Laurel, MD – July 22, 2022 – Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) will begin offering its Master of Science in Herbal Product Design and Manufacture program in two delivery formats. Starting in fall 2022, students can choose between the new fully online format or the hybrid format, which combines online and on-campus courses. The new online format eliminates travel costs for the student and provides easier access nationally and internationally. The hybrid format requires students to come to campus for two week-long intensives. Students can choose between the online or hybrid delivery format, based on their needs and interests. Students can obtain this degree in as little as two years, regardless of the format they choose.
While sales of herbal supplements have doubled over the past ten years, the expertise in this field has not. The need for innovators who can create quality herbal products is stronger than ever. To meet this demand, MUIH offers the only M.S. in Herbal Product Design and Manufacture program in the U.S. The program integrates traditional herbal knowledge with evidence-based scientific research. This combination is foundational to improved research and commercialization of herbal supplements. Graduates will be well prepared to provide the unique competencies needed by herbal manufacturers.
The program gives students the skills and knowledge in herbal medicine, scientific practice, and research necessary to contribute to the growth of the herbal manufacturing field with an understanding of product development. Students have many opportunities for practical and applied learning through internship experience and mentor-guided, hands-on learning from a distance. In the hybrid format, students also have the opportunity for hands-on herbal identification and harvesting through field experiences, as well as learning how to apply cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) to create manufacturing specification requirements in the in-person QA intensive. MUIH’s Herbal Design Business Advisory Group, with representation from nationally recognized industry leaders, federal agencies, and trade associations in the herbal product field, provides perspectives from the field that inform the design and delivery of the program.
“The herbal product design and manufacture program prepares students to engage with existing companies or as entrepreneurs in multiple roles, providing quality assurance, research, product development, and Federal regulatory guidance. Topics include botany, medicine making, botanical safety, research, quality assurance, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), analytical chemistry, phytochemistry, business strategies, Structure/Function, and New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) claims. The integration of these competencies occurs through disciplined and creative mentored training where graduates solve the types of real-world problems necessary for innovation and growth in the field of herbal product design,” states Dr. Michael (Bhodi) Tims, Program Director, Herbal Product Design and Cannabis Science.
U.S. sales of herbal supplements totaled an estimated $11.261 billion in 2020. ¹ U.S. consumers spent $1.7 billion more on herbal supplements in 2020, a 17.3% increase from 2019, which is more than the combined increases from 2017 to 2019. Total U.S. retail sales have increased every year since 2004, and since that time consumer spending on herbal supplements has nearly doubled. Additionally, since 2004, the sales growth of formulas has far outpaced single herb products, pointing to the need for more complex product design.
The program is grounded in MUIH’s holistic and natural approach to health and wellness, and its long-standing expertise in herbal medicine and online education. MUIH began offering herbal medicine degrees in 2002. MUIH also offers the Master of Science in Clinical Herbal Medicine degree and graduate certificates in Cannabis Science and Herbal Studies.
About MUIH
Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is a leading academic institution focused on the study and practice of integrative health and wellness and one of the few universities in the U.S. dedicated solely to such practices. Deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy, its model for integrative health and wellness is grounded in whole-person, relationship-centered, evidence-informed care.
Since 1974, MUIH has been a values-driven community educating practitioners and professionals to become future health and wellness leaders through transformative programs grounded in traditional wisdom and contemporary science. MUIH has more than 20 progressive graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, offered on-campus and online.
In the on-campus Natural Care Center and community outreach settings, MUIH provides compassionate and affordable healthcare from student interns and professional practitioners, delivering clinical treatments and consultations throughout each year.
For more information about MUIH, please visit www.muih.edu or to schedule media interviews, presentations, or events, please contact: .
References
¹ Smith, T., Majid, F., Eckl, V., Reynolds, C.M. (2021) Herbal Supplement Sales in US Increase by Record-Breaking 17.3% in 2020. HerbalGram, 131, 52-65. https://www.herbalgram.org/media/16783/hg131-hmr.pdf