Wine Studies (B.A./B.S./Minor)

Emma Anderson showing her hands covered in crushed grapes.

Wine Studies

Discover new career opportunities in the wine industry

A degree in Wine Studies opens doors to a wide range of exciting career opportunities across the wine industry. Whether your passion lies in business, winemaking, marketing or hospitality, the industry offers numerous rewarding paths to explore.

At Linfield University, we provide a unique educational experience as the only private liberal arts university in the nation offering a major, minor and master’s degree in wine within our School of Business. Our comprehensive curriculum equips students with the essential knowledge and skills needed for success in the global wine industry - blending business acumen with a deep understanding of wine production, culture and economic significance. Through hands-on learning, students gain real-world experience in wine business and management while exploring the industry’s impact both locally and internationally.

By harnessing the strength of our world-renowned wine region, we are cultivating the next generation of industry leaders. Our holistic, immersive approach fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, empowering students to shape the future of the global wine industry with confidence and expertise.

Discover how Linfield’s wine degree programs at The Center for Wine Education can help turn your passion into a profession.

Learn more about Linfield’s wine degree programs at our Center for Wine Education.

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Program features

Flexible formats

Study full time or part time

Transfer friendly

Transfer up to 72 semester credits

Affordable tuition

$495 per semester credit

Scholarships available

Why earn your wine studies degree at Linfield University?

Further your career with strong industry connections

Linfield University’s strong industry connections help you find internship and career opportunities. In fact, you have unique access to over 700 local wineries located within the Willamette Valley, Oregon’s leading wine region. Through these connections, we support you in securing real-world work opportunities at these thriving businesses where you can learn alongside seasoned experts.

Develop your skills through hands-on learning

Our wine studies degree program prioritizes your career readiness by integrating experiential learning into our curriculum. From regular visits to local wineries to collaborative group projects to study abroad opportunities, these hands-on experiences help refine your professional skills and put theoretical knowledge into practice.

Additionally, in the junior or senior year of your wine studies major, you can partner with an advisor and departmental internship coordinator to find an internship with a winery or wine-related business and enter the workforce. You gain firsthand experience working in the wine industry, networking with other professionals and launching your career.

Customize your wine studies degree to suit your goals

Whatever your professional goals may be, we help you personalize your education to suit your interests. Our wine studies program lets you choose between earning a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Wine Studies.

To pursue your Bachelor of Arts in Wine Studies, you must complete a foreign language requirement. As the business world becomes more globalized and interconnected, having robust communication skills can further your career.

Earning your Bachelor of Science in Wine Studies requires enrolling in additional STEM-focused courses. Studying topics such as biology, data science, sociology or psychology solidifies your critical thinking and analytical competencies and broadens your general knowledge.

If you want to learn more about the wine industry and integrate it into your education but don’t want to commit to an entire degree program, you pursue a minor in wine studies.

Accelerate your graduation with transfer credits

Do you already have some previously earned college credits or hold an associate degree? You can transfer your credits and apply them to the wine studies bachelor’s degree. Like more than 70% of our online students, you can graduate in less than three years and get a head start on your career.

Learn more about transfer credits

Wine studies program curriculum

Linfield’s wine studies major integrates a strong business focus with specialized coursework on wine production, culture and economic significance to prepare you for a thriving career.

At the beginning of the program, you explore wine’s rich history and its vast global economic, social, political and ideological impacts. You then progress into studying viticulture, winemaking and sensory evaluation, gaining a deep understanding of the production process, agricultural origins and tasting techniques. This fundamental knowledge informs your more advanced coursework.

Your business-focused classes provide a comprehensive overview of specialized areas in essential disciplines, such as accounting, finance, sales and marketing. As you progress through these courses, you equip yourself with practical skills in hospitality, event management and communication.

For an added layer of customization, you can enroll in at least 12 credits of electives that cover topics such as the microbiology of grapes and wine, principles of ecology or financial and managerial accounting.

Learn from wine industry experts

Linfield’s School of Business faculty champions your success. Equipped with years of expertise, our professors share their industry insights and lived experiences with you to boost your competitive edge. Through their support inside and outside the classroom, you grow as a competent professional ready to tackle any challenges that come your way.

Meet our wine studies faculty

Wine industry career outlook

Within the past 20 years, America’s wine industry has experienced noteworthy growth, with the number of domestic wineries increasing four and a half times. In fact, the majority of the nation’s wineries are in California, Washington and Oregon, creating a vibrant industry in which you can chart your unique professional path. By earning your degree in wine studies, you can take on career roles in the following fields:

Management: Equipped with a robust set of leadership skills and general business knowledge, you have the ability to oversee vineyards, distribution centers, restaurants and a variety of other wine businesses.
Marketing: Blend your savvy marketing skills with your knowledge of the wine industry to become a social media manager, brand manager or marketing manager for a winery.
Sales: Use your expertise to expand a winery’s sales and customer base, overseeing national or regional sales, direct-to-consumer sales or international distribution.
Hospitality and events: From tackling entry-level positions in a tasting room to managing a wine club or hosting visitor experiences, earning a degree in wine studies equips you to advance toward roles as director of hospitality or tasting room manager.
Winemaking: With your training in the art and science of grape growing and winemaking, you can pursue a career as a vineyard manager or winemaker, and find yourself working in a winery lab, vineyard or cellar.

What do our students say about the program?

“I came into this program because I didn’t know what part of the wine industry I wanted to be in. I love the business side. I love the farming side. I love the winemaking and manual labor side…I love every aspect of it.”

- Emma Anderson '20

Break into the booming wine business by earning your degree at Linfield

Pursue your bachelor’s degree in wine studies at Linfield University and tap into your highest potential. By rooting our curriculum with a strong business focus and incorporating a broad range of hands-on experiences, our degree program delivers an education that strengthens your skills, helps you build your professional network and cultivates your love for the art of wine.

Ready to join our Wildcat Community? Apply to Linfield today!

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