Aromatherapy Certificate and Certification Programs
Majors Overview April 4, 2013Holistic training centers and community colleges offer aromatherapy certificate programs. Students study the properties of essential oil and their effects on the body and mind. Professional certifications in aromatherapy are not available, but individuals should enlist with the Aromatherapy Registration Council to become registered aromatherapists.
Certificate Program in Aromatherapy
Promoting well-being and health through olfactory stimulation is a centuries-old technique. Students who are enrolled in a certificate program in aromatherapy will learn how to apply essential plant and oils extracts to pressure points throughout the body. Aromatherapists develop abilities to stimulate or enhance a customer’s physical well-being and mood. Students pursuing aromatherapy may concurrently study acupuncture, homeopathy, and holistic health. Typically, certificate program in aromatherapy does not have any educational prerequisites.
Program Coursework
Individuals who are enrolled in an aromatherapy certificate program will learn how smell is processed by the brain and how skin absorbs scents. Students will learn how to test for allergic reactions. Advanced studies focus on the lymphatic and nervous systems. Additional key topics of study may include:
•Hot rock therapy, massage, and reflexology
•Essential oil blending techniques
•Oils and perfumes
•Aromatherapy safety procedures
•Physical and emotional effects of scent therapy
•Pressure points within the body
•Physiology and anatomy
•Foundations in aromatherapy
Career Options
Students may bolster a career in nursing, psychology, massage therapy, and homeopathic medicine once they have earned a certificate in aromatherapy. Students who have completed an aromatherapy certificate program may also work as:
•Essential oil vendors
•Holistic retreat and day spa workers
•Aromatherapy instructors
•Clinical aromatherapists
•Perfume developers
Information on Professional Certification
Students will not be able to become certified aromatherapists, but they can professionally register through the Aromatherapy Registration Council (www.aromatherapycouncil.org). Individuals are required to complete at least two hundred hours of aromatherapy training at a National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy-accredited school to qualify for designation. Applicants are required to pass an organization-sponsored qualifying examination upon meeting preliminary requirements. The Alliance of International Aromatherapists (www.alliance-aromatherapists.org) provides educational resources to students.
