AHPLEX
The AHPLEX is a competency-based examination that allows experienced health professionals to earn an accelerated doctorate by testing instead of completing traditional courses. It is designed to validate real-world knowledge, education, and experience through a structured online exam.
Earn Recognition for Your Expertise
Through Competency-Based Assessment
For qualified health professionals and state-licensed practitioners, the Alternative Health Professional Level Examination (AHPLEX) offers a direct, accelerated path to doctoral-level recognition – without years of traditional coursework. With the AHPLEX, your education, knowledge, and professional training can be validated through a structured, online examination, giving you the doctoral credential you’ve earned through years of practice and study.
Honor What You Already Know. Validate What You’ve Already Done.
Why AHPLEX Exists
Many dedicated health professionals carry deep expertise in holistic health, naturopathy, integrative health science, or complementary medicine – yet lack a formal doctoral designation that reflects their training and experience. The AHPLEX was born from this need: to remove barriers rooted in time-based programs and provide a path of recognition through demonstrated mastery.
Historically, examinations have long been used by leading universities to validate professional proficiency. Kingdom College of Natural Health embraced this tradition to build a competency-based model that respects rigorous standards while valuing real-world expertise and prior education.
This is more than an online exam. It is a structured method to advance your standing in natural medicine – thoughtfully and efficiently.
Who This Program is For
A Pathway for Qualified Professionals – ONLY $7995.00
Do you hold state-licensure in a natural or conventional field?
Do you have formal higher-level education?
Did you pass the ANWPB exam and have an active membership?
Qualified applicants may include professionals with state licensure or practice experience in areas such as naturopathy, homeopathy, chiropractic, nursing, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, acupressure/acupuncture, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology – and others – as approved by Kingdom College of Natural Health.
If you have completed high-level education and/or hold state licensure and want your doctorate to reflect your real competence – rather than repeating years of coursework – AHPLEX was created for you.
How AHPLEX Works
Proven Competency. Structured Assessment. Efficient Progress.
The AHPLEX online examination, timed series of tests covering core domains essential to natural health understanding and integrative practice.
If any exam section is not passed, you are assigned the respective course content at no additional cost, designed to strengthen your understanding and support your success.
Once all tests and any assigned courses are completed – and tuition is paid in full – you will receive your doctoral degree and official transcripts within approximately 30 days.
Program Highlights
16 Online Tests
Totaling over 1,200 questions
Exam Question Formats
Multiple choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank
Open-book Exam
Reference texts permitted
Immediate Results
With Auto-grading
75% Passing Score
*Required, two attempts per section
12-week Completion Window
With possible extensions
Earn your natural health doctorate through the AHPLEX exam. Validate your experience with a fast, competency-based pathway—no traditional coursework required.
What Your Earn
Doctoral Recognition That Reflects Mastery
Completing the AHPLEX validates your knowledge in natural health, allowing you to earn a doctoral designation without traditional time-based study. This pathway aligns with competency-based assessment models used by respected institutions worldwide.
With AHPLEX you can:
Demonstrate expertise in comprehensive natural health domains
Strengthen your professional credibility
Align your credentials with your experience
Expand opportunities for leadership and influence in natural medicine
This pathway bridges your professional journey and formal academic recognition – in a way that honors your past and advances your future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarity Before You Move Forward
Pursuing the AHPLEX pathway is a professional decision. Below you’ll find answers to the most common questions about eligibility, structure, accreditation, scope, and doctoral recognition — so you can proceed with confidence and understanding.
General
Why a Test?
Tests are used throughout the world to validate a student’s knowledge in specific areas. Because this methodology effectively proves one’s abilities/knowledge, it makes sense to offer an accelerated method (test) by which to advance the professional who may have already completed high level health education AND potentially have serious time constraints. This is the logic behind the AHPLEX—an exam designed to accurately assess your knowledge/experience and expedite the attainment of your degree!
How did “Degree by Testing” begin?
