- When is the Master Brewers Certificate Program offered?
- The in-person program is 15-weeks and is offered once per year from March through June.
- How do I apply?
- You must complete and submit an application online. Applications are reviewed and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. All minimum academic prerequisites must be met in advance of applying. Class size is limited. Early application submission is strongly encouraged.
It is the policy of UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education to admit students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law. - Do I need to be 21 to apply?
- Students do not need to be 21 years of age to apply; however, students must be 21 years of age when they begin the Master Brewers Certificate Program.
- What are the prerequisites for the Master Brewers Certificate Program?
- You must be able to provide transcripts documenting successful completion (grade C or better) of the math requirement and at least two of the following four subject areas listed below:
Mathematics — (i.e., pre-calculus); The brewery engineering program does not require calculus for success, but competent and confident algebra skills are necessary for calculating (e.g., fluid flow and heat exchange). These skills are usually described as "pre-calculus," meaning the most advanced mathematics course before a calculus course. The engineering program provides ample opportunity for computation, and you should not be intimidated by this.
Biological sciences — (i.e., biochemistry, microbiology or cell biology); Such courses, along with chemistry, are the foundation of our brewing science studies (e.g., malting, mashing and fermentation), which is about two-thirds of the total effort. You should choose courses that are general in approach, include cell structure and function, cell components (e.g., proteins enzymes and carbohydrates) and the biochemical pathways that drive the life of cells. Students with a good biology background should focus on physics/math preparation.
Chemistry — (i.e., second semester offering of general chemistry or beyond); Inorganic chemistry covering the nature of matter (e.g., atoms, chemical bonds, gases, liquids and solids, solutions, colloids and change of state) is useful. A similar introductory course in organic chemistry is also desirable because most all of the molecules relevant to brewing are organic. Ideally, you should understand nomenclature, structure, bonding/bonds and isomerism of organic molecules, and the properties of functional groups on alcohols, esters, organic acids, aldehydes and ketones as these compounds are important in intermediary metabolism and in beer flavor.
Physics — Physics is a very useful foundation for our engineering courses, and candidates without engineering course experience should complete some physics coursework. Physics courses on heat (temperature and thermal properties of matter and heat transfer) and mechanics (mechanical properties of matter, motion, work/energy, momentum, gas laws) are useful. Courses on electricity, magnetism and light are not applicable. Process control courses are not a substitute for physics courses, but have their own value for parts of the curriculum.
Engineering — Candidates with engineering courses (whether or not a degree was granted) are likely to have adequate physics and math skills and probably a sufficient grasp of chemistry for our program. However, such candidates are often under prepared in biology and should concentrate on biology courses.
Please note: You must take course(s) from an accredited institution and you must receive a passing grade in order for the course(s) to count towards the prerequisite coursework. All minimum prerequisites must be completed in advance of applying. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission and/or placement on the waitlist. - Do my transcripts need to be official?
- No. Unofficial transcripts and/or photocopies of official transcripts will suffice.
- How do I transfer credits from another institution?
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You will not officially transfer credits to UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education. Instead, you will submit a transcript demonstrating successful completion of the academic prerequisites with your application. Your transcript DOES NOT need to be official.
- How does the waitlist work?
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Applicants who are placed on the waitlist, but are not called to participate in the program during the year for which they applied will automatically roll over to the following year, with the top 35 being guaranteed a position and all others going back on a waitlist. The application will continue to roll until the applicant is offered a formal position in the program.
- How much does the program cost?
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Tuition for the 15-week In-Person Master Brewers Certificate Program is $16,000. In addition, there is also a one-time, non-refundable certificate registration fee of $125.
All fees are subject to change.
- What does my tuition cover?
- The fee includes all textbooks and course materials.
- Is financial aid available for the Master Brewers Certificate Program?
- At this time UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education students are not eligible for financial aid based on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), sometimes referred to as Title IV funds, which have requirements UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education programs do not meet. However, students in courses and programs offered through UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education may be eligible for a tax credit for educational expense, job training funds, alternative student loans (which do not require enrollment in a degree program) or other financial assistance. For more information visit Financing Your Education on the UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education website.
