CIA Online Master’s Programs

Earn your Master’s in Wine and Beverage Management online. Develop the leadership, marketing, and operations expertise to thrive in global hospitality and beverage industries.

Get personalized program information and take the first step toward wine & beverage management

In this integrative wine and beverage degree program, you’ll hone your wine tasting and theory skills while developing a rich repertoire of business management, industry innovation, and leadership competencies so that you can chart your own fulfilling career in the wine industry. 

Offered by CIA’s School of Graduate Studies, this master’s degree program equips you with the knowledge and credibility needed to pursue advanced careers in the wine and beverage business. Throughout your studies, you will: 

Today, business professionals and wine enthusiasts have unlimited opportunities to turn their passion and expertise into an exciting and fulfilling career in wines and beverage. Graduates from this program can become:

The two-year, 30-credit Wine and Beverage Management master’s degree program includes:

• 24 credits in online courses covering subjects such as global wine business operations, entrepreneurial innovation, spirits, fermented and non-alcoholic beverage, and advanced beverage management, as well as a 2-credit online capstone project developed with input from faculty, advisors, fellow cohort members, and mentors.
• 4 credits consisting of three short residencies in the Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Hyde Park,  New York.

Online learning is augmented with in-person residencies at CIA’s California campus. You’ll get hands-on field experience in world-famous vineyards alongside unparalleled networking opportunities with vintners, distillers, and other industry professionals.

• Visit world-renowned wineries where you’ll participate in interactive tastings and get hands-on field experience. Previous cohorts visited Opus One and Demptos Napa Cooperage, among others.
• Network with leading industry vintners, winemakers, and distributors.
• Focus on sustainability practices within the wine industry during your second residency.
• Teambuilding and collaboration with classmates from diverse backgrounds.
• Take part in educational programs such as creative beverage and sensory seminars.
• Immerse yourself in the Napa Valley, the heart of wine country.

The Wine and Beverage Management master’s degree at CIA offers online learning via premium wine tasting kits delivered to your door, allowing you to participate in class from wherever you are.

Carefully curated by our expert faculty and reflecting the excellency standards synonymous with CIA, tasting kits are comprised of 24–36 global wines per semester. You’ll learn the complexities of wine identification, sensory analyses, and master the intricacies of food and wine pairings.

An innovative and modern approach to online learning, this flexible format takes into consideration the realities of working professionals with busy schedules. But online learning doesn’t mean alone—you’ll be part of a vibrant cohort who learns, grows, and networks together.

Choosing CIA for your Wine and Beverage Management master’s degree makes perfect sense. CIA’s Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the CIA Greystone campus—where you’ll visit during your residencies—is a state-of-the art wine education center. Home to innovative educational offerings, it boasts sensory classrooms designed for analyzing wines and beverages, wireless keypad response systems, built-in light boxes, and expectoration stations.

We’ve been educating successful wine, beverage, and hospitality professionals for decades, helping to launch and advance thousands of careers of wine and beverage leaders. As a graduate of CIA you’ll have lifelong access to career resources—including job listings, and Career Fair and networking events. Additionally, you’ll instantly become a member of a nearly 60,000-strong influential professional network of CIA alumni, paving the way for unparalleled career opportunity. Your network will consist of CIA grads who are shaping today’s wine industry, including:

• Raj Parr ’96, master sommelier, James Beard award-winner, and co-founder of Acclaimed Domaine de la Côte, Sandhi, and Evening Land wineries
• Melissa Monosoff ’00, published author and director of education for the Court of Master Sommeliers
• Kyungmoon Kim ’05, master sommelier, wine instructor, and founder of KMS ImportsThat’s the iconic CIA Network.

What are requirements for admission to CIA’s online Wine and Beverage Management master’s degree program? 

You must be at least 21 years of age. You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or hold an international equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. Please note that you will need a US shipping address that allows for alcohol delivery as part of the CIA’s Master’s in Wine & Beverage Management program. If you are an international student interested in this program, please email graduate.admissions@culinary.edu before submitting an application. 

Do I need to take the GMAT or GRE for admission?

No—CIA does not require GMAT or GRE submittals for master’s degree program applicants.

Will I need to move to a CIA campus location to complete my studies?

No—the online master’s degree program has been designed for distance delivery. Other than the required short residencies (four to six days each), students should be able to complete the program from any location with an internet connection. 

Is it possible to work a full-time job while enrolled in the online master’s degree program?

While the academic courses are rigorous, we believe the asynchronous learning model supports most students in achieving a reasonable work/school/life/study balance. Overall, students can expect to commit an average of 20 hours per week to coursework. Courses and study time are flexible; we find that students can spread have structured their course work across multiple short study sessions or fewer blocks of longer duration to meet their schedule needs. Additionally, our Career and Academic Advising Offices are available to assist our students in building a schedule that works with their professional and personal commitments.  

Do I need to be a chef or a food industry veteran to be considered for admission?

No—food industry experience is always a plus, but is not required as long as your application conveys more than a casual interest in the food business.

Can CIA’s online master’s degree program be taken over a longer time period than the prescribed two years?

Students are expected to stay on pace and progress with their original cohort. Our programs have been intentionally designed to be delivered in an environment where students bond and develop into a learning community over these two years. 

The Culinary Institute of America

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Hyde Park, NY 12590