The idea was pioneered by the world’s celebrated universities of Great Britain in the mid 1800’s. While theoretically it is true that Kingdom College of Natural Health (KCNH) is not the originator of the “Degree by Testing” concept, we are one of the first institutions in America to offer such a test in the field of natural health.
How did KCNH learn of the need for a “Doctorate Degree by Testing”?
When Kingdom College of Natural Health was in its infancy stage, “limited time schedules” were recognized as anguishing deterrents for potential students with professional backgrounds. The scenario started when professionals began contacting us (KCNH) because of our excellent curricula, only to learn we offered no accelerated doctorate program to match their “limited time” schedules. At that juncture, we recognized the need for a “better idea” (or method), because the end result of conversations with potential students was frustrating to say the least. For this reason, the KCNH Academic Review Committee and Board of Trustees made a decision to solve the enrollment problem by developing the AHPLEX.
Who qualifies?
- State-licensed professionals in various health fields, such as: homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, osteopathy, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture, biochemistry, pharmacology, hematology, microbiology, and others. Or designations such as: Physician Assistant (PA), Nurse Practitioner (NP), Nurse, (RN or higher) and Registered Dietitian (RD). These respective licenses/transcripts/certificates must be uploaded to the application. If you have education not listed here, please apply and we will evaluate respectively.
- Non state-licensed professionals who have passed the ANWPB Naturopathic/Natural Medicine exam.
What are the Doctorate degree title options?
- Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.) (Learn more per state HERE)
- Doctor of Philosophy [Natural Medicine] (Ph.D.)
Can I earn more than one degree?
No, only one degree can be obtained through the AHPLEX testing process. However, if a doctorate degree by testing is obtained, other [graduate] degrees can be earned through KCNH’s standard degree program process.
What is the cost and what are my payment options?
- Cost is $7995.00
- Paid in full. (10% discount = total payment: $7195.50)
- Six (6) installment payments of $1332.50. No interest. (total payment: $7995.00)
- Twelve (12) installment payments of $666.25. No interest. (total payment: $7995.00)
What’s the refund policy?
Once the first test has been started AND/OR after 30 days from the first payment, no refund. If application is canceled before the first test is started (and within the 30-day period from when the first payment was made), 50% of the payment(s) that have been made, up to that point will be refunded.
How It Works
Are the tests open-book?
Yes, the tests are considered “open-book,” but in this context, “open-book” means you are allowed to use reference books ONLY. No online resources are permitted.
How is the online exam set up?
16 individually timed online tests/topics (details below)
- Questions/Answers are randomized
- Questions/Answers include Multiple Choice, T/F & Fill in the blank
- Open Book – No online resources permitted
- 12 weeks to complete all tests
- Auto-graded, returning immediate results
- 75% passing grade
- 2 attempts to pass
- No computer camera necessary
If 2 attempts are failed, courses are assigned at no additional cost.
What types of Questions and Answers can I expect?
The exam has over 1,200 questions: (1) multiple choice (2) true and false and (3) fill-in-the-blank statements. Below are some T/F examples:
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- When the platelet aggregation is three to four times larger than a red blood cell, it will block the movement of the red blood cells through a capillary and stop them from releasing oxygen to the tissues, producing a lower oxygen concentration.
- Linoleic acid is the main omega-6 oil that is found in most plant and vegetable oils.
- Pancreatic enzymes can stimulate natural killer cells, T cells, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), all toxic to cancer cells.
