Courses

Article Index
Courses
General Wine Courses
Sommellier and Hospitality Management
Wine Business, Marketing and Wine Tourism
Viticulture, Oenology and Wine Production
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The Academy is focused specifically on e-learning (distance education) courses.
Below we give a short summary of the groups of courses, and how these courses and groups differ from each other. A more detailed explanation of the curriculum structure and the curriculum design is available on the following pages, as well as a detailed look at each course. You will see that in most groups there is a Certificate (usually with 40 lectures) and in the same group, (covering the same study material but in a far more detailed and wider manner), you will find an Associate Degree course (also called a Foundation course in the UK) - this is very comprehensive and content-based, but also, as with all our courses, includes some practical experience. It will consist of more lectures, from 72 to 120, and will normally take between 2 to 3 years to complete.

Summary of all Courses: (all offered only via e-learning!)

· General Wine courses
these courses are aimed at persons with no/little wine knowledge and who wish to acquire a solid basis in wine & spirits knowledge.

o Basic Essentials of Wine (20 lectures – Course fee €425)
(provides the basics of wine)

o Certificate International Wine Tasting & Evaluation (30x lectures) - Course fee: €628
(a detailed course in wine tasting & evaluation for students wishing to become international wine tasters, sommeliers, wine proffessionals or cellar hands)

o International Certificate in Wine & Spirits (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(the basic introduction course covering almost all aspects of wine, from tasting to wine production- our most popular course)

o Associate Degree Wines & Spirits (120 lectures – Course fee €2550)
(this course includes all lectures of the Certificate course plus all the major wine regions: Europe, New World and the newest regions like China and India)

o Certificate: Wine Regions (40 lectures– Course fee €785)
(covers all the major wine producing regions, including Europe, the New World, as well as the newest regions like China and India)

· Sommelier & Hospitality Management
In this group we offer courses for those who are mainly interested in sommeliership, but also for those who wish to become sommeliers and who want to also acquire a broader knowledge in hospitality management. And finally, we offer a course on wine tourism, which is becoming increasingly important as we see how vital direct sales to customers and cellar door sales have become for the smaller wine producer. We also intend offering, (if a sufficient number of students register for it), normal, face-to-face short courses on Sommelliership (in the beginning in London, Koblenz and Brussels).

o Certificate in Sommeliership (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(this covers not only Sommeliership topics, but starts off with the Essentials module which gives students the necessary basic wine knowledge, as well as a module on the major wine regions)

o Certificate in Sommeliership & Hospitality Management (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(this covers not only Sommeliership topics, but starts off with the Essentials module which gives students the necessary basic wine knowledge, as well as a detailed module on relevant hospitality business and management topics)

o Associate Degree International Master Sommelier & Consultant (72 lectures - Course fee €1795)
(this advanced course covers not only specialist Sommeliership topics, but starts off with the Essentials module which gives students the necessary basic wine knowledge, as well as a detailed module on the major wine regions and in a fourth module we cover wine business and marketing).

· Wine Marketing & Business
In this group we focus on the increasingly important topics of wine marketing and wine business, and because many students already have a basic knowledge of wine we split the group into those two sections.

(No prior knowledge required)

o Certificate in Wine Essentials, Business & Marketing (40 lectures - Course fee €785)
(this covers not only wine business and marketing, but starts off with the Essentials module which gives students all the necessary basic wine knowledge)

o Associate Degree: Wine Essentials, Business & Marketing (72 lectures- Course fee €1795)
(the same study fields are covered as in the Certificate, but obviously in more detail)

o Certificate in Wine Tourism (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(this course aims to train students in Wine Tourism, whose purpose is to provide professional assistance and guidance to winery visitors, and at restaurants known to offer unique vintages, as well as organize wine tours, wine festivals, or other special wine-related events).

(Prior knowledge a requirement)

o Certificate in Wine Business & Marketing (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(this covers only wine business and marketing, with no Essentials module)

o Associate Degree in Wine Business & Marketing (72 lectures – Course fee €1795) (the same study fields are covered as in the Certificate, but obviously in more detail)

· Viticulture, Oenology & Wine Production
This group focuses on all aspects of viticulture and wine production and because many students already have a basic knowledge of wine we split the group into those two sections. Some courses also have the extra component of wine business & marketing attached to them.

So, the 1^st section covers courses where the Essentials module is included.
In the 2^nd section we have the Oenology modules, which include not only Essentials but also viticulture and wine production - in addition we cover the basics of wine marketing & business.
In the 3^rd section we focus on the core subjects of viticulture and wine production, (in more detail than in any of the other 3 sections) that is, with no Essentials or Marketing & Business modules.
In the last section we cover viticulture and business modules as well as modules on wine marketing & business (in more detail than in the Oenology courses above).

