List of all schools
School of Natural Medicine
The School of Natural Medicine (SoNM) is dedicated to the education and training of professionals in various disciplines of complementary health sciences, as well as research within this field. Specifically, SoNM represents the professional disciplines of Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Phytotherapy, and Unani-Tibb, which are recognised within the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA) under the Department of Health. These disciplines fall under the broader umbrella of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Traditional Medicine (TM), as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Cochrane Collaboration.
Natural Medicine and Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Context:
Natural medicine encompasses diverse healthcare systems that enhance the body's natural healing capacity, with or without synthetic pharmaceuticals. CAM is broadly defined as treatments that exist outside mainstream conventional medicine, encompassing a wide range of health systems, modalities, and practices based on different cultural and historical contexts. TM, as per the WHO, includes the knowledge, skills, and practices indigenous to different cultures, used for maintaining health, preventing illness, and treating physical and mental conditions. CAM and TM incorporate various treatment modalities, including nutritional medicine, lifestyle interventions, herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, homoeopathy, massage therapy, energy medicine (e.g., Reiki), and mind-body techniques (e.g., meditation and yoga).
Role of Natural Medicine in Health and Wellness Sector
Natural Medicine has a significant role in promoting health, preventing illness, and managing disease through holistic, patient-centred approaches, conventional medical knowledge and traditional knowledge systems. Patient management would be diverse between professions and based on the relevant Scope of Practice as outlined by AHPCSA. The contributions of natural medicine to healthcare are diverse and vary based on cultural, historical, and scientific perspectives. Natural medicine has numerous benefits, including preventative healthcare, integrative approaches to chronic disease and rehabilitation, expanding public access to healthcare, supporting integrative treatments with conventional medicine, promoting personalised patient-centred care, alongside contributions to regulation and professional development.
Regulation and Professional Recognition in South Africa
Under the Allied Health Professions Act (Act 63 of 1984), the AHPCSA is responsible for regulating various CAM and TM professions in South Africa. These include Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Osteopathy, Phytotherapy, Therapeutic Aromatherapy, Therapeutic Massage Therapy, and Therapeutic Reflexology. These professions represent a unique and protected niche within South Africa’s healthcare landscape. However, despite the legal recognition of these disciplines, there are limited training programs in South Africa that contribute to the education and professional registration of complementary health science practitioners.
The Role of the School of Natural Medicine
The University of the Western Cape is one of the few institutions in South Africa dedicated to the education, research, and professional development of practitioners in complementary health sciences. The SoNM plays a central role in integrating health science knowledge, traditional healing systems, holistic patient care, sustainability, and evidence-based practice, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for clinical practice, policy development, and research at regional, national, and global levels.
Future Pogrammes at the School of Natural Medicine
The SoNM is currently undergoing a curriculum re-structuring process, with future programs pending approval. Planned developments include the introduction of a Professional Bachelor’s degree, Master of Science degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and PhD programs. These new qualifications aim to enhance the academic and professional pathways for natural medicine practitioners while aligning with the evolving needs of the healthcare sector. Further information on these programs will be made available following the necessary institutional, statutory body, and government accreditations.
School of Nursing
The School of Nursing at the University of the Western Cape is located in the Belville Campus in the Community and Health Science Faculty. The school offers both undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education programmes.
More InfoSchool of Pharmacy
Pharmacists play meaningful roles in the healthcare of people. They do this through emphasis on correct and rational use of medicines and related products. Pharmacists remain in high demand in the public and private sectors. The corporate part is expanding and the demand for pharmacists continues. This applies to South Africa and other countries of the world.
School of Public Health
Established in 1993, the School of Public Health is unique in many respects both in South Africa and
in the continent.
School of Science and Mathematics Education
The School of Science and Mathematics Education (SSME) is committed to the development of a critical mass of quality professionals in the fields of science and mathematics education. Given its mission, it was necessary to ensure that all activities in the SSME are governed by a philosophy of quality and excellence.
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