Test Topics and Timeframes
Each test is timed differently, depending on the quantity of test questions per test AND there are 2 attempts provided per test. The total time is 17 hours and 25 minutes. Below is the breakdown:
Section 1: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE | 90 minutes (150 questions)
Section 2: HOLISTIC HEALING | 70 minutes (100 questions)
Section 3: DISEASES & SYMPTOMS | 70 minutes (48 questions)
Section 4: ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY | 130 minutes (215 questions)
Section 5: DRUG-HERB-VITAMIN INTERACTION | 40 minutes (40 questions)
Section 6: INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE | 30 minutes (30 questions)
Section 7: HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE | 30 minutes (38 questions)
Section 8: WESTERN MEDICINE | 130 minutes (120 questions)
Section 9: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY | 70 minutes (53 questions)Section 10: NUTRITION | 90 minutes (112 questions)
Section 11: PSYCHOLOGY & PERSONALITY DISORDERS | 70 minutes (90 questions)
Section 12: MICROBIOLOGY | 30 minutes (50 questions)
Section 13: IMMUNITY | 30 minutes (50 questions)
Section 14: CANCER | 30 minutes (50 questions)
Section 15: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES | 40 minutes (60 questions)
Section 16: HERBS, BERRIES AND OTHER HEALING SUBSTANCES | 90 minutes (60 questions)
Technical and Security Notice
What should I know about the online exam platform?
After your application has been approved and you have either made your first payment or paid in full, you will receive an email that will include a custom link to your dedicated exam dashboard. This email will contain your username (your email address) and a pre-chosen password.
How does online exam security work?
You will have 2 security warnings before your exam is terminated. Unusual behavior includes: minimizing the browser, resizing the browser, opening a new tab, opening a new program, taking a screenshot, pressing Ctrl + C, pressing Ctrl + V, pressing Print Screen, pressing F12. Disable all popups on all browsers.
Does the exam have an expiration date?
Yes, all 16 tests/sections must be completed 12 weeks from the date your online exam login credentials are emailed to you. However, we do offer two 30-day extensions.
Grading and Completion
What is considered a passing score?
To receive a passing grade, you must score 75% in each section. There are 16 sections/tests and you are provided 2 attempts per test. You have 12 weeks to complete the exam (including one 30 day extension). If you score below 75% (on a 2nd attempt), you will be required to take a course related to that topic and you will have 12 weeks to complete the respective coursework. There is no additional cost for assigned courses. However, you are responsible for purchasing the textbook9s) required for the course. Your degree will not be awarded until you’ve completed all required studies and paid tuition in full. If you pass all sections, you will receive your degree along with transcripts within 30 days.
What are the courses like?
There is no additional cost if you are required to take the course and you have 12 weeks to complete all courses. Each course is self-paced and has its own respective methodology – and the teaching is based on learning through repetition. There are no additional tests, quizzes, final research project, etc. The course is a combination of several assignments. For example, you may be asked to write 100 True/False questions. Or you may be asked to make a list of 25 NEW words you learned in the book, etc. All coursework will be posted and submitted on your KCNH dashboard. Courses are manually graded by a professor, so NO immediate grade is provided. Once ALL courses are completed, a professor will email your score within 14 days. A score of 75% is passing.
If I fail a test, what happens?
After all tests are completed, admin will evaluate each test. Any test that has 2 failed attempts will be assigned a course (per the respective subject). These courses must be completed within 12 weeks, but at no additional cost. You will receive an email providing more instructions at that time.
When can I expect to receive my degree in the mail?
Once all tests/courses are passed and your balance is paid in full, you can expect to receive your degree, along with transcripts, within 30 days.
Delivered Principles
Built on Legacy. Designed for Responsibility.
The AHPLEX reflects Kingdom College of Natural Health’s mission to expand access to meaningful natural health education – with academic integrity, ethical frameworks, and lifelong relevance.
Rather than forcing repetition of material you already know, the AHPLEX measures your competence through a thoughtful, comprehensive assessment that:
- Respects your professional journey
- Meets natural health academic standards
- Maintains scope-safe, non-licensed frameworks
- Places emphasis on functional understanding
This is serious formation – designed for qualified professionals prepared to stand with clarity and confidence.
What They Are Saying About KCNH
Ready to Validate Your Expertise?
Begin Your AHPLEX Application
If you are a health professional ready to translate your experience into formal doctoral recognition, your next step begins here.