As federal regulators tighten oversight of dietary supplements and cosmetic ingredients, the professionals who bring botanical products to market are facing a steep learning curve. American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) is stepping into that gap with a new graduate-level program designed to turn plant science expertise into regulatory fluency.
Portland, Oregon-based ACHS has launched its Graduate Certificate in Botanical Regulatory Affairs, a 16-credit online program that blends botanical science with the compliance knowledge required for product safety, quality control, and responsible marketing in the dietary supplement and botanical products space.
The new certificate arrives as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sharpens its focus on supplement oversight. In October 2026, the agency issued final guidance on identity and safety information for new dietary ingredient notifications, a move that underscores the growing importance of scientific documentation and safety evaluation in the sector.
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Housed under ACHS’s newly established Department of Botanical Therapeutics, the graduate certificate integrates botanical science, product quality standards, and regulatory education. The goal, according to the college, is to help learners understand the full lifecycle of botanical products—from development and production to labeling and marketing—within a responsible compliance framework.
“Botanical products sit at the intersection of science, consumer safety, and regulatory responsibility,” said Dr. Tiffany Rodriguez, Chief Academic Officer at ACHS. “As the industry continues to evolve, it’s important that professionals understand not only the botanicals themselves, but also the standards and regulations that guide how these products are developed, evaluated, and brought to market. This certificate brings those areas together through focused graduate-level education.”
The program’s design also draws directly from employer input. During the 2025 ACHS Employer Summit, industry participants repeatedly flagged regulatory literacy as a critical gap in the health and wellness workforce. In response, ACHS built the curriculum to cover dietary supplement regulations, the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA), product labeling requirements, and marketing claim substantiation. The move reflects the college’s broader commitment to aligning academic offerings with real-world industry demands.
Connecting Botanical Science with Industry Regulations
The certificate offers specialized training across several key areas relevant to the botanical products and dietary supplement industry, including:
- Federal regulations: The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), and regulatory compliance.
- Product safety and quality: Botanical identity, safety, metabolism, ingredient evaluation, and quality standards.
- Labeling and documentation: Product labeling, claims substantiation, adverse-event reporting, and regulatory documentation.
- Responsible sourcing: Supply-chain considerations, sustainability, and botanical product production.
The interdisciplinary coursework is structured to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and the regulatory frameworks that shape botanical product development and quality assurance.
Expanding Graduate Education for Botanical Industry Professionals
Built for working professionals and qualified graduate learners, the fully online certificate is tailored for individuals already in—or exploring—regulatory affairs, quality assurance, botanical product development, dietary supplements, and adjacent fields. The program is part of ACHS’s larger push into botanical science education through its Department of Botanical Therapeutics, which consolidates academic offerings in herbal medicine, aromatherapy, and botanical science under one umbrella.
The 16-credit Graduate Certificate in Botanical Regulatory Affairs is now open for enrollment and delivered entirely online. Prospective students can review the curriculum, admissions requirements, and program details on the ACHS program page or speak directly with an ACHS Admissions Advisor.
About ACHS
Founded in 1978, ACHS has been a pioneer in integrative health education for nearly five decades. The institution adopted fully online learning as early as 1999 and continues to evaluate new tools and platforms to enhance the student experience. As a Certified B Corporation® and People and Planet First Verified entity, ACHS emphasizes sustainable and ethical practices while preparing graduates for careers in the evolving wellness economy.
For questions about this announcement or to schedule an interview, contact Tracey Abell at president@achs.edu.
Tracey Abell
American College of Healthcare Sciences
+1 971-703-5070
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Why it matters: With the FDA tightening guidance on dietary ingredients and new rules like MoCRA reshaping cosmetic oversight, regulatory knowledge is no longer optional for botanical product professionals. This certificate gives working adults a direct path to that expertise—without putting their careers on hold.