- What forms of payment are accepted?
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UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Wire Transfer, checks drawn on a U.S. bank and U.S. money orders. UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education is not responsible for any transaction fees. If submitting payment by wire transfer, contact the Student Services department for banking information at cpeinfo@ucdavis.edu or (530) 757-8777. Please allocate sufficient time to process wire transfer payments.
- Does UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education accept VA benefits?
- Yes. Veterans of the U.S. military who have available educational benefits can enroll in UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education certificate programs and obtain reimbursement from the Veterans Administration. UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education has approval under the Veterans Educational Benefits program to allow veterans, their dependents and others who qualify for Veterans Educational Benefits to further their education via one of our certificate programs.
Continuing and Professional Education programs and courses are not included in the CalVet college fee waiver benefits to dependents of disabled or deceased veterans who are enrolled in a California public college.
Contact UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education to find out if the program that interests you has been approved for G.I. Bill educational benefits, ask questions about the process, or, when you are ready to enroll, contact Student Services at (800) 757-8777 or email cpeinfo@ucdavis.edu. - As a student in the (in-person) Master Brewers Certificate Program, am I eligible for an F-1 visa?
- Yes. For more information about student visas, visit our Visa Information page here: https://cie.ucdavis.edu/resources-and-support/visa-information.
- Is on-campus housing available for students in the Master Brewers Certificate Program?
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No. On-campus housing is not available to students in the program. Most students rent apartments or homes in Davis or surrounding areas (Woodland, West Sacramento, Sacramento, Dixon). For more information about the Davis community and/or rental properties, please visit: https://daviswiki.org/.
- Do you offer job placement services for graduates of the Master Brewers Certificate Program?
- While we do not offer formal job placement services to the graduates of our program, we do actively aid students in finding jobs in the brewing industry. For example, each year we publish a booklet that contains the résumés of each student enrolled in the Master Brewers Certificate Program for that year. We then provide digital access to The Résumé Booklet, as it’s called, to approximately 7,000 microbreweries in the United States.
In addition, a weekly "Job Postings" email is distributed to the alumni of the program, which lists various job opportunities available in the brewing industry. There are ample opportunities to network with industry representatives during the Master Brewers Certificate Program as well. - Is the Master Brewers Certificate Program a master's degree program?
- No. The Master Brewers Certificate Program is not a UC Davis master’s degree program. It is a 15-week certificate program. Students who successfully complete the program will be awarded the Master Brewers Certificate.
- What textbooks do I need to purchase?
- If you have been accepted into the in-person format of the Master Brewers Certificate Program, you do not need to purchase any textbooks. All course materials are included in your tuition.
If you have been accepted into the online format of the Master Brewers Certificate Program, you will be responsible for purchasing required textbooks and course materials. Below is a full listing of textbooks, which can be purchased as needed for each course (you will be notified prior to the start of each course the textbooks and materials you'll need):
- Scientific Principles of Malting and Brewing (ISBN 9781881696087)
- Standards of Brewing (ISBN 9780937381793)
- Technology Brewing and Malting (ISBN 9783921690871)
- Brewing Yeast and Fermentation (ISBN 9780632054756)
- Brewing Materials and Processes (ISBN 9780127999548)
- Vol 1: Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer (ISBN 9780977051915)
- Vol 2: Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer (ISBN 9780977051922)
- Vol 3: Practical Handbook for the Specialty Brewer (ISBN 9780977051939)
- Quality Management (ISBN 9781938469152)
- Introduction to Food Engineering (ISBN 9780123985309)
- Beer Packaging (ISBN 9780978772673)
- Building a Sensory Program (ISBN 9781938469671)
- OPTIONAL: A Handbook of Basic Brewing Calculations (ISBN 9781938469671)
All textbooks and materials can be purchased from a vendor of your choosing. However, if you purchase the textbooks through the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC), you can receive a discount with the code "UCDE10". - Additional questions?
- Please contact Kristy Craig, enrollment coach, at (530) 757-8876 or kncraig@ucdavis.edu. You can also schedule a 30-minute consultation with Kristy to talk about your learning goals and the Master Brewers Certificate Program. Make an appointment.
