Adelaide University
Master of Viticulture and Oenology
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
- Course Type: Master's
From vine to wine – develop unique flavour profiles at one of Australia’s largest teaching wineries.
Course overview
The wine industry is currently adapting to multiple challenges – environmental, technological and consumer. Navigate a global industry. Advocate and champion organic and biodynamic cultivation. Do all this and more with the Master of Viticulture and Oenology.
Study at the Waite campus, where 70% of Australia’s wine research is conducted. Access cutting-edge research through over 150 industry partners and academics. Choose from specialised winemaking electives.
This intensive two-year degree is renowned worldwide for its exceptional teaching standards. Maximise your learning outcomes. Gain practical experience through a 10-week placement or complete a research dissertation on a topic of choice. Build hands-on scientific and technological skills in local vineyards and wineries.
Study the cultivation of grape vines and vineyard establishment. Learn how to optimise vineyard yield and grape quality.
Practical experience in the field will be highly valued. You’ll be the future of the wine industry, qualified for diverse careers. Perhaps as a vineyard manager, viticultural consultant or winemaker. Contribute new practices and techniques, blended wines and unique flavour profiles to the industry.
Key features
- Develop your skills at the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural teaching and research hub.
- Blend science and technological skills to discover how vineyards and wineries operate.
- Make wine in the university's state-of-the-art wine science laboratory.
- Collaborate with over 150 researchers and industry partners in grape and wine science.
- Explore cutting-edge research through innovative wine projects.
- Take part in a 10-week industry placement or complete a research project.
Key facts
What you will study
Students must complete 96 units comprising:
- 54 units for all core courses.
- 12 to 24 units for discipline courses.
- 18 to 30 units for electives.
Unless otherwise indicated, each course is worth six units.
Complete 54 units for all of the following:
- Viticultural Science A
- Stabilisation and Clarification
- Sensory Studies
- Viticultural Science B
- Cellar and Winery Waste Management
- Introductory Winemaking
- Viticultural Methods and Procedures
- Winemaking at Vintage
- Advances in Wine Science
Entry requirements
Admission criteria
To be eligible, an applicant must have achieved the following minimum entry requirements and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite and essential criteria for admission. In cases where there are more eligible applicants than available places, admission will be competitive with ranks based on the entry criteria.
A completed bachelor's (AQF level 7) degree or equivalent in a science-related field from a recognised higher education institution.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Adelaide University is committed to recognising the contribution of students’ prior learning towards their program requirements.
Credit may be granted for formal, informal and non-formal learning, with guidance on eligibility provided to prospective students in a clear, transparent and publicly available credit framework.
Credit determinations will be:
- Evidence-based, equitable and transparent.
- Academically sound.
- Applied consistently, fairly and subject to review.
Credit will be granted for prior learning that is relevant and equivalent to the learning required for the courses for which credit is sought.
Credit will only be granted if it:
- Maintains the credibility and integrity of the program for which credit is sought.
- Does not contravene the conditions of the program’s professional accreditation.
- Does not disadvantage the student’s ability to achieve the expected course or program learning outcomes.
For more information, contact the university or visit its website.
Outcomes
Perhaps you’ll conduct studies to improve grape varieties, cultivation techniques, or winemaking processes. Maybe you’ll craft wines and oversee the entire production process from grape to bottle. You might even liaise with wine regions overseas to learn different winemaking cultures and terroirs.
You might also consider a role as a:
- Grower Liaison Officer
- Vineyard Manager
- Winemaker
- Wine Exporter
- Wine Scientist
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $47,300 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Fee-paying programs require the full tuition fees for your study, which can be deferred partly or in full to a FEE-HELP loan. Where the duration of the program is less than one year, the total cost of the program is displayed.
A student’s fee may vary depending on:
- The number of courses studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students.