Program at a Glance
- On Campus
- Part-Time Study
- 16 Units
- 8 Months to Completion
- No GRE/GMAT
- Tuition & Fees—Part-Time Study*: $16,230
*Based on 2025–2026 Boston University tuition and fees.
Advance in the Global Wine Industry—From Terroir to Tasting to Trade
Designed for wine professionals, hospitality leaders, and serious enthusiasts who seek a holistic understanding of the cultural, scientific, and business aspects of wine, the Graduate Certificate in Wine Studies at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) offers a well-rounded foundation in viticulture, enology, wine history, and sensory evaluation.
A distinctive and comprehensive program that blends academic inquiry with hands-on experience, BU’s graduate-level Wine Studies program offers a global perspective, exploring wine regions of Europe, the Americas, Oceania, South Africa, and Eastern Europe. Through expert-led tastings, food and wine pairing workshops, field experiences, and guest speakers, you will learn to critically assess wine quality, understand winemaking practices from grape to glass, and explore current trends and challenges in the global wine market—all while developing your own refined tasting methodology and communication skills.
Whether you’re preparing for a career in the wine industry or adding depth to your personal expertise, this program provides the knowledge and skills to confidently analyze, discuss, and understand wine at the highest level.
A Professional Certificate in Wine Studies is also available for those not seeking to earn college credit.
Professional Certificate in Wine Studies
For those not seeking college credit, this program is taught by faculty with decades of experience in the beverage and restaurant industries, as well as wine and food journalism.
Learn MoreWhy Earn a Graduate Certificate in Wine Studies at BU?
- Immersive Learning Environment: Along with tastings, pairing workshops, lectures, and assigned readings, BU’s Wine Studies courses often encompass field visits to vineyards and wineries, hands-on winemaking experiences, guest lectures, and expert-led tastings, among other experiences.
- Engaged Faculty: In BU’s Wine Studies certificate program, you will work closely with highly qualified faculty with decades of experience in the beverage and restaurant industries, as well as wine and food journalism. In addition, you have access to the Jacques Pépin Lecture Series, featuring world-renowned chefs, authors, educators, and culinary innovators.
- Global Curriculum with Career Impact: Build deep knowledge of international wine regions and trends while developing the confidence and vocabulary to succeed in wine education, hospitality, journalism, or retail.
- Elevated Sensory Experience: Collaboration with BU MET’s Professional Culinary Arts Program and the Professional Pastry Arts Program elevates the wine tasting and pairing experience with cuisine prepared on-site.
- Demonstration Kitchen and Culinary Library: Benefit from BU MET’s state-of-the-art Groce Pépin Culinary Innovation Laboratory and an expansive culinary library featuring seminal cookbooks and literature on gastronomy, cuisine, and wine studies.
- Extensive Network Study alongside peers with industry experience, interact with guest speakers and wine professionals, learn from faculty who have valuable contacts in the field, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections in hospitality, wine production, and beverage media, among others.
- Student Support: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty mentors and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, and many others.
- Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus. On-campus courses begin fall, spring, and summer.
- Track Record: Learn from the best—BU MET’s legacy in food studies goes back to 1991, when the Gastronomy master’s degree program was founded by Jacques Pépin and Julia Child, two legends of the culinary world. The Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center was established in 1996.
Explore the World of Wine, from Vineyard to Glass
The Graduate Certificate in Wine Studies is offered on campus through BU MET’s Department of Applied Social Sciences and the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center. The Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center was established at MET in 1996 to promote the development of educational programs exploring all aspects of wine, including viticulture, enology, winemaking, wine history, economics, distribution and marketing, pairing with food, and the psychological, physiological, and cultural phenomena of wine consumption.
The merits of Boston University’s Wine Studies programs are recognized by the Massachusetts beverage and restaurant trades, and those in the industry frequently hire those who have been through the program. In addition to the unit-bearing Wine Studies graduate certificate, a Professional Certificate in Wine Studies is also available for those not seeking to earn college credit.
BU also offers the Master of Arts in Gastronomy and Graduate Certificate in Food Studies, both available online and on campus. The Gastronomy master’s degree is ideal for those intending to develop a career based in the deeper academic investigation of food. The Food Studies certificate is ideal for students seeking to explore a new field as well as professionals aiming to enhance their credentials and expertise.
Graduate with Expertise
Boston University’s Wine Studies graduate certificate will equip you with:
- Detailed knowledge of wine regions, grape varieties, and styles, and understanding of the inherent characteristics of wine.
- Refined tasting ability and ability to identify the key sensory characteristics of the world’s varietal wines.
- Understanding of the historical, cultural, genetic, viticultural, enological, and market context for the evolution of vine varieties and their wines.
- Effective communication about wine and the ability to speak and write confidently about current issues in the wine industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit the Food Studies website for a list of FAQs about the Graduate Certificate in Wine Studies and related programs.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. The Graduate Certificate in Wine Studies shares specific courses with the Master of Arts in Gastronomy degree program, and certificate students may apply all 16 units toward their degree requirements. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at apssadmissions@bu.edu to learn more about this option.
Additional Food & Wine Programs
Boston University’s Food Studies programs include a variety of seminars, lectures, and certificates that are open to the general public and industry professionals:
Graduate Certificate in Wine Studies Curriculum
A total of four courses (16 units) is required, including.
MET ML 652 Comprehensive Survey of Wine: Europe
MET ML 653 Comprehensive Survey of Wine: The World
MET ML 654 Current Topics in Wine Studies
And one course from the following:
MET ML 632 History of Wine
MET ML 649 Fundamentals of Wine
MET ML 657 Advanced Wine Tasting
MET ML 658 Introduction to Winemaking
Wine Studies Faculty
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Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.How Much Does This Program Cost?
BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. Course enrollment in this certificate program is 1–2 courses (4–8 units) in a semester, and tuition is charged the part-time per-unit rate.
Wine Studies Graduate Certificate (On Campus)
| Enrollment Status | Part Time |
| Courses per Semester | 2 courses (8 units) |
| Time to Degree | 2 semesters (8 months) |
| Tuition* | $567–$1,005 per unit** |
| Fees per Semester* | $75 |
| Total Certificate Cost* | $16,230 |
*Based on 2025–2026 Boston University tuition and fee rates.
**Cost per unit is determined by course number (100–599 = $567/unit, 600–999 = $1,005/unit).
Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.
Get Started
Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
