Southwest Michigan is one of the country's premier wine regions
Begin your career in viticulture right where the vines grow.
The Wine and Viticulture Foundations Certificate of Achievement provides students with foundational knowledge and practical experience in winemaking, vineyard management, and wine hospitality. Southwest Michigan is home to a thriving and nationally recognized wine industry, and this certificate connects students directly with the employers, vineyards, and wineries that make this region one of the Midwest's top wine destinations.
Students gain hands-on experience through cooperative placements in winery and vineyard settings, applying classroom concepts to real-world scenarios. Core courses cover fermentation science, vineyard establishment and maintenance, and the exploration of global wine styles. This certificate can be completed as a standalone credential, as part of the Agriculture Associate in Applied Science degree, or as a stepping stone toward the full Wine and Viticulture Technology Associate in Applied Science degree.
| Program Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| ENOL 101, Winemaking and Fermentation | 3 |
| ENOL 105, Wines of the World I | 1 |
| ENOL 106, Wines of the World II | 1 |
| ENOL 111, Winery Hospitality Co-op | 2 |
| ENOL 180, Enology Harvest Lab OR ENOL 190, Enology Co-op I | 2 |
| VITI 110, Establishing a Vineyard OR VITI 110H, Honors Establishing a Vineyard | 2 |
| VITI 115, Grapevine Pruning | 1 |
| VITI 120, Maintaining a Vineyard | 2 |
| VITI 291, Viticulture Co-op | 3 |
- Foundational coursework in fermentation science, viticulture, and global wine styles.
- Cooperative placement experiences in regional wineries and vineyards.
- Taught in collaboration with Southwest Michigan's wine industry community.
- This is a stackable credential that counts toward the Agriculture Associate in Applied Science degree and the Wine and Viticulture Technology Associate in Applied Science degree.
- Access to LMC's established wine and viticulture program resources and partnerships.
Viticulture and wine industry professionals work across the full cycle of wine production, from vine to bottle. Career roles include:
- Vineyard workers and managers: planting, pruning, and maintaining grapevines through the seasons.
- Winery production assistants: supporting fermentation, cellaring, and bottling processes.
- Wine hospitality professionals: tasting room staff, event coordinators, and wine educators.
- Wine sales and marketing representatives: promoting wines to distributors, retailers, and consumers.
Michigan's wine industry is a growing economic force:
- Michigan ranks among the top wine-producing states in the U.S., with Berrien County at the heart of the Lake Michigan Shore wine region - one of the country's recognized American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).
- The region's wineries and vineyards face consistent workforce shortages, particularly for workers with formal knowledge of viticulture, fermentation science, and wine hospitality.
- The broader U.S. wine industry employs hundreds of thousands and continues to grow, providing transferable career opportunities well beyond the local region.
How to Apply
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