Plumpton College secures status as the UK’s premier institution for specialist wine degrees.

Plumpton College has secured formal validation for a portfolio of new higher-level programmes in viticulture, oenology and wine business, including two innovative undergraduate wine degrees and a research-intensive postgraduate degree, following a rigorous academic approval by the University of Greenwich.

The new BSc (Hons) Viticulture, Oenology and Business Management, for aspiring viticulturalist and wine entrepreneurs, has been approved for delivery starting this September. The BSc and newly validated Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Wine Production and Business Management have been developed by the Wine Curriculum Team in direct response to the sustained engagement with employers and sector partners such as WineGB, who have acted as co-designers throughout the development process. Together, they represent a significant expansion of Plumpton’s higher education offer and its commitment to producing graduates equipped for leadership, innovation and research-led practice.

Plumpton College is home of the UK’s Wine Centre of Excellence for education, training and research. Pioneering wine education in the UK, courses were first established in 1989. The College was recently awarded a national honour recognising its impact on the English and Welsh wine industry, a Queen’s Anniversary Prize. 

Plumpton College is currently the only UK provider offering this integrated suite of specialist wine degrees, spanning foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and research-level study. The new wine degrees have been designed to meet the evolving needs of the UK and global wine and viticulture sectors, drawing on Plumpton’s established reputation of excellence, deep sector connections and applied teaching model. 

Developed in collaboration with industry partners across production, sustainability, trade and business, the programmes combine research-informed academic study, applied, practice-based learning grounded in real-world challenges, and strong employability and progression pathways. Industry representatives have played a central role in shaping curriculum content, ensuring that graduates develop advanced knowledge, critical skills and professional capabilities required by the fast-growing UK agricultural and wine sector now and in the future.

A postgraduate research degree completes the suite of wine-related study programmes offered by the College at its onsite Wine Research Centre. A Master’s by Research (MRes Viticulture & Oenology) was developed to support both academic and applied research careers, the programme creates progression routes into doctoral study and research-intensive roles within industry, policy and practice-based settings. 

Sam Linter, Director of Wine Studies, Plumpton College, commented: “The UK wine industry is growing rapidly and like other wine industries worldwide, is facing increasingly complex challenges, from climate resilience and sustainability to productivity, innovation and leadership capacity. These new degree programmes have been developed directly with industry to ensure graduates are equipped not just for today’s vineyards, wineries and wine businesses, but for the future of the sector. As the only provider of this integrated suite of wine degrees in the UK, Plumpton College has a unique responsibility to support the industry through high-level education, research and professional development.”

The University of Greenwich-validated wine degrees delivered by Plumpton College include: 

  • FdSc Wine Production & Business Management
  • BSc (Hons) Viticulture, Oenology & Business Management
  • MSc Viticulture & Oenology
  • MRes Viticulture & Oenology

Applications are open for selected programmes starting in September 2026 and January 2027. Prospective students, career-changers and industry professionals are encouraged to explore Plumpton College’s wine programmes, and to apply via the Plumpton College website: www.plumpton.ac.uk/wine-division/

Photo: ©Christopher Lanaway Photography