Graduate Certificate in Wine Technology and Viticulture

The course has been developed for employees in the viticulture and/or oenology sectors of the Wine Industry, people currently employed in different careers who wish to gain employment in the wine industry, or people who are establishing or operating their own vineyard and/or winery.

Students are introduced to the science of viticulture and wine. An integrated approach to viticulture and oenology exposes students to all operations undertaken throughout the yearly cycle on a vineyard and in a winery.

This course is offered by distance education from the Dookie Campus of the University of Melbourne, and normally taken over one year on a part time basis. Students receive learning guides via the subject website and attend a residential school for most subjects.

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand and utilise the principles of chemistry and microbiology as they apply to grape production and wine making;
• Interpret financial information and budgeting for decision-making under conditions of incomplete knowledge, risk and uncertainty;
• Devise and implement integrative management practices and techniques for the production of quality grapes and wine;
• Analyse wine quality using chemical and sensory techniques.

These four subjects introduce students to the science of viticulture and wine, and key concepts of financial management relevant to analysing situations, evaluating alternative actions, implementing actions and exercising control. The two winegrowing subjects take an integrated approach to viticulture and oenology, and on completion students will have reviewed all operations undertaken throughout the yearly cycle on a vineyard and in a winery.

Attendance at residential schools is required for successful completion of most subjects. Under special circumstances students with suitable experience in the industry may seek exemptions and complete replacement tasks.The work undertaken during the school is generally worth 20% of the final assessment.

Each residential school is one week long and provides the opportunity to complete practical sessions in the campus vineyard, winery, laboratories and tasting facilities. A tour to vineyards and wineries may be incorporated into residential schools.

All four subjects in the Graduate Certificate in Wine Technology and Viticulture are offered by distance education. For each subject students will receive:

• Access to the subject website
• Online course notes
• Residential School Practical Book

Throughout their course students will have access to subject coordinators and other relevant staff via phone and email. During the residential school students will have access to the following facilities:

• Teaching winery
• Vineyard
• Wine laboratory
• Tasting room
• Classroom
• Accommodation and recreational facilities

The Graduate Certificate in Wine Technology and Viticulture will require the completion of four compulsory subjects of course work over a minimum of 12 months. This allows students to experience the annual cycle of operations that occur in vineyards and wineries.

Graduate Certificate in Wine Technology and Viticulture

The course is conducted part time and includes distance education-based study and residential workshops based at the Dookie Campus.

Eligibility

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant's ability to pursue successfully the course using the following criteria -

• an undergraduate degree; or
• a TAFE or Higher Education Advanced Diploma in an appropriate discipline and 3 years full time, documented, relevant work experience, or equivalent; or
• a TAFE Diploma in an appropriate discipline and 4.5 years, full time, documented, relevant work experience, or equivalent,
• 6 years full time, documented, relevant work experience, including at least 3 years in a supervisory role.

Selection

2. The Selection Committee may conduct interviews and tests and call for referees reports and employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

The Melbourne School of Land and Environment (MSLE) welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and School policy to take reasonable steps to make reasonable adjustments so as to enable the student’s participation in the School’s programs. MSLE contributes to the New Generation degrees and offers a broad range of programs across undergraduate and post-graduate levels many of which adopt a multi-disciplinary approach.

Students of the School’s courses must possess intellectual, ethical, and emotional capabilities required to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the levels of competence required by the School. Candidates must have abilities and skills in observation; motor in relevant areas; communication; in conceptual, integrative, and quantitative dimensions; and in behavioural and social dimensions.

Adjustments can be provided to minimise the impact of a disability, however students need to be able to participate in the program in an independent manner and with regard to their safety and the safety of others.

I. Observation: In some contexts, the student must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic and applied sciences. More broadly, observation requires reading text, diagrams, maps, drawings and numerical data. The candidate should be able to observe details at a number of scales and record useful observations in discipline dependant contexts.

II. Communication: A candidate should be able to communicate with fellow students, professional and academic staff, members of relevant professions and the public. A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively. Communication includes not only speech but also reading and writing.

III. Motor: Candidates should have sufficient motor function necessary for participation in the inherent discipline-related activities. The practical work, design work, field work, diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests, require varying motor movement abilities. Off campus investigations may include visits to construction sites, urban, rural and/or remote environments.

IV. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of professionals in land and environment industries, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the candidate should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.

V. Behavioural and Social Attributes: A candidate must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel their disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact the Disability Liaison Unit.

The Melbourne Experience enables our Graduates to become:

Academically excellent
Our Graduates will be expected to:

-have strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship
-have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s)
-reach a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities,
-problem-solving and communication
-be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self directed learning
-be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies

Knowledgeable across disciplines

Our graduates will be expected to:

-examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines
-expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences in diverse subjects
-have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems
-have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment.

Leaders in communities

Our graduates will be expected to:

-initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces
-have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations
-mentor future generations of learners
-engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs

Attuned to cultural diversity
Our graduates will be expected to:

-Value different cultures
-be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they
-choose to live and work
-have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community
-respect Indigenous knowledge, cultures and values

Active global citizens
Our graduates will be expected to:

-accept social and civic responsiblities
-be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
-have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equality and ethics.

It is expected students will develop:

• Ability to plan work, use time effectively and manage small projects
• capacity to articulate knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations and to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community