Fast-track your wine career: hands-on vineyard training plus business management skills.
Immerse yourself in wine production and business management with Plumpton’s new degree. Gain practical experience in vineyards and wineries, learn viticulture, winemaking, and management, and complete a 150-hour industry placement. Blended delivery aligns with the harvest season. This foundation degree in Wine Production and Business Management offers a fast-track route into the wine industry, combining practical vineyard and winery experience with essential business and marketing skills.
You’ll learn how to manage a commercial vineyard, become a industry-recognised winemaker, and be able to analyse wine quality and gain hands-on experience at Plumpton’s vineyards and onsite winery. Plumpton's SMART Centenary Vineyard, focuses on agri-tech and precision winemaking. It's conveniently located close to Brighton and other transport hubs.
The programme is aligned with the Wine National Competency Framework (NCF)—endorsed by WineGB and the Vintners’ Company—ensuring graduates meet recognised industry standards. With a delivery model tailored to the wine production calendar and a September start to integrate harvest experience, you’ll gain real-world insight from day one.
Why study wine production and wine business management at Plumpton?
150-hour industry placement for practical experience
Core topics include vineyard management, winery engineering, wine science, and ethical wine marketing
Developed with industry input and endorsed by leading wine organisations
Progression route to BSc Viticulture, Oenology & Business Management (Top-up)
The University of Greenwich is Plumpton's internationally recognised validating partner
Plumpton College is the UK’s leading provider of wine education, home to the Wine Centre of Excellence and recipient of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize (2024) for its contribution to the English and Welsh wine industry.
This refreshed degree allows you to gain technical and business expertise to thrive in the wine industry and gives you the option to follow a wine business management pathway or a wine production pathway.
Year 1 - indicative modules
In the first year you will study:
• Viticulture and Vineyard Management (30 credits)
• Wine Science and Sensory Analysis (30 credits)
• Introduction to Business Management (30 credits)
• Practical and Academic Skills (30 credits)
Year 2 - modules
In the second year you will be able to tailor your focus to either business management or wine production.
Students are required to study the following compulsory modules:
• Establishing a Sustainable Wine Business (30 credits)
• Industry Work Placement (15 credits)
• Sparkling and Cool Climate Wine (30 credits)
First, students are required to choose 30 credits from the list below:
• Wine Production and Analysis (30 credits)
• Marketing and Content Creation (30 credits)
Then, students are also required to choose 15 credits from the list below:
• Regional Wine Economics (15 credits)
• Independent Enquiry (15 credits)
• Research Methods and Statistics (15 credits)
(You will study a total of 120 credits in each year.)
Please note modules are subject to validation. Please speak to an advisor for more details.
Assessment is through a combination of coursework and assessments, typically weighted towards practical and applied learning. Coursework includes vineyard and winery evaluations, sensory analysis of wine, laboratory reports, and business projects such as marketing plans and financial case studies. You’ll also complete presentations and reflective portfolios linked to your 150-hour industry placement. Assessments are designed to assess your understanding of viticulture, wine science, and business principles. Detailed feedback is provided to support your development throughout the programme
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
The following entry points are available for this course:
We are currently unable to consider international applications due to UKVI regulations.
We consider a wide range of Level 3 equivalent qualifications in science related subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Horticulture, Agriculture, and Physics. Level 3 qualifications considered includes T-levels, A-levels and Extended Diplomas (L3), Irish Highers, Scottish Highers, as well as Access to HE qualifications.
We would also consider candidates who have completed a Level 3 Crop Technician (Viticulture) apprenticeship.
In addition to the above Level 3 qualifications, candidates must have at least five GCSEs at grade 4 (or above) and this must include English Language (Grade 4 or above) and Maths (Grade 4 or above).
Candidates will also need to complete the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines prior to starting on the course.
Students must be a minimum of 18 years old upon entry.
Students with English as a second language will be required to have gained IELTS Level 6.5 overall with Level 6.0 in writing.
Mature students with relevant industrial experience, but without the minimum academic qualifications, may be eligible for entry. This will be assessed at interview using a portfolio evidence and employer references.
As part of the admissions process, you may be invited to attend an interview or professional discussion. This helps us understand your motivation, experience, and suitability for the programme. Interviews may be conducted online or on campus.
We consider the context of an applicant’s educational and personal circumstances when reviewing applications. This may include factors such as school performance, postcode data, care experience, and participation in widening access programmes. Contextual data helps us identify potential and ensure fair access. For more information, please speak to an advisor.
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
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Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
In addition to tuition fees, students should budget for costs typically associated with higher education, such as stationery, core textbooks, and printing. Due to the practical nature of this programme, you may also need:
Protective clothing and footwear for vineyard and winery work (approx. £50–£100)
Lab coat and safety glasses (approx. £25)
Optional study trips and industry visits (variable cost)
Travel and accommodation for the 150-hour industry placement (costs depend on location)
All essential teaching resources, access to Plumpton’s vineyards, winery, and labs are included in your tuition fee.
Please note costs are indicative and may be subject to change.
Plumpton offers a range of financial support to students from a hardship fund to scholarships. The Plumpton Wine Scholarship aims to remove financial barriers for passionate and talented individuals who wish to pursue careers in wine business, production, or wine science. The Plumpton Wine Scholarship covers 50% of tuition fee costs in year 1 and 2 of study and there are two scholarships available for each academic year.
Email:enquiries@plumpton.ac.uk
Phone:01273 890454
Email:heoffice@plumpton.ac.uk
Phone:01273 890454
Email:enquiries@plumpton.ac.uk
Phone:01273 890454
Ditchling Road
Lewes
BN7 3AE
At Plumpton College
