Concentration in the Business of Natural Health & Wellness

Transform your passion for health into a thriving career

This unique (minor) provides essential business knowledge to prepare you for a dynamic career in the burgeoning wellness industry. You’ll gain hands-on experience through field visits and projects, guided by industry experts and dedicated faculty. Join us to become a leader in the natural health sector, equipped with the skills to drive positive change and promote wellness in communities worldwide.

The course materials in this concentration are especially relevant to students earning a BA in Business & Entrepreneurship or Ayurveda Wellness & Integrative Health, or a Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences Specialization such as Yoga & Ayurveda Wellness or Life & Wellness Coaching.

Develop the skills of a wellness entrepreneur

In this program, you’ll build up the essential entrepreneurial skills necessary to develop and manage a business in the natural health and wellness sector, such as:

Business Plan Development: creating a comprehensive business plan that outlines your mission, goals, target market, and financial projections
Marketing and Branding Strategies: implementing effective marketing tactics and building a strong brand identity to attract and retain clients
Financial Management: managing budgets, understanding financial statements, and ensuring profitability and sustainable growth
Regulatory Compliance: navigating the legal requirements and regulations specific to the natural health and wellness industry to ensure your practice operates within the law

Get started by contacting Pedro

Pedro Ugalde, admissions counselor Pedro Ugalde is this program’s admissions counselor for US students. Pedro will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with the program director or faculty.

Contact Pedro >

International applicants may connect with us through our international inquiry form.

Next entry: Feb 2025Apply to MIU >Next entry: Feb 2025Apply to MIU >

Courses for this concentration may include

strategies for the business of natural health and wellness

Strategies for the Business of Natural Health & Wellness

This course focuses on the structure and dynamics of the natural health and wellness industry, including key market trends and emerging opportunities. It combines strategic management concepts, like analysis tools and strategy frameworks, with leadership in the context of the natural health and wellness industry.

Organizing and Managing a Wellness Practice

In this course, you’ll explore the primary considerations in creating and running a wellness practice. You’ll learn the principles behind the regulation of occupations in the health care industry and study the state laws that apply to wellness practices. You’ll also study the essentials of marketing theory to design and publicize a service, and the principles of accounting and record-keeping to inform the tasks of preparing a business tax return, and the legal requirements of operating a wellness business.

Strategic Marketing for Wellness Practice

This course provides practical knowledge to enable wellness practitioners to find potential clients and promote their business to them. Concepts include market segmentation, identifying target markets, crafting a marketing communications strategy, using techniques of social media marketing, and using software systems to track leads, get clients, and engage the clients in follow-on consultations and as referrers to the practice.

Social Media Marketing and AI

In this course, you will learn to harness the power of online marketing with the infusion of AI in social media platforms. You’ll explore social apps and building communities, social content and brand storytelling, designing creative social content, and AI tools in social media. You’ll also study case studies pertaining to the natural health and wellness market.

Creative Entrepreneurship

Learn how to transform your creative ideas into life-supporting, sustainable products or services that fulfill needs and enhance satisfaction in society. In this course, you’ll identify a business idea and then develop, write, and present a summary of that idea in your final presentation.

Cost & Aid for bachelor’s degree, 2024-25

US Online Students

US Online Undergraduate

This estimate is based on one year for a typical online Federal Pell Grant recipient (represents 70% of our online undergraduates). File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and then contact our financial aid office for questions on variables.

Annual Cost and Typical Financial Aid
Tuition and fees	$16,190
Grants and scholarship (typical)	-$11,400
Net cost per year	$4,790
Federal student loan	-$4,790
Your payment	$0

Part time online enrollment is available. Tuition is $600 per credit with normal load of 9-11 credits. Federal student loans are available and the federal Pell Grant is proportional to the credit load.

Additional Financial Aid Information

Scholarships and Grants

The grants and scholarship described above consist of the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Education Grant, and institutional scholarship based on (1) full-time enrollment and (2) financial need determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Employer Waiver Program

Many companies offer tuition assistance programs to their employees. If you’re currently employed, we encourage you to check on this. If they offer assistance, please contact MIU’s Financial Aid office.

Federal Student Loans

Federal Student Loans have limits based on lifetime usage, annual limits, and limited to the educational costs for each semester. Here are the annual maximum limits:

$5,500 per year for first-year dependent
$6,500 per year for second-year dependent
$7,500 per year for third, fourth, fifth-year dependent
$9,500 per year for first-year independent
$10,500 per year for second-year independent
$12,500 per year for third, fourth, fifth-year independent

Federal Student Loan Repayment

Federal Student Loan Repayment is postponed as long as you are enrolled at least half-time each semester. If your enrollment drops below half-time, you have a six-month grace period before repayment begins. There are also postponements for low income and unemployment, as well as repayment based on income and Public Service Forgiveness.

Education Tax Incentives

There are a variety of money-saving tax benefits to assist in reducing the cost of education expenses. More about education tax benefits.

Veterans

Veterans should contact the VA for information on Veterans Education Benefits. Veterans eligible for BAH monthly benefits: The VA utilizes a scale of credits per block of courses; therefore, the VA sometimes pays part-time benefits for an individual month while the university delivers full-time federal aid for an entire semester. Our Veterans Certifying Official is our Director of Financial Aid.

Loan Repayment Options

Standard

Payments are a fixed amount that ensures your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).

Extended

Payments may be fixed or graduated and will ensure that your loans are paid off within 25 years.

Graduated

Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years, and are for an amount that will ensure your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).

Income-Based

Your monthly payments will be either 10 or 15 percent of discretionary income (depending on when you received your first loans), but never more than you would have paid under the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan.

Income Contingent

Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income, family size, and the total amount of your Direct Loans. Any outstanding balance will be forgiven if you haven’t repaid your loan in full after 25 years.

Income Sensitive

Your monthly payment is based on annual income, but your loan will be paid in full within 15 years.

Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at finaid@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

International Online Students

International Online Undergraduate

Typically, online enrollment is two courses at a time (17 credits) or one course at a time (9-11 credits), per semester (two semesters per year).

Tuition and Fees per Semester
Full-time (12 or more credits)	$8,095
Fewer than 12 credits	$600 per credit

Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

FAQ

What is the difference between a specialization and a concentration?

Our Bachelor’s Specializations are generally 32-credit programs, whereas this concentration is only 16 credits.

What majors can I pair with this concentration?

This concentration can be paired with any major, including the Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences and its associated Bachelor’s Specializations. The course material will be most relevant to students in our various Ayurveda and Wellness programs who want to acquire complimentary business knowledge, as well as business students specifically interested in working in the health & wellness industry.

What types of careers will this prepare me for?

This concentration will help prepare you for diverse careers that blend business expertise with health and wellness knowledge, spanning corporate environments, healthcare facilities, non-profits, and entrepreneurial ventures. The courses are geared towards those wanting to pursue roles such as health and wellness consultants, wellness program managers, health services managers, health coaches, corporate wellness specialists, and more.

Courses in this concentration cover the business side of these roles, not health and wellness knowledge.

Are there any hands-on learning opportunities?

There will be five days of hand-on learning during the Strategies for Natural Health and Wellness course, in which students will visit local businesses including an ayurvedic health spa, an aromatherapy store, the university’s ayurvedic clinic. Online students are encouraged to come to campus for this week, otherwise they must make their own arrangements to visit and study a natural health and wellness business in their area.