Certificates
By earning a two-year associate degree or certificate in Viticulture, you will be well on your way to becoming employed in the dynamic winegrowing industry. Viticulture students can earn an associate in science degree and certificate concurrently to prepare for employment in the wine grape industry.
Classes are organized to enable students to meet the requirements for an associate degree in four semesters or a certificate in two semesters.
Students are encouraged to meet with a counselor to develop an educational plan. There are numerous work study opportunities and scholarships available specifically for viticulture students.
Majors
Classes
The Viticulture program offers eighteen Viticulture courses. Questions about the Viticulture courses or when a course will be offered can be emailed to Merilark Padgett-Johnson, Viticulture Program Coordinator, mpadgettjohnson@santarosa.edu. To view the current class schedule, visit classes.santarosa.edu.
VIT 1 - Introduction to Viticulture, Winemaking, Wines of the World
Survey of world viticulture and wine industries. Course includes: history of viticulture; grapevine anatomy; worldwide grape and wine production and consumption; and world wine regions.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
VIT 51 - Viticulture: Fall Practices
Fall practices for wine grape production in the north coast region, including budding, grape maturity monitoring, harvesting, pruning, varietal selection and vineyard development.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU.
VIT 52 - Viticulture: Spring Practices
Viticulture practices for spring including vineyard establishment, training, pest control, soils, frost protection, irrigation practices, quality control measures and vineyard equipment use.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU.
VIT 53 - Advanced Vineyard Practices for Quality Production
Course presents principles and cultural practices utilized in the vineyard to produce high quality North Coast wines. A thorough look at the practices of fertilization, irrigation, trellis design, and canopy management as they relate to wine quality factors. Includes lectures, guest speakers, and field trips to local vineyards and wineries.
Recommended Preparation: Completion of VIT 52, and Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU.
VIT 54 - Viticulture: Summer Practices
Viticulture practices for summer including pest and disease monitoring and management, weed control, crop load assessment, canopy assessment, vine water status measurements and fruit quality improvement techniques.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU.
VIT 55 - Basic Wine Grape Viticulture
An introduction to viticulture including history and development of the wine industry, grape growing, distribution, processes and factors affecting wine quality. Also covers biology, anatomy, propagation, cultivated varieties, rootstocks, climate, vineyard practices, and common diseases and pests. Provides basic information required to establish a wine grape vineyard in Sonoma County.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU.
VIT 60 - Vineyard Management
Responsibilities of vineyard management including, diagnosis and correction of problems, vineyard development, financial projections and budgeting, labor contracting and supervision, and crop sale contracts.
Recommended Preparation: Course Completion or Concurrent Enrollment in VIT 51 and VIT 52 and Course Eligibility for ENGL 100 OR ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU.
VIT 70 - Vineyard Pest and Disease Management
Examination of vineyard pests, diseases, and vectors; including their identification, life-cycles, specific monitoring and economic thresholds. Topics include: vineyard fungal, bacterial and viral diseases, insects, arthropods, nematodes, vertebrate pests, and weeds. Efficient, current and environmentally sound management strategies will be emphasized.
Recommended Preparation: Course Completion or Concurrent Enrollment in VIT 55 AND Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: CSU.
VIT 113 - Organic Viticulture
Examination of commercial organic wine grape production, investigating both theory and practical applications. Regional growing conditions will be emphasized. Topics include: assessment of a site's feasibility for organic production; appropriate choice of planting materials; soil fertility; biodiversity; ecologically sound pest and disease management; cost comparisons of organic production versus other methods.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 114 - Sustainable Viticulture
Examination of commercial sustainable winegrape production, investigating both theory and practical applications. Regional growing conditions will be emphasized. Topics include: vineyard practices that promote environmental protection and resource conservation, economic viability and continuity, and social equity.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 120 - Vineyard Pruning
Theory and practice of pruning head, cane and cordon vines. Course emphasizes the grapevine's response to pruning, training young and mature vines, and introduces terminology and equipment.
Recommended Preparation: None
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 121 - Pruning Techniques for Vine Balance
Concepts and techniques for pruning to promote wine grape vine balance.
Recommended Preparation: None
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 122 - Vineyard Canopy Management
Latest techniques in developing trellising systems for winegrape production. Principles and practices of canopy management are covered, focusing on improving grape and wine quality.
Recommended Preparation: Course completion of VIT 120
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 124 - Vineyard Irrigation and Fertilization
Soil types and irrigation requirements in the vineyard. Covers vineyard water and nutrition needs, water and fertilizer application techniques, and irrigation management for various rootstocks.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 130 - Grapevine Physiology
An advanced viticulture theory course that covers grapevine physiology and phenology. Topics include vine balance, flowering and fruit set, stages of berry growth, and vine water status. This course is designed for those working in the winegrape industry and already familiar with basic vineyard operations.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 131 - Working with Your Winemaker - Fruit Quality Assurance
The primary aspects of winegrape quality improvement will be covered. The student will write a detailed plan to improve fruit quality in the vineyard, and then assess and evaluate the degree of improvement achieved. This short course also addresses enhancing communication skills between the grower and the winemaker and/or grape buyer.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 132 - Advances in Vineyard Integrated Pest and Disease Management
This course encompasses critical evaluation and discussion of selected viticulture, plant pathology and entomology research papers. The papers will be recent publications in peer-reviewed journals. The intent is to broaden student experience and perspective beyond textbooks for understanding of new pest and disease management practices.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None
VIT 133 - Advances in Viticulture
This short course encompasses critical evaluation and discussion of selected viticultural research papers. The papers will be recent publications in peer-reviewed journals. The intent is to broaden student perspective beyond textbooks for understanding the most current vineyard practices that aim for efficiency and fruit quality improvement.
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent
Prerequisites: None
Transfer Credit: None