Undergraduate Students
 
Enology & Viticulture Option
 

Description and Background

Enology and Viticulture are the two disciplines of wine production. The OSU Department of Food Science and Technology offers an option in this area by focusing a student's instruction on grape production (Viticulture) and winemaking (Enology). The Enology and Viticulture option provides a thorough understanding of the principles and practices of wine production, with knowledge firmly based in the core disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.

Courses specific to the Enology and Viticulture option include: Viticulture I and II; Principles of Soil Science; Introduction to Insect Pests; Introduction to Plant Pathology, Weed Management; Introduction to Wines, Beers, and Spirits; Wine Production Principles ; Wine Production Practices and Analysis; Wine Sensory Evaluation and Topics in Fermentation . A sampling of “Fermentation Topics” recently covered include: “Alcohol and Health”, “Perries and Ciders” and “Profiles in Winemaking”.

Facilities and Equipment

  • University Vineyards: The university owns and maintains two vineyards, one located at the Lewis Brown farm outside of Corvallis and one located in Alpine, about 20 minutes south of Corvallis. These vineyards have multiple uses and are actively utilized for instruction as well as extension and research. The vineyards are planted with cool climate, industry relevant varieties such as Pinot noir, Pinot gris and Chardonnay.
  • Pilot Plant Winery: The pilot plant winery is located in neighboring Withycombe Hall and is composed of equipment necessary for winegrape processing including a stemmer-crusher, presses, filtration systems, bottling systems and storage facilities. The winery also serves as a teaching tool for extension workshops and University-owned vineyards provide winegrapes for teaching and research purposes.
  • Sensory Science Laboratory: Evaluation of wines has been a major focus of the sensory science laboratory for over twelve years. Wine industry members regularly participate in sensory studies on experimental wines.

Industry Outreach Programs

OSU coordinates several important conferences and workshops related to the field of enology. These include the annual meeting of the Winegrape Section of the Oregon Horticultural Society and the Oregon Wine Industry Symposium. Special workshops and retreats are offered on annual bases which address topics such as wine phenolics, wine microbiology, quality control management, filtration, and research needs.

Faculty Involved in Enology and Viticulture and their Specialization

Teaching Faculty
Alan Bakalinsky, PhD, University of California, Davis, 1989 - Yeast Genetics
Mark Daeschel, PhD, N. Carolina State University, Raleigh, 1982 - Microbiology
James Kennedy, PhD, University of Caliornia, Davis, 1999 - Wine Chemistry

James Osborne, PhD, Washington State University, Pullman, 2005 - Enology
Jack Stang, PhD, Oregon State University, 1976 - Plant Physiology
Bernadine Strik, PhD, University of Guelph, 1987 - Plant Physiology
Carmo Vasconcelos, PhD, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 1990 - Plant Physiology
Raymond William, PhD, Purdue University, 1976 - Cropping Systems

B.S. Degree Requirements: Enology and Viticulture Option

Course Title Course # Credits
Food Science Core    
Food Safety & Sanitation FST 360 03
Senior Seminar FST 407 01
Food Law FST 421 03
Food Chemistry FST 422 05
Fermentation Microbiology FST 479 03
Introduction to Process Engineering BEE 452 04
Introduction to Process Engineering Design BEE 453 04
Chemistry/Biochemistry Courses    
General Chemistry CH 221, 222, 223 05, 05, 05
Organic Chemistry/Lab CH 331, 332, 337 04, 04, 04
Quantitative Analysis CH 324 04
Math/Physics Courses    
General Physics PH 201 05
Introduction to Statistical Methods ST 351 04
Biological Sciences    
Principles of Biology BI 212 04
General Microbiology/Lab MB 302, 303 03, 02
Enology and Viticulture Option Courses    
Food Formulation Chemistry^WIC FST 424 03
Wine Production Principles FST 466 03
Wine Production Practices & Analysis FST 467 02
Wine Sensory Evaluation FST 468 02
Horticultural Technology HORT 301 04
Plant Nutrition HORT 316 04
Principles of Soil Science CSS 305 04
Viticulture I, II HORT 453, 454 03, 02
Topics in Fermentation (1-2 credits each) FST 480 01
Principles of Biology BI 211 04
Principles of Biology BI 213 04
Plant Physiology BOT 331 04
Differential Calculus MTH 241 04
Choose one of the two following courses:    
Introduction to Wines, Beers and Spirits FST 251 03
Temperate Tree Fruit, Berries, Grapes and Nuts HORT 251 02
Choose one of the two following courses:    
Elementary Biochemistry BB 350 04
Cell and Molecular Biology BI 314 04
Choose one of the three following courses:    
Introduction to Insect Pests CSS 311 05
Weed Management CSS 440 04
Introduction to Plant Pathology BOT 350 04
Additional Baccalaureate Core Courses    
Skills Courses    
English Composition WR 121 03
Technical Writing WR 327 or WR 222 03
Public Speaking COMM 111 03
Lifetime Fitness for Health HHS 231 02
Activity/Fitness Class Choose from HHS 241-248, 251 01
Perspective Courses    
Literature and Arts 03
Cultural Diversity 03
Social Process and Institutions 03
Difference, Power and Discrimination 03
Western Culture 03
Synthesis Courses    
Contemporary Global Issues 03
Science, Technology and Society
  (FST 421 satisfies this requirement)
Electives
  19-20
TOTAL Credits Required
  180
^WIC - Writing Intensive Course
   

Relevant Minors

(Be sure to declare your Minor through the Office of the Registrar) Food Science and Technology undergraduates are not required to take a minor; however there are minors available at Oregon State University which are particularly complementary to the B.S. Degree in Food Science & Technology: Enology and Viticulture Option.

These Minors are:

  • Business Administration: A minor in Business Administration requiring a minimum of 28 additional credits is available. All courses need to be taken on a graded basis with a 2.50 minimum overall GPA achievement. ECON 201 (3 credits) and MTH 111 (4 credits) are prerequisite courses. Additional information and specific courses needed for this minor may be found in the General Catalog. Students need to contact the College of Business , Office of Student Services, 214 Bexell Hall for the application form. 541-737-3716.
  • Chemistry: The FST required curriculum includes 27 credits of chemistry courses, distributed among general and organic chemistry and quantitative analysis. This course sequence satisfies the requirements for a Minor in Chemistry. Additional information and specific courses needed for this minor may be found in the General Catalog or by contacting the Chemistry Department, 153 Gilbert Hall. 541-737-2081.

Concurrent Baccalaureate Degrees Complementary to the Enology and Viticulture Option

Students must A) Meet the institutional college, and departmental requirements of the curricula represented by the degrees; B) Complete for each additional degree a minimum of 32 credits more than the requirements of the curriculum requiring the least number of credits; C) Complete each additional 32 credits in residence.

International Studies: Oregon State University has a unique International degree, offered only in conjunction with another undergraduate degree. The additional required credits include taking more Baccalaureate Core courses, foreign language courses (fourth year level), and a minimum of 10 weeks of experience (study, internship, etc.) in a foreign country.

For additional information about the Food Science Option in Food Science and Technology, please contact:

Linda Dunn, Academic Programs Coordinator
Department of Food Science and Technology
Academic Program Support
100 Wiegand Hall
Oregon State University
Corvallis , OR 97331-6602
Phone: 541.737.6486
Toll-free: 800.823.2357
ademic Programs Coordinato

 

Page updated 07/06/07