
Beer Brewer Professional Certificate
Overview
The University of Richmond School of Professional & Continuing Studies, in collaboration with community partners in Central Virginia and the Tidewater region, offers the state’s premier professional beer brewing training for those interested in entering and advancing in the craft beer industry.
Our Beer Brewer Professional Certificate program guides students through the entire craft brewing business, from procuring high quality ingredients and raw materials through the proper handling, processing, packaging and distribution of the final product.
The program highlights local, sustainable practices by partnering with regional suppliers, breweries and distributors. Students who complete the certificate program will be well prepared to enter the craft brewing industry in a variety of roles.
Expansion
We launched the Beer Brewer Professional Certificate in Central Virginia centered on Richmond, where it continues to thrive. The certificate program’s success among brewing partners, students and graduates in Richmond attracted the attention of brewing professionals across the state.
As a result, we’ve partnered with local breweries, organizations and higher education institutions to launch the program in Tidewater. We seek to continue providing the best brewing education programs in Virginia, and to provide a model for advancement and ongoing innovation in the brewing industry.
Regional Cohorts
Although our curriculum is common across our regional cohorts, individual programs partner with local organizations, institutions and breweries to provide each regional cohort its unique experience. If you live or work in an area overlapped by our regions, feel free to apply to the program most convenient to you. You’ll receive the same education and resources, with local flavor, regardless of your cohort.
Illustration: UR Boatwright Library Tower Cohorts Start in Fall & Spring
Illustration: King Neptune Statue Cohorts Start in Fall & Spring
Curriculum Updates
In response to feedback from students and graduates of the program, we’re rolling out curriculum improvements starting in 2023. These include the following:
- Reducing time to completion from 9 to 6 months and required class time from 90 to 75 hours.
- Reinforcing intentionally reflective learning opportunities using program notebooks.
- Replacing the internship requirement with 4 small-group, intensive field experiences.
- Increasing hands-on experiences, eliminating repetitive coursework and incorporating meaningful hybrid learning opportunities.
These updates, which go into effect for new Richmond cohorts starting in April 2023 and for new Tidewater cohorts starting in October 2023, respond to feedback and provide a continuous improvement approach for ongoing program development and expansion.