Post-Graduate Diploma in Chinese Herbal Medicine
(2026 – 2028)
Fully accredited by ATCM
Programme Overview
Our PG Diploma in Chinese Herbal Medicine is open to postgraduate practitioners with an existing acupuncture qualification. This 2 year Diploma course will run part time, with teaching sessions at 10 weekends each year, as well as clinical observation and practice hours available throughout Year 1 and Year 2. The course is designed to be flexible and suit the needs of practitioners, with the option to complete 100 of the clinical practice hours at either our clinic at MATCM, or any clinic of your choice.
We are proud of our teaching standard. Our course is fully accredited by the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ATCM). Our programme offers 400 hours of clinical studies to ensure the skills and experience needed to treat the widest array of complex internal conditions. The core of the clinical practice hours will be on site here with our highly experienced teaching team, who have years of experience delivering university level teaching programmes in addition to their own practice.
We can offer specialised clinical teaching in the following commonly presented disorders:
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- Auto Immune
- Cardiovascular
- Digestive
- Gynaecology
- Respiratory
- Skin
Students build a solid foundation in the properties of individual herbs and how they are combined to create effective herbal formulas. Teaching focuses on key therapeutic principles and their clinical relevance.
Topics covered include:
- Introduction to Chinese herbal medicine and formulation principles
- Strategies to release the exterior and clear pathogenic heat
- Heat-clearing methods and internal heat conditions
- Purgative and moistening approaches, and warming interior techniques
- Harmonising formulas, regulating Qi, and supporting digestive function
- Nourishing and invigorating Blood for circulation and recovery
- Calming the Shen and extinguishing internal Wind
- Moistening the Lungs and transforming Phlegm
- Draining Dampness and strengthening defensive Qi
- Tonifying and restoring the body’s core systems
Upon successful completion of the course, practitioners will be able to prescribe, dispense and gain professional indemnity insurance for the practice of Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Accreditation
Our PG Diploma in Chinese Herbal Medicine is fully accredited by the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ATCM).
What this means for students:
- Assurance of quality learning facilities
- High standard of teaching staff and syllabus
- Students will be eligible to become members of ATCM upon graduation, or gain full registration with their chosen regulatory body, and gain insurance to practise Chinese Herbal Medicine.
What we can offer:
- Highly qualified staff with extensive clinical and academic teaching experience
- Guided learning in our purpose built teaching clinic
- Weekend teaching on site
- Off-site learning support/online teaching forum
- Over 400 hours of clinical application and treatment of patients under supervision
- Full assessment on site (all written exams, practical exams, herb recognition exam and supervised clinical examination).
Study Mode
This 2 years Diploma course will run part time, with teaching sessions running over 10 weekends each year. Clinical observation and practice hours are available throughout Year 1 and 2.
Assessments
Assessments will take the form of both written and practical examinations in order for the student to demonstrate they have suitably understood the Chinese Herbal Medicine theory and can appropriately carry out treatments.
Resources Available
All teaching will take place at the Manchester Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine located at 52-54 Washway Road, Sale M33 7QZ . The academy is operated in a working Chinese medicine clinic with access to appropriate equipment, specialised teaching space and literature.
Teaching Staff
Key staff: Professor Mei Xing:
Professor Mei Xing is a qualified medical doctor with over 35 years of clinical and teaching experience in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She trained at Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and later completed her MSc at Chengdu University of TCM. Her clinical and academic career includes advanced hospital work in Beijing, specialising in integrated medicine and endocrinology.
After moving to the UK, she taught at the University of Salford, where she became Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer for the BSc in Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture, later continuing her teaching at Manchester Metropolitan University.
n 2016, she founded the Manchester Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where she now serves as Principal and leads the multi-disciplinary clinic. Professor Mei has contributed widely to the profession as an educator, clinician, external examiner and advisor to organisations such as ATCM, the British Acupuncture Council, and the British Medical Acupuncture Society. She is dedicated to preserving and teaching authentic Traditional Chinese Medicine to the next generation of practitioners.
Key staff: Dr Minan Yao:
Dr. Minan Yao graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been a licensed TCM practitioner since 2009. His extensive training and expertise blend classical TCM knowledge with modern medical techniques, ensuring a well-rounded approach to patient care.After completing his academic training, Dr. Yao began his medical career at a prestigious 3A Provincial Hospital in China, where he was mentored by the nationally recognised TCM master, Prof. Guiding Wei. This invaluable experience helped him establish a strong foundation in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Dr. Yao is also certified in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), providing him with the necessary skills to integrate TCM with emergency and modern healthcare practices.
Key staff: Dr. Mingjun Li:
Dr. Mingjun Li , graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the Acupuncture and Tuina Department of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1989.
Following her graduation, she became a qualified medical doctor in the Acupuncture Department of the Liaoning TCM university’s affiliated teaching and internship hospital. She was appointed as the department head in 1999 and was promoted to Chief Physician in 2004.
In 2006, Dr. Li relocated to the UK, has continued her clinical practice in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Other staff: Qualified and experienced guest lecturers will be teaching various modules throughout the year. Bios of these lectures will be available nearer to the time.
Course Fees
The fees for the first year is £2980, for the second year is £3980. There is an additional registration fee of £320 at enrollment. Therefore the total cost of the full PG Dip course is £7260. If participants wish to attend for a day course as CPD, the cost is £300 per weekend (2 days) and you will not be required to pay the registration fee.
Admission Criteria
Applicants must have recognised qualification in acupuncture, which includes a UG degree, PG diploma, or other equivalent qualifications. Applicants must have studied the 8 principles of Traditional Chinese medicine and have knowledge in Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis.
All applicants will be expected to complete a course application form and include details of their relevant qualifications and experience. If you are unsure of your qualifications, please enquire and we will be able to assess on case by case basis.
If English is not the applicant’s first language, a minimum English proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent qualification) is required to ensure the ability to participate fully in lectures, clinical discussions and written assessments.
Course Intake
October 2026
Application Procedure
Applicants should download the MATCM Diploma course application form by clicking on the link here, and email the filled in form to info@matcm.co.uk.
Programme and Syllabus
Year 1 Curriculum
Aim:
To provide an in-depth training of the individual herbs and their combination into classical formulas.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, students will be able to identify individual herbs and their properties, understand classic herbal formulas and their appropriate use, and combine herbs into prescriptions for individual patient presentations.
Contact hours:
First weekend (2 days) of each month, 10 weekends each year.
Sessions Outline:
Module 1 (1st year): Chinese Materia Medica and Herbal Formula
200 hours clinical observation and recognition of herbs – 100 hours at Acuhealth Clinic and 100 hours at a satellite clinic near students’ location
Module 2 (2nd year): Clinical Application of Chinese Herbal Medicine
200 hours clinic observation and practice – all 200 hours to take place at Acuhealth Clinic.
During this year, students will work directly with their own patients under supervision. Students will learn how to apply knowledge gained in theory through on site clinical cases, group discussions, tutorials and can use our online forum for off-site learning.
Course Dates:
The course will start on the last week of October 2026. Teaching will take place on the first weekend (2 days) of each month for 10 weekends each year (excluding August and December).