UC San Diego Extended Studies Brewing Certificate

Our Story

From just eight craft breweries in the U.S. in 1980 to over 6,000 nationwide today, craft and microbrewing has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry. San Diego is contributing to the growth of the brewing trade with about one hundred local breweries in operation and many more in the planning stages. The key to a career in this thriving business is to gain the training and knowledge necessary to excel in this specialized field.


Brewers bring expertise from a diverse array of fields including engineering, chemistry, microbiology, physics and business, and must be able to apply that knowledge on a daily basis. The UC San Diego Extension Brewing certificate curriculum provides students with the technical skill and knowledge to select raw materials, produce wort, manage yeast and fermentation processes, and finish and package the product, all to the highest industry standards. The business curriculum provides graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary to administer all financial and managerial operations of a brewery.


Taught by leading professional brewers and other industry experts, the UC San Diego Extension Brewing Certificate is a part-time, evening and weekend program that offers academic and practical training for entry-level brewing professionals. The certificate can be completed in 12-18 months and students may take as many or as few classes as fit their schedule. Tuition is paid per course at the time they are taken.