The Graduate School at Cornell University consists of nearly 100 graduate fields that include faculty from many different disciplines and departments, organized around their interests and research in thematic areas. Due to this unique structure, Viticulture is a concentration within the graduate field of Horticulture, while Enology is a concentration in the graduate field of Food Science and Technology.

With more than 50 Cornell faculty and extension specialists with active programs in viticulture and enology, including some in the graduate fields of Entomology, Plant Pathology, Plant Breeding and Genetics, and Applied Economics and Management, students can pursue graduate degrees in every aspect of grape growing and wine making.

Students considering graduate studies in viticulture and/or enology should review the homepages and publications of specific professors and are encouraged to directly contact professors whose programs are of special interest and arrange for a visit to Cornell.

Degree Programs

Students interested in studying viticulture or enology at the graduate level can apply to one of three degree programs at Cornell University: the M.P.S. (Master of Professional Studies), M.S. (Master of Science), or Ph.D. (Doctoral degree).  Those who have completed coursework during their undergraduate studies in scientific subject areas pertinent to viticulture and enology (e.g., horticulture, food science, biology, microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, ecology, botany) are generally eligible to apply.  Students without a science background are required to take coursework, and may be required to attain additional experience, before applying.

Master of Professional Studies

The Master of Professional Studies is a course-based professional degree intended primarily for second career or re-entry students who want an intensive two or three semester graduate program that includes an in-depth special project and experience in vineyards or wine production to prepare for careers in the wine/grape industry.  The M.P.S. degree does not involve a formal research project, and is not advisable for students who may wish to continue on for a Ph.D. program. 

Masters of Science & Doctoral Degree

The M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at Cornell are research-based, and require that each student write a thesis (for the M.S.) or dissertation (for the Ph.D.) based upon original research that is expected to be publishable.  The usual time for completion of an M.S. is two or three years; completion of the Ph.D. typically requires three to four years of coursework and research.  Most M.S. and Ph.D. students at Cornell receive scholarship and stipend support during their studies, in the form of Teaching Assistantships (TAs), fellowships, or grant funded assistantships.

Graduate Fields