How long does it usually take to complete the course?

• The natural skincare course can take five months to complete. But you can do it as quickly or slowly as you want. That's the great advantage of distance learning.

Do I need to finish the course within a certain time?

• You can take as long as you want. Unlike other organisations, we don't set any time limits.

What are the course costs?

• Does the cost for the course include everything I need? Or are there any extra fees?
• The course cost includes all your learning materials, the tutoring and marking of your assignments, as well as your certificates. The only other cost for this course is for the materials used in the assignments, and we provide you with a comprehensive list of where you can purchase these from.

Can I spread the cost of the courses over a period of time?

• Yes. You can make five monthly payments. It costs 20% more. You can find the cost of paying by installments by clicking here.

How could I get my money back if I don't like the natural skincare course?

• Just return the course in good condition within 60 days of receiving it, and we'll send you a full refund.

Can I start the course at any time?

• Yes. You can start today. Or tomorrow. Or next week. Whenever you want.

Is the course all from home, or do I have to go to a school and sit tests?

• It's all done from home.

How can I contact my tutor or the Blackford Centre?

• There have two types of people you can contact - your tutor and a course advisor. The tutor marks your work, and helps you with any problems. You can fax, email or post assignments to your tutor, whenever you want.
• We don't give out the tutor's phone number, because a few people would spend all day talking to their tutors, who would never get any work done.
• But sometimes students get stuck, or have an urgent question. If so, you can phone a course advisor at the Blackford Centre at any time during work hours. If you leave a message out of work hours we'll call you back the next day. You can contact course advisors as often as you want, and about anything to do with natural skincare.

Is the course accredited or endorsed?

Yes. Our course has been endorsed under the Quality Licence Scheme.

This means we have undergone an external quality check to ensure that our organisation and the courses we offer meet certain quality criteria.

Endorsement involves a robust and rigorous quality audit by external inspectors to ensure quality is consistently met. A regular review of courses is carried out as part of the endorsement process.

To this end, the learning outcomes of the course have been benchmarked at QLS Level 4 Award against level descriptors published by Ofqual, to indicate the depth of study and level of difficulty involved in successful completion by the learner.



When you successfully complete this course you will receive a Certificate of Achievement and a Learner Unit Summary (which lists the details of all the units you have completed as part of your course).

Read more about course accreditation here

Will the course give me credits towards a degree or some other study?

• No. But it will help you set up and run your own business. And we encourage all students to continue their studies after completing the course.

Are the tutors practising therapists?

• Yes, all tutors are practising therapists. Some other organisations use college lecturers, which means you don't get the information from the real 'coal face'.

What if I am prevented from practising due to future legislation?

• We will give a full refund to any of our learners who are prevented from practising due to the government requiring higher qualifications.

Can I get insurance to practise as a therapist?

• Yes. We can recommend brokers or insurance companies in the UK and the USA who will give you professional liability insurance. If you live in other countries, we can also help.

Can natural skincare be taught by distance learning, like accountancy or the law?

• Yes. Only it's a lot more fun!

Will the Diploma enable me to practise professionally?

• Yes. the course is designed specifically to help you set up and run your own practice. Some courses, even at university, seem to omit this all-important aspect. We give you enough technical knowledge to practise, and we also provide detailed guidance on marketing, operation and finance to run your own business.
• As far as we know, there are no restrictions anywhere in the world that prevent you from operating a complementary practice in the areas we teach. In the USA, some states have legislation that prevent the use of certain words, such as Licensed... or Certified... But these do not stop you from practising. There are growing international controls on the labeling and retail sale of certain remedies, rather than the control of practitioners,. And most practitioners find they can operate satisfactorily within these boundaries. You should always check the status of the law with your lawyer.

Will the qualification get me a job in a hospital or school?

• To get a job in a public organisation, you'll need more qualifications than we can offer. Our course is designed to help you work with private clients.
• Remember, the easiest way to earn a living is to work for yourself. So in the course we focus on how you can work from home as a natural skincare specialists.

Will you show me how to find work?

• Yes, the course includes practical guidance of getting work. You can also discuss this with your tutor or a course advisor.

Is there a final exam?

• No, there is no final exam. The course is based on continuous assessment, through the assignments you send to your tutor.
• And continuous assessment lets you check all the time that you're on course to succeed.
• So you should look on the assignment as an exciting challenge. No, it's true! You'll enjoy them. We promise you!

What happens if I fail an assignment?

• You do the work again! 80% of students complete the course without ever failing an assignment. But you might misunderstand the question, or produce an insufficiently detailed answer. So the tutor will explain the problem and ask you to send in the assignment again. When you do this, your work will be much better.

Can I submit hand-written assignments?

• Yes. That's no problem.

Can I submit assignments by E-mail?

• Yes. That's no problem.

Can I join the course without prior experience?

• Yes. That's no problem. We make no assumptions about people's prior knowledge. But you ought to have a deep interest in the subject.

Can I tackle the topics in any order I choose?

• Yes, you can. So, if you want to tackle a particular topic, you can go straight to that module. This is useful if you have a job or a client that requires you to know about a particular subject. You might note that some other organisations supply only one or two modules at a time.

I haven't studied for years. The thought of returning to study makes me nervous.

• Don't worry. We sympathize. But this course is nothing like your memories of being stuck inside a stuffy classroom on a summer's day with an old-style teacher droning on.
• For a start, this is a subject that interests you (or you wouldn't have got this far).
• And getting this deep into the website shows that you can absorb information and concentrate for long periods of time.
• Also, you'll see that we write clearly and simply. And that's how we've written the course materials. It's true that some organisations write long and boring pages that make your eyes glaze over. We promise you that our course is nothing like that. You'll find this course is informative and enjoyable. In fact, many students are almost upset at finishing the course.

Do I get the whole course or just individual modules one at a time?

• We send you the whole course when you enroll. This means you can study any topic you want to. You can also see what topics are coming up. Getting everything in one package makes it easier for you to get an overview of the course. As we mentioned above, some other organisations supply only one or two modules at a time.

How does this course compare with others?

• We think this is the best course in the world. Bar none. But please examine other courses before making a decision. Consider these points:
• 1. Is the course comprehensive?
• 2. Will your studies be supported by a tutor? Research shows that people succeed much better on courses that include a personal tutor.
• 3. Is it interactive? That is, do the course materials regularly make you stop and think, and do exercises? Too many courses consist of page after age of boring lecture notes.
• 4. Does it teach you about setting up your own business? College courses are often weak on this point.
• 5. Is it accredited?
• 6. Can you get a refund if you don't like the course?

So, how can I find out about other courses?

• 1. See if any courses are available at your local college or nearby university.
• 2. Scour the internet. But beware: hundreds of dotcom entrepreneurs think they can teach therapies.
• 3. See if you can contact a careers advisor. Careers advisors know nothing about complementary therapies, as they would be the first to admit. And the careers books they consult will probably suggest getting a three-year college degree in your chosen therapy. Which may (or may not) be a good thing, but it isn't an option for most of our students (many of whom already have a degree!).

Can a newcomer break into natural skincare and earn money?

• Yes. We show you how.

Are there any restrictions on me setting up as a natural skincare specialists?

• As far as we know, no country in the world can stop you setting up your own practice. But you should always seek qualified advice before taking any major step.
• In some countries only a vet may prescribe treatment to animals, and in others you may not claim to be a doctor. In the course we give you advice as to how you can earn a living without infringing the law.
• To keep you straight, we also provide detailed advice on forming a company, keeping records, and paying tax.