(No prior qualification/knowledge required)

Wine Essentials, Viticulture & Wine Production

o Certificate in Wine Essentials, Viticulture & Wine Production (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(this covers not only viticulture and wine production, but starts off with the Essentials module which gives students all the necessary basic wine knowledge)

o Associate Degree Wine Essentials, Viticulture & Wine Production (120 lectures– Course fee €2950)
(the same study fields are covered as in the Certificate, but obviously in more detail)

Oenology & Wine Business

o Associate Degree in Oenology & Wine Business (90 lectures – Course fee €2375) (for students who want a wider base of knowledge, who want to know more than just wine making, but also some business aspects to wine – this will include the Essentials of Wine module as well as modules on viticulture, wine production, as well as ones on wine business and marketing)

(Prior qualification/knowledge is a requirement)

o Essentials of Wine Production (20 lectures– Course fee €425)
(this is a short course which is ideal for someone with the necessary basic knowledge of wine and viticulture who wishes a basic, but quite detailed, introduction to wine production.

Viticulture & Wine Production

o Certificate in Viticulture & Wine Production (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(here we focus on the core topics of viticulture and wine production).

Associate Degree in Viticulture & Wine Production (90 lectures – Course fee €2375)
(the same study fields are covered as in the Certificate, but obviously in more detail)

Viticulture, Wine Production & Business

o Associate Degree in Viticulture, Wine Production & Business (90 lectures – Course fee €2375)
(this is a detailed course which will give students sound knowledge of viticulture, oenology and wine production in combination with the study of wine business and marketing. It differs from the AD Oenology & Business course above because as it does not have the Essentials module (which knowledge is assumed here) we can delve even deeper into the aspects of viticulture, wine production, wine marketing & business which the modern wine maker or professional needs).

Wine Production

o Certificate in Wine Production (40 lectures – Course fee €785)
(in this group we assume that students have not only the basic Essentials wine knowledge, but also knowledge of viticulture).

o Associate Degree in Wine Production (90 lectures – Course fee €2375)
(the same study fields are covered as in the Certificate, but obviously in more detail)

Introduction

Our courses are aimed at Amateurs, Hobbyists and would-be Professionals. We also have courses specifically for those persons who are already, or wish to become, wine and spirits professionals. Our courses are almost all exclusively e-learning, with a limited number of blended learning courses, and then only in some centres, and where student numbers justify it.

We have all noticed the 25 year old trend with wine playing an increasingly important role, (buoyed by increases in leisure time, wealth and an increasing perception of wine as a health product), in our social and cultural lives. This has naturally led to an increase in its economic and social significance. This economic significance, with increasing sales, along with consumer desire for more information about wine, has meant that the wine trade has experienced a need not only for more, but especially for better-, and more specifically trained, wine professionals.

One of the most important goals we set ourselves in the formation of this Academy was to also offer viticulture, wine production, wine business, marketing and management courses which could help form, motivate and train aspiring wine professionals, at all levels, and in a modern way by utilising up-to-date technologies.

In our experience (remember that the management, tutors and course advisers of this Academy are all actively involved, on an almost daily basis, in the wine

and spirits industry) there is far too little emphasis placed upon the proper training of wine and spirits professionals. Yet properly motivated and trained wine professionals could make a tremendous difference to the promotion of wine knowledge– and appreciation, thereby boosting wine and spirits sales.

A lot of careful thought and planning went into the design and content of these courses, we drew on the combined experience of people in the wine and spirits trade in the Europe, Australia, California, the UK and SA.

Some specific aspects of the courses:
The professional courses are meant for those who wish to become wine professionals and for those who already practise as wine professionals but wish to up-grade or re-direct their wine knowledge and skills.

