Herbal Foundations

• Does this course come with a certification?
• How is it free?
• How do we ask a question about the course material?
• Is there closed captioning for the videos?
• How many hours is this course?
• Do I need prior herbal experience?
• Is this course self-paced?
• Do I have to complete everything in order?
• Can I use this course toward hours for other herbal schools?
• How long do I have access to the course?
• General technical troubleshooting
• What other free courses do you offer?

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Does this course come with a certification?

• YES! Starting this year, we are now offering a certificate of completion at the end of the course. But first, a little background: ‘Herbal Certification‘ does not exist in the United States at either a federal or state level of qualification. Since there is no set standard for certification, anyone can simply print out a certificate and insta-presto, you are a ‘certified‘ herbalist.
• Here at Herbalista, we feel that a certificate should stand for something and so we are offering a Certificate of Completion to folks after they finish the course and can demonstrate they have engaged with the activities and hopefully digested the information. We will ask folks to do the following to receive a certificate:
  • pass the final exam with a 70% or higher
  • submit a portfolio of Herbwork. You can find all the details in the final topic in this lesson entitled: Course Certification.
• We hope this certificate gives you a sense of what you have accomplished.

How is it free?

• At Herbalista, we believe that by freely sharing herbs and education, we can help create a more vibrant and equitable world. But like any free project, it isn’t actually free for us to produce. We spent tens of thousands of dollars to build this website and another several thousand each year to maintain it. Not to mention the many, many hours of labor to create all of the materials you find here.
• But thanks to all of our sustaining members, this show can stay on the road! Their small monthly donations have not only helped to build this Free School but is what supported all of our other programming over the years – from Herb Buses to Fire Cider Brigades to Learning Gardens. In fact, most of our funding has come from small donors giving just $5 a month. We are proof, that just like the story of Stone Soup, if everyone gives a little bit, we all can enjoy a lot together!
• If you would like to support the work, please join us and become a sustaining member. Or please consider making a one time donation. Since we left our fiscal sponsorship, donations to Herbalista are not longer tax-deductible, but still very much appreciated!

How do we ask a question about the course material?

• There are a few ways you can ask questions:
  • Herbalista Members: please ask away at our online monthly member study sessions. Open to sustaining members, these zoom sessions are a great chance to ask questions to Lorna and the other community herbalists on the call. Not yet a member? Learn more and join us here. You can also use your Member’s Forum located in the Toolkit to ask questions.
  • Non-members: Lorna will host a seasonal online Free School Study Session that is open to all enrolled students. Dates will be posted directly on the Free School Webpage and also announced in our monthly newsletter. (If you would like to receive our newsletter, you can sign up here.)

Is there closed captioning for the videos?

• YES. The videos loaded to this course are streamed from Vimeo, which creates autogenerated closed captioning.

How many hours is this course?

• This course includes approximately 20 hours of video lecture content. When combined with readings, quizzes, and optional Herbwork activities, most students can expect to spend about 40–50 hours engaging with the material. Students who choose to complete the optional practices and portfolio work may spend additional time deepening their learning.

Do I need prior herbal experience?

• No. This course was designed to be a foundational course for beginners as well as a refresher course for those already walking the herbal path. It focuses on core concepts, practical skills, and ways to bring herbalism into everyday life.

Is this course self-paced?

• Yes. This is a self-paced course with open enrollment. You can enroll at any time and move through the lessons at a speed that works for you.

Do I have to complete everything in order?

• We recommend moving through the lessons in order for the deepest learning, as concepts build on one another. However, once you are familiar with the structure, you are welcome to revisit topics and move around as needed.

Can I use this course toward hours for other herb schools?

• Many students choose to list this course as part of their foundational herbal studies. The course includes approximately 20 hours of lecture content and an estimated 40–50 hours of total engagement when readings, quizzes, and practices are included. Each school has its own requirements, so we recommend checking with the program you are applying to for how they accept outside coursework.

How long do I have access to the course?

• Once enrolled, you will have ongoing access and can return to the material whenever you like. Many students revisit lessons as their herbal practice grows. Of course, we never know what the world holds, so if at some point Lorna becomes sick of all the computer time, the expense of it all, and just decides to dynamite her website, spend her days with the plants, making and sharing remedies, well, at that point, your access will definitely end.

General technical troubleshooting

• Refresh your browser to load the most recent version of the page you are viewing.
• Update your Internet Browser if needed. For best results, we recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
• Clear your browser cache to clear stored website data.
  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
• Test your internet speed and connection.
• Restart your computer to establish a clean slate.
• Switch devices to see if the problem you’re experiencing is happening on other devices, or if it is just restricted to the one.

What other free courses do you offer?

We are currently rebuilding our free school courses after our move from Teachable. Here is a listing of our Free School Course Catalogue. Please note, the courses will be released over time as they are rebuilt. When we have a release date, we will post this to the newsletter and on the Free School Webpage.

Herbalista Free School catalogue consists of the following courses:

• Herbal Foundations (now open for registration)
• In the Field (coming 2026)
• Herbal Medicine Making (coming 2026)
• Community & Clinical Care (coming 2027)