Unit description
Introduces students to herbal medicine, based on the study of the European herbal tradition as it originated in ancient Greece. It covers the historical and philosophical framework of Western herbal medicine, its language and modern application. It also provides an introduction to the manufacture of herbal preparations.
Unit content
- The philosophical tradition of western herbal medicine
- Introduction to a wide variety of herbals
- Scope and limitation of application of herbs: domestic, naturopathic and pharmaceutical uses
- Ecological considerations with regard to use of medicinal herbs
- Current political context for herbalists and relevant legislation
- Place of traditional knowledge and modern scientific research in herbal medicine
- Language of herbal medicine and the historical context of its utilisation
- Materia medica of selected herbs
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
Learning outcomes and graduate attributes
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | GA1 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | explain the historical and philosophical basis of Western herbal medicine | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | |||||
| 2 | use and apply the language of herbal medicine | Knowledge of a discipline | Communication and social skills | |||||
| 3 | explain a variety of approaches to herbal medicine in the Western tradition | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | |||||
| 4 | describe herbs of the materia medica according to therapeutic groups | Knowledge of a discipline | ||||||
| 5 | describe the characteristics and significance of both traditional herbal knowledge and modern scientific research in phytotherapy | Intellectual rigour | ||||||
| 6 | critically evaluate a variety of sources of available herbal information | Intellectual rigour | ||||||
| 7 | apply common laboratory methods and techniques to the manufacture of herbal preparations. | Intellectual rigour | Knowledge of a discipline | |||||
Prescribed texts
Session 2
- Foster, S & Johnson, R, 2005, Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicines, National Geographic, Washington DC.
- Tobyn, G, Denham, A & Whitelegg, M, 2011, The Western Herbal Tradition, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, Edinburgh.
Teaching and assessment
Lismore
| Teaching method |
| Seminar 3 hours (10 weeks) |
| Laboratory session 6 hours (2 weeks) |
| Assessment | |
| Exam: closed book | 50% |
| Quiz | 20% |
| Essay and Annotated Bibliography | 30% |
| Participation | SR |
Fee information
Domestic
Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.
Commencing 2014 Commonwealth Supported only. Student contribution band: 2
Fee paying courses
For POSTGRADUATE or UNDERGRADUATE full fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees
International
Please check the international course and fee list to determine the relevant fees.