Based upon our research and feed-back from students we have designed the courses to be of different levels of difficulty and lengths, and to be flexible so that you can utilise them in the different branches of the wine industries.
In keeping with modern wine educational attitudes we follow the so-called “whole-of-wine-chain” approach. In short his means that our Wine Business students for instance, are expected to develop a sound knowledge in Oenology, vineyard and winery operations, in addition to a broad business, management and marketing grounding. You cannot call yourself a wine professional if you only know something about the business side of the industry. If you want success in this industry you have to know your product, in all its idiosyncrasies and its development phases, from an unripe, greenish berry to a glorious finish in your glass! Googling it and accessing ad hoc wine information from the internet will never be enough to become wine professional.
Our practical field experience shows that the training of wine business professionals should be far more specific than is generally offered by wine schools at present and our range of courses reflects this vision.
All Certificate courses are designed to be completed in about 1 year whilst, (because of the wider range and depth of topics), the Associate Degree courses will take longer, usually 2 years, but that all depends on the motivation of the student.
Again based on our own practical experience, and notwithstanding that our students follow these courses via e-learning, we believe that wine professionals should acquire strong wine sensory and tasting experience as well as some on-site practical experience and training, even if this can (because of the e-learning format), only be of a limited nature.
Some courses include ‘Practicums’- unless otherwise specified the general conditions are set out in the section on Wine Production & Oenology.
Some courses refer to ‘On-site Training. This means that the student has to arrange with a suitable wine shop, a restaurant, a wine cellar, or any retail or commercial establishment that deals in the product which forms the subject of that student’s studies, to go and assist in that establishment for a set minimum number of hours, the intention being that the student gains hands-on, practical experience.
In most of these courses we have assumed that students have no or little wine knowledge. However, if you already have some acceptable (acceptable to the Academy!) wine qualification or level of experience equal to that of the Basic Essentials of Wine course, you may apply to the Academy for special permission to commence directly with the subsequent Module. This could lead to a lower course fee. However, in the Business, marketing and Winemaking courses it is assumed that you do indeed have the necessary knowledge covered in the Basic Essentials of Wine course (consisting of 20 lectures) and the Course descriptions of the various courses also indicate this. If you believe that you do have this required basic knowledge, as covered in the Basic Essentials of Wine course, kindly forward us a detailed motivation, including dates, places and names etc. of such training or practical experience, and for obvious practical reasons kindly forward such motivation to us soonest by email.

If on the other hand you do not have the basic knowledge covered in the Basic Essentials of Wine course, you will find that we usually offer a course in the direction you are interested in, but which does contain this Basic Essentials of Wine course.

We offer our courses with one of the following teaching methods:

A. E-learning (also known as Distance Education), is the main form of education of this Academy, and all courses discussed below are offered via e-learning.

B. Blended Learning

In addition, but again depending on student numbers, we also offer our courses via blended learning, which is a combination of e-learning and normal, face-to-face classes. In other words the bulk of the course will be offered via e-learning and a smaller part will be offered via regular, face-to-face lectures/workshops or practicums.

These learner-centred approaches put the learners back in command, with a wealth of learning resources at their fingertips, customized to their individual needs. Teachers and trainers, however, continue to play a central role, using virtual and traditional face-to-face interactions with their students in a 'blended' approach. Some of the courses listed below can be offered as blended learning, if sufficient students in a given area ask for it.

C. Regular Courses (f2f, i.e., not with e-learning)

Are only offered when student numbers in a centre justify it (because of various cost factors).
Can be short or long courses.
Specific courses, both as regards topic and length, can be designed upon request.
All participants at such regular courses are seated, and tutored by qualified and/or practising wine professionals- (none of our tutors are merely knowledgeable hobbyists).
The tastings are done in a fun but nevertheless professional style. Proper tasting sheets and standard ISO glasses are used, with spittoons, water and dry biscuits also being provided.
In order to make the tastings more informative and fun we will usually provide wines from both the Old World and the New World, so that you can compare the different styles and climates. We will also limit ourselves to still wines, and will not taste any fortified wines or spirits.
A minimum of six wines will be tasted in each session. It may well be that your tutor decides to introduce you to more than six wines, and for this reason the course fee does not include the cost of the wines tasted in each session, those costs are then paid to the tutor at the commencement of each session.
We do not assume that you have any current or particular knowledge of wine, so there is no need to be concerned - we ensure that the starting level of wine knowledge in each group is about the same.
The courses are structured in such a way that you are given a solid theoretical base of wine knowledge, but you will also participate fully in each session. Usually PowerPoint presentations are also used, where appropriate.
You must bring an appropriate notebook and most importantly six ISO wine tasting glasses, but if you do not have any you could order some from us, at least 3 weeks in advance.
The costs of such courses are not those shown on the web site, and are determined by variable costs such as, for instance, the specific cost of hiring a particular class room in a specific city. These costs can only be advised when such a course is being prepared. The course fee includes: the Course Manual, Wine Tasting Guide, Wine Tasting Sheets, but does not include the cost of the wines, nor any refreshments.
At the conclusion of the course each participant who has attended all sessions, will receive a Certificate of Attendance from the European Wine Academy.
Important: a minimum number of 10/12 students per course is required!

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Last Updated (Saturday, 30 March 2013 11:01)