Duration
1 year
Training Structure
School of Pharmacy
Overview
With the public’s growing interest in plant-based products, healthcare professionals are faced with an increasingly diverse range of offerings from pharmaceutical companies. It is therefore essential that they remain at the forefront of knowledge in herbal medicine and aromatherapy so that they can advise or prescribe with confidence, based on scientifically validated efficacy criteria, in compliance with current legislation and ethical standards.
The Benefits of the Training Program
Teaching staff:
Faculty members and researchers from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Montpellier (Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Phytotherapy, and Aromatherapy; Laboratory of Botany and Mycology) and external experts specializing in these topics (Dr. Françoise Couic Marinier, Dr. Jean Michel Morel, Dr. Sabrina Boutefnouchet, etc.).
Objectives
This course will provide you with a solid, up-to-date understanding of medicinal plants and essential oils, as well as their various therapeutic, cosmetic, and veterinary applications. You will learn to approach these natural alternatives with a critical eye, master the various practices of herbal medicine and aromatherapy, and select the products best suited to your patients.
Taking this course will not only enable you to offer your patients natural and effective alternatives, but also help you stand out as a knowledgeable healthcare professional who cares about their well-being.
Expertise and Skills
Common Concepts
- Introduction
- Botany
- Herbal Medicine: General Information
- Aromatherapy: General Information
- Ethnopharmacology
- Regulations Governing Herbal Products
- Plant Health Monitoring
- Herbal Medicine for Caregivers
Herbal Medicine
- Central and Autonomic Nervous Systems
- Digestive System, Gastroenterology, and Hepatology
- Respiratory System
- Cardiovascular System
- Urological and Nephrological Systems
- Metabolic Syndromes and Endocrine Disorders
- Rheumatology, Orthopedics
Specialized topics covering phytotherapy and aromatherapy
- Gynecology & Andrology
- Pregnancy & Pediatrics
- Physical Therapy
- Veterinary Medicine
- Dermatology & Cosmetology
Organization
Knowledge Assessment
Written exam (30-minute quiz), written report on a plant-based specialty (herbal and/or aromatherapy), and an oral presentation on that specialty (10 minutes).
Program
Hours per week : 70 hours, including approximately 55 hours of lectures, a field trip, case study sessions at retail counters, and a final presentation, spread over 2 weeks of in-person instruction.
Schedule: 2 weeks of in-person classes (starting in March 2026).
Admission
Admission Requirements
The University Diploma (DU) is open to the following individuals, with no age restrictions or specific nationality requirements:
Pharmacists,
Doctors,
Holders of any unusual degree deemed equivalent by the University President, following consultation with the Academic Committee of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences.
Healthcare students (pharmacists and medical students) in their final year of training.
Other healthcare professionals, following review of the application.
Registration Procedures
Applications accepted from August 31 through October 12, 2026, via E-Candidat