Curtin University has increased semester one\u2019s intake for the Graduate Diploma in Oenology, thanks to a growing interest in wine production across Australia.<\/p>\n
The year 2015 \u201cwas a watershed year for Australian wine internationally\u201d with the value of exports increasing 14 per cent to $2.1 billion, according to an export report prepared by Wine Australia<\/a>, Australia\u2019s statutory body for the grape and wine community,.<\/p>\n At the same time, a growing number of Australians are looking to join the wine industry, with Curtin University\u2019s Graduate Diploma in Oenology, a one-year postgraduate course offered at the Margaret River Centre for Wine Excellence<\/a>, experiencing strong interest.<\/p>\n The University has therefore decided to increase the number of available spaces in the course during semester one, which commences on February 29.<\/p>\n The diploma provides an understanding of practical wine production, beer production, distillation, sensory evaluation of wines, the principles and practices of viticulture and explores the relationship between grape and wine quality and wine marketing.<\/p>\n A highlight of the diploma is an intensive, 15-week wine production unit at a small-scale winery.<\/p>\n \u201cThe grad dip is designed to both introduce people to the industry as well as advance the skills of people already within the wine sector,\u201d says course coordinator Dr David Kelly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the course covers solid scientific and practical studies, it\u2019s also broad enough to allow graduates to work in different areas of the wine industry, not just in traditional wine making.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the past, graduates with business and marketing degrees have used the course to gain employment in the industry from a business perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n Wine Australia\u2019s 2015 export report found that Margaret River was the second most valued wine-producing region in Australia, making it an ideal destination for prospective students.<\/p>\n