Under the Faculty of Tourism at Balıkesir University, the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts has been offering undergraduate education since the 2014-2015 academic year. Additionally, within the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, students have been admitted to the Master’s Program with Thesis since the Fall Semester of the 2016-2017 academic year and to the Doctoral Program since the Fall Semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. Furthermore, a Non-Thesis Master’s Program was opened within the department in the 2019-2020 academic year; however, no student enrollment has yet been made for this program.

Within our unit, the facilities for education include three practice kitchens, equipped to meet the requirements and practical needs of the gastronomy and culinary arts discipline, along with storage areas for ingredients and cold storage, as well as a dishwashing area, all of which are available for use by students and faculty. In addition, computer laboratories, the library, and classrooms, available for use by all units within the Faculty of Tourism, further support the quality of education and training.

Graduates from programs at different levels have the opportunity to advance their careers by increasing their professional knowledge in leading enterprises in the sector, as well as to enhance their academic knowledge and pursue academic careers. As one of Turkey’s leading institutions in tourism education, graduates of Balıkesir University’s Faculty of Tourism are present in managerial and operational positions across all areas of tourism, including the food and beverage sector, which provides an additional advantage in terms of employment opportunities after graduation.