2026-2028 Catalog

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

The major is based on fundamental and applied sciences, modern agribusiness principles, and appropriate social sciences. The curriculum encompasses winegrape cultivation, enology, and wine business and fosters an academic alliance among production agriculture, food science, and agricultural business interests to provide an academic understanding of the “vine to glass”.

Concentrations

Enology

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

The science of winemaking and its creative and practical application. Students monitor and assess wines and winemaking choices using sensory, chemical and microbiological analyses. Graduates are able to make creative winemaking decisions, manage a winery and provide successful solutions to winemaking challenges.

Viticulture

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

Intensive training in all aspects of quality wine grape production. Students learn site evaluation and vineyard development, disease and pest management, sustainability, and state-of-the-art cultural practices. Graduates typically become vineyard managers, pest control advisors, or vineyard owners.

Wine Business

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

Students learn financial management, principles of vineyard and winery operations, strategic planning, branded wine marketing, packaging, wine consumer behavior, and government compliance. Graduates are prepared for a variety of wine industry careers, with many planning to operate vineyards or wineries of their own.

Program Learning Objectives

  1. Describe the fundamental principles of wine grape growing, winemaking, and wine business, both domestically and globally, with in-depth knowledge in a chosen sub-discipline (viticulture, enology, or wine business).
  2. Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively, analyze and interpret data, and make reasoned and informed decisions.
  3. Apply effective leadership skills, and strong written and oral communication skills.
  4. Describe legal and environmental issues, and sustainability principles, within the wine industry.
  5. Explain the importance of a high commitment and respect for cultural diversity and its effect on the wine industry.
  6. Apply strong interpersonal skills and abilities for collaborating with other wine industry professionals.
  7. Develop skills that will assist with lifelong learning.

Degree Requirements and Curriculum

In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:
 
  • 40 units upper-division
  • 2.0 GPA
  • Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
  • U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)

Note: No Major, Support or Concentration courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.

MAJOR COURSES
WVIT 1102Global Wine and Viticulture3
WVIT 2202Fundamentals of Enology3
WVIT 2233Basic Viticulture3
WVIT 3331Advanced Viticulture - Fall4
WVIT 3339Internship in Wine and Viticulture3
WVIT 3343Branded Wine Marketing3
WVIT 4423Wine Law and Compliance3
WVIT 4442Sensory Evaluation of Wine3
WVIT 4463Issues, Trends, and Careers in the Grape and Wine Industry2
Concentration
(See list of Concentrations below)33-36
SUPPORT COURSES
AGB 2214Agribusiness Financial Accounting3
or BUS 2214 Financial Accounting
BOT 1121General Botany (5B & 5C) 14
BRAE 3340Irrigation Water Management (Upper-Division 2/5) 13
CHEM 1120Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A) 14
ECON 2040Macroeconomics (4B) 13
Select from the following: (2) 13-4
Calculus I
Business Calculus
SS 1120Introductory Soil Science4
STAT 1110Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods3
GENERAL EDUCATION (GE)
(See GE program requirements below)27
FREE ELECTIVES
Free Electives 22-6
Total Units120
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

2
If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
 

Concentrations

Enology

REQUIRED COURSES
CHEM 1122Fundamentals of Chemical Reactivity4
CHEM 2240Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications4
CHEM 3350Biochemistry: Fundamentals and Applications4
MCRO 2221Introduction to Microbiology4
WVIT/MCRO 3301Wine Microbiology3
WVIT 3365Wine Analysis and Amelioration3
WVIT 4404Winemaking I4
WVIT 4405Winemaking II4
WVIT 4477Advanced Wine Sensory Analysis3
Senior Project
Select from the following:3
Senior Project - Enology and Viticulture
Senior Project - Research Experience in Enology or Viticulture
Total Units36
 

Viticulture

REQUIRED COURSES
CHEM 2240Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications4
PLSC 3313Agricultural Entomology3
PLSC 3321Weed Biology and Management4
PLSC 3323Plant Pathology3
SS 2221Soil Health and Plant Nutrition4
WVIT 3302Wine Fermentation Laboratory2
WVIT 3332Advanced Viticulture - Spring4
WVIT 4414Grape Pest Management3
WVIT 4428Winegrape Vineyard Management3
Senior Project
Select from the following:3
Senior Project - Enology and Viticulture
Senior Project - Research Experience in Enology or Viticulture
Total Units33
 

Wine Business

REQUIRED COURSES
AGB 2212Agricultural Economics3
or ECON 2030 Microeconomics
AGB 2260Agribusiness Data Literacy3
AGB 3308Introduction to Agribusiness Finance3
AGB 3323Decision Making with Agribusiness Accounting Information3
AGB 3369Agricultural Personnel Management3
or BUS 3384 Human Resources Management
EIM 3320Strategic Event Planning3
WVIT 3302Wine Fermentation Laboratory2
WVIT 3345Wine Marketing Research and Market Analysis3
WVIT 4433Wine Industry Sales4
WVIT 4447Logistics for the Global Wine Industry3
WVIT 4450Wine Business Plan Development3
WVIT 4460Senior Project - Wine Business3
Total Units36
 

