Medicinal and aromatic plants containing products are used by human beings all over the world. According to World Health Organization (WHO) records, approximately 80% of people living in African countries benefit from medicinal plants for the treatment of diseases. Despite the tremendous advances in the development of synthetic medicines, about 25% of modern medicines are derived from plants, and the interest in natural remedies is increasing day by day.
Turkiye is rich in medicinal and aromatic plant resources which are widely used in health products, food, spices and fragrance sectors. In our country, over 10,000 species, 30% of which are endemic, grow naturally. Despite this wealth, our pharmaceutical industry imports 70% of health products. In addition, our country has a rich heritage in the use of herbal medicines. Especially in rural areas, many plants are used as folk remedies. The main objective of this program is to educate the students on the conservation of gene resources and their cultivation as field crops. On the other hand, it is aimed to determine the properties and effective substances of these plants for the pharmaceutical industry and to increase the effective substances that give these plants the power of treatment. Moreover, students have the opportunity to use the theoretical knowledge they have gained practically by making land applications in the region. Students who gain the ability to recognize plants according to their morphological characteristics and determine their characteristics learn how to collect them from nature. The Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Program within the Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Köyceğiz Vocational School was established in order to meet the increasing employment demand in this field and became operational in the 2010-2011 academic year.
Our graduate students can find jobs in companies that export medicinal-aromatic plants, companies that produce and export spice plants, companies that process spice plants and market them domestically, companies that manufacture pharmaceuticals, cosmetic products, cleaning products, in private businesses selling medicinal plants and drugs in big cities and touristy places in some large hotels and beauty centers operating for health purposes.
Students who graduate from Medical and Aromatic Plants program can continue their undergraduate education in Horticulture, Field Crops and Plant Protection Departments of the Agricultural Faculties of the universities by DGS (Vertical Transfer Exam) conducted by ÖSYM (Student Selection and Placement Center).