Master Herbal Medicines

Course code: PC032

Requirements

Including the Master of Herbal Medicines (MHerbMed), Graduate Diploma in Herbal Medicines (GradDipHerbMed) and Graduate Certificate in Herbal Medicines (GradCertHerbMed).

The coordinator is Dr George Li.

These programs are designed to provide advanced scientific and pharmaceutical education in the clinical application of herbal medicines for health care professionals or Science graduates.

Program outcomes

1. Graduates with a pharmacy or medicine background will gain appropriate knowledge and skills to enable them to provide information and in depth advice on herbal products in their practice.
2. Graduates with traditional Chinese medicine or medical acupuncture background will extend their scientific and pharmaceutical knowledge underpinning the clinical application of Chinese herbal medicines, knowledge on interaction between Western and Chinese medicine, and extend the skills necessary to prescribe or dispense scheduled herbs safely in the regulatory context.
3. Graduates from other scientific disciplines will gain and expand the knowledge and skills required to work in manufacturing, teaching and research areas of herbal medicines.

Admission requirements

Candidates must have a completed bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, Science, Chinese Medicine, Complementary Medicine, Veterinary Science, Agriculture or other appropriate disciplines from an approved university (or equivalent qualifications acceptable to the Dean).

Program requirements

The programs are for fulltime or part-time study. There will be at least 8 hours of lectures per week and additional time will be required for tutorials, class discussion, demonstrations, assignments, and practical work. The Master of Herbal Medicines is to be taken over one year fulltime (or two years part-time) and the maximum time to complete the program is four years (8 semesters). The Graduate Diploma in Herbal Medicines is to be taken over one year fulltime (or one and half years part-time), and the maximum time to complete the program is three years (6 semesters). The Graduate Certificate in Herbal Medicines is to be taken over one semester fulltime (or one year part-time) and the maximum time to complete the program is two years (4 semesters).

Candidates are required to complete 48 credit points to qualify for the Master degree, or 36 credit points to qualify for the Graduate Diploma, or 24 credit points to qualify for the Graduate Certificate. The Graduate Certificate is articulated to the Graduate Diploma; and the Graduate Diploma is articulated to the Master degree. Candidates enrolled in the Master degree or Graduate Diploma may choose to terminate their enrolment earlier to qualify for Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate. Candidates are eligible to apply to transfer their enrolment from Graduate Certificate to Graduate Diploma, or from Graduate Diploma to Master.

Listed below are the units of study offered.

Resolutions

1. Eligibility for admission
Except as provided in chapter 10 of the by-laws*, the Faculty may admit to candidature an applicant who has successfully completed a bachelors degree in Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, Science, Chinese Medicine, Complementary Medicine, Veterinary Science, Agriculture or other appropriate disciplines from approved universities or have equivalent qualifications subject to approval by the Dean.

2. Availability
Admission to candidature may be limited by a quota. In determining the quota the Faculty will take into account:

1. availability of resources
2. availability of adequate and appropriate supervision. In considering an application for admission the Dean will take into account the quota and entrance will be based on the applicants who are most meritorious in terms of section 1 above.

3. Method of progression

1. A candidate for the Master degree shall proceed by completing units of study as prescribed by Faculty.
2. A unit of study shall consist of lectures, tutorials, assignments and practical work as may be prescribed.
3. In these resolutions, to complete a unit of study means
   a. to attend lectures, tutorials and seminars, if any
   b. to complete satisfactorily the assignments and practical work if any
   c. to pass the examinations of the units of study if any

4. Time limits
A candidate will proceed on a fulltime or part-time basis and shall complete the requirements for the Master of Herbal Medicines degree not earlier than the end of the second semester and not later than the end of the eighth semester, unless otherwise determined by Faculty.

5. Examination
On completion of the requirements for the Graduate Diploma or Certificate, the Faculty shall determine the results of candidature.

6. Progress
The Faculty may:

1. call upon any candidate to show cause why that candidature should not be terminated by reason of unsatisfactory progress towards the completion of the Master degree, and
2. where the candidate does not show good cause, terminate the candidature.

7. Credit
A candidate who, before admission to the candidature, has spent time in graduate study in the University of Sydney or another university and has completed coursework, within 5 years except with permission of the Dean, considered by the Faculty to be equivalent to work prescribed for the degree, may receive credit of up to 8 credit points towards the requirements for the Master of Herbal Medicines.

Constitution of the Faculty of Pharmacy