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European Wine Academy

Courses

Your structured pathway to wine mastery

The European Wine Academy (EWA), based in Europe, offers a progressive Tiered Education Model designed to guide aspiring wine professionals through a structured learning pathway. Starting September 2025, our courses are designed for students across the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, the Middle East, Japan, and South Korea, reflecting our truly international reach—from beginners to experienced wine enthusiasts seeking advanced qualifications.

You can choose from the Certificate, Diploma, or Associate Degree level depending on your current expertise and professional aspirations. Each level builds upon the foundational knowledge required to excel in that specific field, allowing you to tailor your education to match your career path.

Our courses (no matter the direction: general, sommelier, wine business & marketing, or viticulture and wine making) mostly follow these structures: Our Level 1 courses are all Certificates. At the next level we find the Diploma courses (level 2), and ultimately our Associate Degree courses (level 3).

‘Tiered’ vs. ‘Specialized’ Course Structure

  • Tiered
    Our Tiered Programs are designed as a progressive pathway, where each level builds upon the previous one. Starting with a Certificate, students can advance to a Diploma and ultimately an Associate Degree, with all lessons from earlier levels included and expanded in the higher qualifications.

    Why Choose the Tiered Pathway at the European Wine Academy?

    • Structured progression: From Certificate to Diploma to Associate Degree
    • Tailored Essentials Module: Each program adapts its foundation to its discipline
    • International recognition: Our students come from the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, the Middle East, Japan, and South Korea
    • Professional credentials: Suitable for careers in wine education, hospitality, marketing, and wine business
    • Flexible entry: Start at the level that matches your background—no prerequisites required

 

Specialized
Our Specialized Programs are independent, self-contained courses designed to provide in-depth knowledge and expertise in a specific area of wine. Each program is complete, focusing on advanced skills relevant to your professional goals.

To enrol in these specialized programs, students must have an acknowledged EWA qualification (or a non-EWA course at a similar level) demonstrating not only foundational knowledge of wine, but also of the core topics of that course. As with our Tiered Programs, students can select their level of study for the Specialized Programs. You can choose from the Certificate, Diploma, or Associate Degree level depending on your current expertise and professional aspirations. Each level builds upon the foundational knowledge required to excel in that specific field, allowing you to tailor your education to match your career path.

Why choose a Specialized Program?

  • Fully self-contained, specialized learning
  • Direct entry with no prior courses required
  • Perfect for professionals who want targeted knowledge in a specific field
  • Flexible pathway tailored to individual career objectives

 

 

Certificate (level 1) (40 lessons)
These courses, no matter the direction, will always have a module which covers all the basic wine knowledge which we believe is essential for any wine studies. It is called the Essentials module and it usually consists of 20 lessons or lectures. Since this module can be part of various educational paths—such as general wine education, sommelier and hospitality management, wine marketing and business, or viticulture and winemaking—the specific content may vary depending on the context, some examples: wine tasting and evaluation skills, wine categories, appellations, and labeling laws, cultural and economic impact of wine, sparkling wines, Champagne, fortified wines, and spirits, food pairing and cellar management, introductory insights into sommeliership, viticulture, wine making, wine business management and wine marketing.

If a student can show prior experience or completion of relevant studies that align with the topics covered in the Essentials module, they shall be credited with that.

 

Who this is for: Students beginning formal wine education
Assessment: Lesson assignments, final multiple-choice exam, and Zoom oral evaluation
Outcome: EWA Certificate
Accreditation: Recognized for entry-level professional roles in the wine and hospitality industries

 

Diploma (level 2) (60 to 90 lessons)

At this more advanced level, (once again available across all directions) the student can select either the Tiered version or the Specialized version.

Tiered: this means that the student did not pass the relevant EWA Certificate course (or a non-EWA course at a similar level) and therefore also did not benefit from the Essentials module. And yet this student nevertheless wishes to register for the Diploma version. In such cases the Diploma course will include the core lessons from the Certificate course (including from the Essentials module) plus new advanced lessons.

Specialized: this refers to the situation where the student has passed the relevant EWA Certificate course (or a non-EWA course at a similar level) , and is now advancing higher up the ladder. The specialized course will not contain any of the lessons that were in the Certificate course.

Who this is for: Students seeking advanced professional qualifications
Assessment: Lesson assignments, capstone project, and practical evaluations via oral and multiple-choice exams
Outcome: EWA Diploma
Accreditation: Recognized qualification for roles in wine education, hospitality, marketing, and consulting.

 

Associate Degree (level 3) (..up to 150 lessons)
The Associate Degree is the highest professional qualification at EWA. At this advanced level it is also possible for a student to choose between a Tiered or Specialized pathway.

Tiered: this means that the student did not follow the relevant EWA Diploma course (or a non-EWA course at a similar level) but still wishes to register for the AD version. In such cases the AD course will include the core lessons from the Diploma course plus new advanced lessons.

Specialized: this refers to the situation where the student has passed the relevant EWA Diploma course (or a non-EWA course at a similar level). The specialized course will not contain any of the lessons that were in the Certificate or Diploma courses.

Who this is for: Diploma graduates and wine professionals seeking mastery and international recognition
Assessment: Formal coursework, assignments, capstone research project, oral and written evaluations
Outcome: EWA Associate Degree
Accreditation: Academic-level credential (comparable to a UK Foundation Degree; not a university degree).

Whether you are beginning your journey in wine education or seeking expert-level mastery, the European Wine Academy’s Specialized and Tiered Programs provide a structured, internationally recognized path to success.

Enroll today in our Certificate, Diploma, or Associate Degree programs and take the first step toward a professional wine career in Europe and worldwide.

Which Version?

The process is simple:
Once you decide whether you are registering for a Tiered or Specialized course (course fees are identical), you can proceed as follows:

  1. Click on your chosen course and proceed to payment.
  2. In your Registration Form (or even by email), tell us which version you want to follow: Tiered or Specialized.
  3. If you select the Specialized Program, there is an additional question: Do you have proof of an existing wine qualification (like WSET) showing you have the requisite pre-knowledge, or will you also be registering for the relevant Essentials Module? If you do you can also purchase the Essentials Module directly in our Store.


Need advice? Reach out to our admissions team for help selecting the right course and format for your goals.