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5 schools where you can turn your taste for beer into a career

Emma Kinery
USA TODAY

College students notoriously enjoy drinking beer, but some students hope translate their love of brews into a career.

The craft brewing industry has grown substantially over the past decade — nearly one out of every 10 beers sold by a craft beer company, according to the Brewers Association — and college officials are taking notice.

Schools have been quick to cater to the trend by offering degrees and certifications for students to create and manage craft beer companies. College officials noted to USA TODAY College that their programs have experienced an increase in enrollment in recent years in response to the rapid growth of the industry.

Here are five schools where students can turn their taste for fine brews into a career:

1. University of California-Davis

B.S. Food Science and Technology: Brewing Science and M.S. Food Science

UC Davis August Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory

The first college brewing program in the U.S. began in Davis, California in 1958 with a push from the brewing industry in the U.S. Since then, the program has expanded to offer a bachelor's program in brewing and master’s program which can focus on brewing, as well as courses which range from one week to nearly five months long. The Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences at UC-Davis, Charlie Bamforth, says in an interview with USA TODAY College, the master's program of 40 students is so popular that there is a two-year waiting list to enroll.

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“With the surge in the craft brewing industry, people want to be properly prepared to take brewing roles,” Bamforth says, “and that means understanding what is actually pretty complex science and engineering.”

According to Bamforth, the curriculum is an all-encompassing approach to brewing.

“We cover everything from grain to glass, delivering people to the industry who know the ins and outs of how things should be done and who have a passion to deliver outstanding beer every time,” Bamforth says. “We preach respect for beer in terms of celebrating all types of beer to be enjoyed as part of a wholesome well-balanced lifestyle.”

Alumni of UC-Davis’ Brewing Science Program have gone on to work for companies of all sizes — from Anheuser-Busch and Miller-Coors to Sierra Nevada to opening their own microbreweries such as Captain Lawrence and Almanac.

2. Oregon State University

B.S. Food Science & Technology: Fermentation Science

Oregon State University too has a history in educating brewers; their Fermentation Science program is by far the most popular of their three options of study within their Food Sciences major — with 65% of students opting to study craft brewing. In an interview with USA TODAY College Tom Shellhammer, Nor'Wester Professor of Fermentation Science at OSU, says the recent industry growth has led to many students asking themselves how they can be a part of the movement.

“Students are interested in brewing because craft beer resonates with them — and with Millennials, in general,” Shellhammer says. “They were raised with craft beer as an established (or possibly emerging) culture as opposed to an entirely new category. This beer appeals because the wide range of styles/flavors, its authenticity, and its locality.”

The courses focus on beer production from raw materials to packaging, but the program itself works to create innovation in the field. With the largest brewing-related research institution in the Americas, Shellhammer says OSU’s program goes beyond searching for the next hit flavor.

“One of the unique things about OSU is that we are a research university and as such I have a research lab that investigates beer flavor, flavor stability, beer foam, hop chemistry, hop bitterness and aroma chemistry, beer processing and sour beer chemistry/microbiology,” Shellhammer says. He adds UC-Davis is the only other university with a similar research program.

BaseCamp Brewing, as well as other microbrews, came out of the Fermentation Science program, but other alums have landed jobs at companies such as Anheuser-Busch, Boston Beer Company and the Craft Brew Alliance.

3. Central Washington University

B.S. Craft Brewing, Craft Brewing Certificate

Students at Central Washington University brewing beer

The program has only been in existence since 2009, but it is already garnering attention. Director of the Craft Brewing Program, Steven Wagner, says CWU’s one-year certificate program and four-year BS Craft Brewing major attracts students from all over the world — many of which attend as a second career.

“I think they find this an exciting time to become brewers during this period of the craft beer revolution,” Wagner says in an interview with USA TODAY College. “There is no time before in history when you could try so many different styles and diversity of beers. We are on the forefront of experimenting with hop forward styles of beer given our proximity to the largest hop growing region the U.S., the Yakima Valley.”

The program itself is a meld of a science and business education. It trains students to both ferment their own ales, as well as properly manage a business and test for quality assurance.

Most graduates choose to stay in the Northwest and work in the region Wagner says is “experiencing a brewing revolution.” Graduates have worked for craft brewing companies like Iron Horse Brewery, Bale Breaker Brewing Company, Yakima Craft Brewing and Odin Brewing.

4. Appalachian State University

B.S. Fermentation Sciences

Students at Appalachian State University / Appalachian State University

Since 2012 students at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. have been brewing their own libations and learning how to construct a successful brand. The program focuses heavily on the chemistry end as the business — students studying chemistry can opt to add a concentration to the fermentation sciences.

ASU's program offers an extremely hands-on approach and teams up with local breweries and vineyards —offering students a chance to simulate their own brewery in the pilot plant. There, students have the opportunity to experience and master every aspect of the process — from designing quality control measures to calculating the efficiency of the production,

On top of that — to ensure that graduates fully grasp all aspects of the industry — students must take a class titled “Social Implications of Fermented Beverages.”

5. San Diego State University

Business of Craft Beer Certificate

Unlike the other universities, SDSU emphasizes business management over brewing. The program focuses on refining entrepreneurial skills, better understanding the market, building connections and improving oneself as a professional, according to Leslie Reilly, assistant marketing director for SDSU.

“The program provides a well-rounded experience of craft beer through the exploration of its history, current trends, styles, best business practices, and what the future holds for this booming industry,” Reilly tells USA TODAY College. “Classes are held at local breweries and at SDSU and are taught by leaders currently working in the industry.”

The program takes a year for students seeking a Level I certification to complete and a year and a half for those pursuing a Level II certificate. Reilly emphasized the importance of a certification in craft beer by explaining employers are seeking individuals who truly understand the business.

“Beyond passion for the craft, employers are looking for educated employees — those with a knowledge of draught systems, business and distribution, front of the house management and beer styles  (especially if they are involved in the hospitality side of the industry),” Reilly says. “Students who wish to start their own breweries will find the brewery startup, draught systems, and marketing courses give them a head start on making the transition from home brewer to business owner.”

After receiving their certification, most students land jobs at local breweries and some have even gone on to open up their own, such as the start-up brewery Thr3e Punk Ales.

Emma Kinery is a student at the University of Michigan and a member of the USA TODAY College contributor network.

This article comes from The USA TODAY College Contributor network. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of USA TODAY. You understand that we have no obligation to monitor any discussion forums, blogs, photo- or video-sharing pages, or other areas of the Site through which users can supply information or material. However, we reserve the right at all times, in our sole discretion, to screen content submitted by users and to edit, move, delete, and/or refuse to accept any content that in our judgment violates these Terms of Service or is otherwise unacceptable or inappropriate, whether for legal or other reasons.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.

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