Distillation, Wine and Brewing Studies Certificate

The Undergraduate Certificate in Distillation, Wine and Brewing Studies (DWBS) is inclusive of students from all departments and colleges at UK. The Departments of Animal and Food Sciences; Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering; Chemistry; Chemical and Materials Engineering; History; Horticulture; Plant and Soil Sciences; Retailing and Tourism Management; and Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Studies are all engaged in DWBS. Three key student learning outcomes comprise the DWBS and are accomplished through a cluster of courses:

• Students will comprehend the breadth of the career opportunities in the DWBS industry.
• Students will be able to identify key technical methods and analytical skills required in the DWBS industry.
• Students will be capable of outlining the history of DWBS and clearly explain how this relates to human cultures.

UK is offering this program because, (a) this industry represents the science of one of the oldest products linked to human civilization; thus, education opportunities span a breadth of disciplines; and (b) this is a global industry that provides a wide and interdisciplinary range of careers. The curriculum was developed due to an urgent need to train people in this area as identified by the local industries. The Bluegrass is home to nearly 95 percent of the production of bourbon, one of the world’s premier distilled spirits. There are over 70 wineries in the area as well, in addition to numerous large and small breweries. The program is suited to an undergraduate certificate rather than a minor because the undergraduate certificate creates a framework for students from programs across the UK to gain a certificate without changing their major/minor of interest, which is congruent with the interdisciplinary nature of the career opportunities available in this space.

The DWBS is affiliated with the Department of Horticulture in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE). The DWBS will complement the undergraduate B.S. program in Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science by providing additional opportunities for students already interested in these industries (e.g., in wine-growing) to delve into the related areas of wine-making.

Distillation, wine and brewing industries form a multi-billion dollar industry with a myriad of careers in science, engineering and the arts. Regionally, Kentucky is famous for bourbon production and in 2013 the industry surpassed 5 million barrels in over 40 distilleries worth more than $8 billion/year. Current estimates suggest Kentucky employment may now number 10,000 within the bourbon industry alone.

Further, approximately 25 new craft and full scale distillers are opening in the coming year with a shortage of trained intellectual infrastructure identified recently as a major hurdle to growth (by the Kentucky Distillers Association Technical Committee Meeting). There are over 70 wineries that also demand trained and knowledgeable employees, and a thriving craft beer movement has been established in the past 5 years.

Despite Kentucky being a landmark destination for producers, few courses focused on this industry have been delivered in the past at UK. The proposed certificate pedagogy will engage an inter-disciplinary team that will align certificate enrollees with skills and knowledge of career options. Intellectual infrastructure will immediately benefit the career opportunities and serve a rapidly growing industry.

The DWBS certificate program is designed to be applicable across many of the current UK academic majors. Most obviously, the DWBS would serve students in the colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environment; Arts & Sciences; Business & Economics; Education; and Engineering. However the DWBS is designed to also attract students from other colleges and units based on interest.

Distilling, Wine and Brewing Studies Curriculum

The Certificate in Distilling, Wine and Brewing Studies curricula are as follows:

• A minimum of 12 credits of course work taken for a letter grade.
• At least 12 credits must be 200 level or above, and a minimum of 6 credits must be at the 300-level or above.
• The student must complete a 3-credit breadth component. The breadth component requires that a student take courses in at least two colleges, with a minimum of three credits to be completed in a discipline other than the student’s major.
• Student must earn a C or better in each required certificate course to receive the certificate.
• Certificates will only be awarded to students who successfully complete a degree, or have completed a four-year degree.
• No more than 9 credits taken for a certificate can be used to satisfy the requirements for the student’s bachelor’s degree, a minor, or another certificate, exclusive of free or unrestricted electives.