Bachelor of Science in Herbal Sciences
The department's mission is to inspire students and colleagues to carry forward the traditions and enrich the knowledge of botanical medicine with integrity.
The vision is to facilitate learning about plants and plant-centered medicine, guiding students to apply this knowledge toward growing, harvesting, manufacturing, and clinical practice. The inclusive range of knowledge runs from traditional wisdom to contemporary scientific information, emphasizing critical and creative thought and discovery.
The Bachelor of Science in Herbal Sciences is designed to provide a thorough, scientifically rigorous and inspiring exploration of herbalism and its applications. The herbal sciences degree curriculum does not include diagnosis and treatment of disease but introduces the student to concepts of disease prevention and health maintenance using medicinal herbs. The curriculum addresses economic, historical, and sociopolitical perspectives regarding herbal sciences. Additionally, issues related to herbal product manufacturing and quality assurance/quality control introduce the analytical aspects of herbs and herbal products. This program offers a substantial breadth of perspectives and approaches in the herbal sciences.
The program is based upon scientific inquiry in the herbal sciences. Students take courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Botany during the first year of this program. Beginning in the first year, and heavily concentrated in the second year, are courses exploring various aspects of the herbal sciences. Introduction to Herbal Sciences, Plant Identification, Herbal Medicine History and Traditions, and Herbal Preparations lay a foundation in the junior year. In Research Methods for Herbal Sciences, students learn to interpret scientific literature on medicinal herbs. In Ethnobotany and Northwest Herbs, the door opens to the connection between people and plants in indigenous cultures, old and new. The senior year includes Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, and Herb/Drug Interactions, and the Materia Medica series, deepening the knowledge base. First Aid for Herbalists lends hands-on experiences and the Horticulture series, which runs through both years of the program. In additional courses, students become familiar with environmental, economic, and political issues surrounding the herbal sciences. There are electives available that cover many topics including diverse field courses.
Additionally, students must complete an 88-hour practicum with herbal manufacturers, herb growers, wildcrafters, practitioners, or researchers. Upon completion of this program, each student is uniquely qualified to enter the herbal industry, enter a clinically based program, or pursue further education in a related field.
Expected Program Outcomes
Following are the learning objectives for students in the herbal sciences program:
- Identify most used medicinal plants utilizing botanical, organoleptic, and analytical methods of identification, and identify their medicinal indications and actions.
- Convey understanding of current political issues and trends pertaining to the herbal industry as well as the history of traditional use of herbs in medicine.
- Produce commonly used herbal preparations and discuss their potential in medicinal applications.
- Analyze herbal products using knowledge of pharmacognosy and Quality Assurance Quality Control (QAQC) test methods and apply this analysis to potential research applications.
- Develop sound foundations in the sciences that prepare the student for science-based industry or graduate-level study, such as ethnobotany, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, clinical graduate work, research, herbal product development, and QAQC, bulk herb supplier, or herbal agriculture.
- Exhibit knowledge of safety parameters for use of medicinal plants.
Admissions
Minimum Requirements
To be admitted to the herbal sciences program at Bastyr University, transfer students must meet the following criteria:
- Complete 90 quarter (60 semester) credits from a regionally accredited college or university or its equivalent (only courses with a grade of C or higher are transferable),
- Achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and prerequisite GPA of 2.0.
- Complete the general education and major-based prerequisite courses.
Undergraduate transfer students who complete one of the following transfer degrees will satisfy the general education requirements:
- Associate of Arts (AA)
- Associate of Science (AS)
- Direct Transfer Associate (DTA) [WA state]
- Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) [CA state]
- California State University Breadth [CA state]
- Associate Degree for Transfer [CA state]
Note: Technical degrees, such as Applied Science degrees, will not automatically satisfy the general education requirements. They will be reviewed on a course-by-course basis.
Major-Based Prerequisite Courses
General Cell Biology w/lab (for science majors)
|
1 course
|
General Chemistry w/lab (for science majors)
|
2 courses |
College Algebra
|
1 course |
General Education Requirements
To see examples of general education courses, please see General Admissions for Undergraduate students.
