COD Offers New Wine Appreciation Certificate

This program focuses on a variety of regions and aspects of wine, providing students with a strong foundation for pursuing a number of industry certifications, said Hospitality Coordinator Mary Beth Leone.

"We've designed these courses to layer information on various regions and grape varieties," she said. "At the same time, courses that bookend the certificate program can be taken alone, offering non-certificate seekers an opportunity to investigate wine as a personal interest."

HOSP 1201 Introduction to Wine and HOSP 1204 Food and Wine Pairings provide wine enthusiasts with an opportunity to develop their skills. With the addition of HOSP 1202 Old World Wine Traditions and HOSP 1203 New World Wine Advancements, certificate-completers gain credentials to immediately enter the workforce or seek more advanced industry credentials, such as sommelier status, Leone said.

While advanced certification isn't required, there has been tremendous growth in the wine and hospitality industry as more and more restaurants are seeking staff with significant wine knowledge. The skill is desired in other areas as well, including distributors and event planning.

Courses are open to students age 21 and older, further enhancing the coursework as each class includes wine tastings. For those planning to sit for various wine industry exams, the College's certificate program serves as a prep course which, until now, wasn't readily available.

"We've had several students go on to take advanced exams, including those through the Court of Master Sommelier, Society of Wine Educator CSW and Wine & Spirit Education Trust." she said. "This program may be tailored to individual interest levels and can serve as a prep course for individuals who would like to take their wine knowledge to the next level."

To register, visit myACCESS. The fall semester begins Monday, Aug. 25.

For more information on Hospitality and Tourism courses, click here, or call Leone at (630) 942-2059 or contact instructor Jim Crooker at crooker@cod.edu.