexible, and to fulfil a personal interest in wellness.  Within the field there are plenty of opportunities to expand, depending on the qualifications.

• Naturopath
• Naturopathic Practitioner
• Natural Medicine Practitioner
• Natural Therapist

Job Outlook for Naturopath Professionals

If you’re considering a career as a naturopath, here are some figures that will be relevant to you from the Australian Government Job Outlook Initiative:

• Complementary Health Therapists including Naturopaths have a relatively low proportion of full-time jobs (38.2 per cent).
• Average Salary: Naturopath: 58,000
• 49% of Naturopaths are female and working part-time

Types of Naturopathy Courses

To become a registered and nationally recognised Naturopath in the field of contemporary medicine, you will require a Bachelor degree.  There is, however, an Advanced Diploma, which is a practical course covering a range of natural healing disciplines including herbal medicine and nutrition, as well as plenty of TAFE certificates to increase your knowledge or fuel an interest.

Certificate IV

Certificate IV provides you with a basic understanding of the role of a naturopath, in specialised areas such as aromatherapy or kinesiology. This naturopath course gives students a foundational education of the history, theory and philosophy and can be undertaken for general interest or as a career pathway. Graduates of a Certificate IV can be employed as a natural therapists in health clinics, aged care facilities, private practices or hospitals. 

Advanced Diploma

Delivered in-class or online, the Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy provides you the knowledge of a range of contemporary therapies including nutrition, homeopathy, herbal medicine and flower essences.  This is an ideal naturopath course for those who want to increase a personal interest in contemporary medicine and sciences or for those wanting to move into their own practice. 

Undergraduate

An undergraduate level of qualification such as a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) sees graduates able to clinically assess, diagnose and treat patients through natural therapy methods of herbal medicine, homeopathy, diet and lifestyle advice. This is an in-depth course over a period of three years, full time, covering all the contemporary therapies including nutrition, herbal medicine, iridology and homeopathy. Generally there are minimal pre-requisites so applicants without experience in the field may apply. 

Naturopathy Courses Online

There are a range of naturopathy courses online to increase your knowledge and gain qualifications in the contemporary medicine field. The Bachelor and Diploma can be delivered partly online and in-class, however, industry standards are changing in regards to online learning and some associates may require a certain percentage of the course to be taken on-campus.

Is Naturopathy right for you?

A career in naturopathy can be incredibly rewarding and inspiring, providing the flexibility and work/life balance many desire.  A naturopath is responsible for educating and empowering others to achieve optimal health.

Rather than treating symptoms, a naturopath focuses on maintaining a state of overall wellness and preventing the development of illness and disease.  This role can be extremely satisfying – you’ll see clients shifting from feeling unwell or suffering from ailments to feeling the best they’ve ever felt. This people-centred health care system provides you the flexibility to treat clients according to their needs through a combination of natural approaches.

As a naturopath you also have plenty of opportunities to work as a self-employed practitioner in your own private clinic, or in settings such as health food shops, community centres or as a consultant.  Alternatively, you can work within a larger team in clinics and hospitals or as part of an educational team and in the media.

Whatever your choice in regards to employment, as a naturopath you are required to have excellent people skills, a level of compassion and a personal drive to make a profile for yourself as a natural practitioner.