General Education (GE) Requirements 

General Education (GE) Requirements

  • 43 units required, 16 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
  • If any of the remaining 27 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
  • See the complete GE course listing.
  • A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning). 
Lower-Division General Education
Area 1English Communication and Critical Thinking
1AWritten Communication3
1BCritical Thinking3
1COral Communication3
Area 2Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning
2Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units in Support) 10
Area 3Arts and Humanities
3AArts3
3BHumanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English 3
Area 4Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.)
4AAmerican Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement)3
4BSocial and Behavioral Sciences (3 units in Support) 10
Area 5Physical and Life Sciences
5APhysical Sciences (3 units in Support) 10
5BLife Sciences (3 units in Support) 10
5CLaboratory (may be embedded in a 5A or 5B course) (1 units in Support) 10
Area 6 Ethnic Studies
6 Ethnic Studies3
Upper-Division General Education
Upper-Division 2/5Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning or Physical and Life Sciences (3 units in Support) 10
Upper-Division 3Arts and Humanities3
Upper-Division 4Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.)3
Total Units27
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

Wine and Viticulture

Concentration Not Yet Declared - BS in Wine and Viticulture 
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence. 
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Units
WVIT 1102 Global Wine and Viticulture 3
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A) 1 4
SS 1120 Introductory Soil Science 4
General Education Requirement (1A) 3
General Education Requirement (1C) 3
 Units17
Term 2
WVIT 2202 Fundamentals of Enology 3
BOT 1121 General Botany (5B & 5C) 1 4
MATH 1261
Calculus I (2) 1
or Business Calculus
3-4
STAT 1110 Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods 3
General Education Requirement (1B) 3
 Units16
Second Year
Term 1
WVIT 2233 Basic Viticulture 3
ECON 2040 Macroeconomics (4B) 3
Concentration Course 3
General Education Requirement 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units15
Term 2
WVIT 3343 Branded Wine Marketing 3
AGB 2214
Agribusiness Financial Accounting
or Financial Accounting
3
Concentration Course 3
General Education Requirement 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units15
Third Year
Term 1
WVIT 3331 Advanced Viticulture - Fall 4
BRAE 3340 Irrigation Water Management (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units16
Term 2
WVIT 3339 Internship in Wine and Viticulture 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units15
Fourth Year
Term 1
WVIT 4442 Sensory Evaluation of Wine 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Free Elective 2 0-3
 Units12
Term 2
WVIT 4423 Wine Law and Compliance 3
WVIT 4463 Issues, Trends, and Careers in the Grape and Wine Industry 2
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course or Free Elective 2 2-3
 Units14
 Total Units120
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. 

2

If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree. 

 

Enology

Enology Concentration - BS in Wine and Viticulture
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence. 
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Units
WVIT 1102 Global Wine and Viticulture 3
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A) 1 4
SS 1120 Introductory Soil Science 4
General Education Requirement (1A) 3
General Education Requirement (1C) 3
 Units17
Term 2
WVIT 2202 Fundamentals of Enology 3
BOT 1121 General Botany (5B & 5C) 1 4
MATH 1261
Calculus I (2) 1
or Business Calculus
3-4
STAT 1110 Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods 3
General Education Requirement (1B) 3
 Units16
Second Year
Term 1
WVIT 2233 Basic Viticulture 3
ECON 2040 Macroeconomics (4B) 3
CHEM 1122 Fundamentals of Chemical Reactivity 4
General Education Requirement 3
 Units13
Term 2
WVIT 3343 Branded Wine Marketing 3
AGB 2214
Agribusiness Financial Accounting
or Financial Accounting
3
CHEM 2240 Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications 4
MCRO 2221 Introduction to Microbiology 4
 Units14
Third Year
Term 1
WVIT 3331 Advanced Viticulture - Fall 4
WVIT 3339 Internship in Wine and Viticulture 3
CHEM 3350 Biochemistry: Fundamentals and Applications 4
General Education Requirement 3
 Units14
Term 2
WVIT/MCRO 3301 Wine Microbiology 3
WVIT 3365 Wine Analysis and Amelioration 3
WVIT 4423 Wine Law and Compliance 3
General Education Requirement 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units15
Fourth Year
Term 1
WVIT 4404 Winemaking I 4
WVIT 4442 Sensory Evaluation of Wine 3
BRAE 3340 Irrigation Water Management (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 3
General Education Requirement 3
Free Elective 2 0-3
 Units16
Term 2
WVIT 4405 Winemaking II 4
WVIT 4463 Issues, Trends, and Careers in the Grape and Wine Industry 2
WVIT 4464
Senior Project - Enology and Viticulture
or Senior Project - Research Experience in Enology or Viticulture
3
WVIT 4477 Advanced Wine Sensory Analysis 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units15
 Total Units120
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. 