Arts and Humanities
|
5 courses
|
English and Composition
|
2 courses |
Other Courses
|
3 courses |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences |
5 courses |
| General Psychology |
1 course |
Public Speaking
|
1 course |
Other Courses
|
3 courses |
| Natural Science and Mathematics |
5 courses |
Major-Based Prerequisite Courses (see list)
|
4 courses |
Other Course
|
1 course |
| General Electives |
3 courses or more |
| TOTAL |
90 quarter/60 semester credits
|
Basic Sciences Curriculum within Herbal Sciences
Basic science courses within the herbal sciences program include Anatomy and Physiology, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Disease Processes. These courses serve as a foundation for an understanding of the human body and provide students with the necessary skills and competency to pursue coursework in their chosen field.
The basic sciences faculty encourages and expects students to advance beyond the simple learning of scientific facts and to integrate systematically the information from basic science disciplines into a unified model of human organization and function. Problem solving, clinical cases, and examples are an integral part of the basic science curriculum.
Graduation Requirements
Upper-division Bachelor of Science students enrolled at Bastyr University must complete at least 180 credits (inclusive of credits transferred into Bastyr). To graduate, Bachelor of Science students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA with a minimum of 45 credits in residence at Bastyr University.
The curriculum tables that follow list the tentative schedule of courses each quarter.
Junior Year (Year I)
Fall
| BC3123 | Organic Chemistry for Life Sciences Lecture/Lab | 6 |
| BC3161 | Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lecture/Lab | 3 |
| BO3107 | Botany 1 | 2 |
| BO3108 | Introduction to Herbal Sciences | 3 |
| BO3123 | Plant Identification 1 | 1 |
| BO3124 | Horticulture 1 | 0.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15.5 |
Winter
| BC3162 | Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lecture/Lab | 3 |
| BC4117 | Biochemistry for Life Sciences 1 Lecture/Lab | 5 |
| BO3115 | Herbal Medicine History and Traditions | 2 |
| BO3116 | Botany 2 | 2 |
| BO3127 | Plant Identification 2 | 1 |
| BO3128 | Horticulture 2 | 0.5 |
| BO4102 | Research Methods for Herbal Science | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15.5 |
Spring
| BC3163 | Anatomy and Physiology 3 Lecture/Lab | 4 |
| BC4140 | Biochemistry for Life Sciences 2 | 4 |
| BO3114 | Herbal Preparations | 3 |
| BO3125 | Ethnobotany and Northwest Herbs | 3 |
| BO3129 | Plant Identification 3 | 1 |
| BO3130 | Horticulture 3 | 0.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15.5 |
Senior Year (Year II)
Fall
| BC4114 | Disease Processes | 4 |
| BO4111 | First Aid for Herbalists | 2 |
| BO4119 | Pharmacognosy for Herbal Sciences | 2 |
| BO4122 | Test Methods for Botanical Authentication | 2 |
| BO4145 | Materia Medica 1 for Herbal Sciences | 4 |
| BO4153 | Horticulture 4 | 0.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14.5 |
Winter
| BO4100 | Herbs and Food | 3 |
| BO4121 | QAQC Quality Assurance/Quality Control | 3 |
| BO4146 | Materia Medica 2 for Herbal Sciences | 4 |
| BO4154 | Horticulture 5 | 0.5 |
| BO4156 | Pharmacology and Herb/Drug Interactions | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 14.5 |
Spring
| BO4147 | Materia Medica 3 for Herbal Sciences | 4 |
| BO4150 | Herbal Science Research Applications | 1 |
| BO4152 | Business and Law for Herbal Sciences | 1 |
| BO4155 | Horticulture 6 | 0.5 |
| BO4802 | Herbal Sciences Practicum | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8.5 |
Total Requirements
| Total Core Course Credits |
84 |
| Total Elective Credits1 |
6 |
| Total Requirements |
90 |
1Four elective credits must be in Botanical Medicine field classes.
Curriculum and course changes in the 2024-2025 Bastyr University Catalog are applicable to students entering during the 2024-2025 academic year. Please refer to the appropriate catalog if interested in curriculum and courses required for any other entering year.