2

If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree. 

 

Viticulture

Viticulture Concentration - BS in Wine and Viticulture 
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence. 
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Units
WVIT 1102 Global Wine and Viticulture 3
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A) 1 4
SS 1120 Introductory Soil Science 4
General Education Requirement (1A) 3
General Education Requirement (1C) 3
 Units17
Term 2
WVIT 2202 Fundamentals of Enology 3
BOT 1121 General Botany (5B & 5C) 1 4
MATH 1261
Calculus I (2) 1
or Business Calculus
3-4
STAT 1110 Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods 3
General Education Requirement (1B) 3
 Units16
Second Year
Term 1
WVIT 2233 Basic Viticulture 3
CHEM 2240 Organic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications 4
ECON 2040 Macroeconomics (4B) 3
General Education Requirement 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units16
Term 2
WVIT 3343 Branded Wine Marketing 3
AGB 2214
Agribusiness Financial Accounting
or Financial Accounting
3
SS 2221 Soil Health and Plant Nutrition 4
General Education Requirement 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units16
Third Year
Term 1
WVIT 3331 Advanced Viticulture - Fall 4
BRAE 3340 Irrigation Water Management (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 3
PLSC 3323 Plant Pathology 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units13
Term 2
WVIT 3302 Wine Fermentation Laboratory 2
WVIT 3332 Advanced Viticulture - Spring 4
WVIT 3339 Internship in Wine and Viticulture 3
PLSC 3313 Agricultural Entomology 3
PLSC 3321 Weed Biology and Management 4
 Units16
Fourth Year
Term 1
WVIT 4442 Sensory Evaluation of Wine 3
WVIT 4414 Grape Pest Management 3
General Education Requirement 3
Free Elective 2 2-3
Free Elective 2 0-3
 Units15
Term 2
WVIT 4423 Wine Law and Compliance 3
WVIT 4428 Winegrape Vineyard Management 3
WVIT 4463 Issues, Trends, and Careers in the Grape and Wine Industry 2
WVIT 4464
Senior Project - Enology and Viticulture
or Senior Project - Research Experience in Enology or Viticulture
3
 Units11
 Total Units120
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. 

2

If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree. 

 

Wine Business

Wine Business Concentration - BS in Wine and Viticulture
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence. 
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Units
WVIT 1102 Global Wine and Viticulture 3
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A) 1 4
SS 1120 Introductory Soil Science 4
General Education Requirement (1A) 3
General Education Requirement (1C) 3
 Units17
Term 2
WVIT 2202 Fundamentals of Enology 3
BOT 1121 General Botany (5B & 5C) 1 4
MATH 1261
Calculus I (2) 1
or Business Calculus
3-4
STAT 1110 Applied Statistical Concepts and Methods 3
General Education Requirement (1B) 3
 Units16
Second Year
Term 1
WVIT 2233 Basic Viticulture 3
AGB 2212
Agricultural Economics
or Microeconomics
3
ECON 2040 Macroeconomics (4B) 3
General Education Requirement 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units15
Term 2
WVIT 3343 Branded Wine Marketing 3
AGB 2214
Agribusiness Financial Accounting
or Financial Accounting
3
AGB 2260 Agribusiness Data Literacy 3
General Education Requirement 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units15
Third Year
Term 1
WVIT 3331 Advanced Viticulture - Fall 4
AGB 3308 Introduction to Agribusiness Finance 3
AGB 3323 Decision Making with Agribusiness Accounting Information 3
BRAE 3340 Irrigation Water Management (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units16
Term 2
WVIT 3302 Wine Fermentation Laboratory 2
WVIT 3339 Internship in Wine and Viticulture 3
AGB 3369
Agricultural Personnel Management
or Human Resources Management
3
EIM 3320 Strategic Event Planning 3
General Education Requirement 3
 Units14
Fourth Year
Term 1
WVIT 4423 Wine Law and Compliance 3
WVIT 4442 Sensory Evaluation of Wine 3
WVIT 4460 Senior Project - Wine Business 3
Free Elective 2 0-3
 Units12
Term 2
WVIT 3345 Wine Marketing Research and Market Analysis 3
WVIT 4433 Wine Industry Sales 4
WVIT 4447 Logistics for the Global Wine Industry 3
WVIT 4450 Wine Business Plan Development 3
WVIT 4463 Issues, Trends, and Careers in the Grape and Wine Industry 2
 Units15
 Total Units120
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement. 

2

If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.