COLLEGE STATION, Texas, USA – Texas A&M University is now home to the nation’s first academic coffee certificate. This announcement comes as coffee’s popularity has skyrocketed across the nation, increasing demand for graduates skilled in coffee-related disciplines, writes Paul Schattenberg, Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications, in an article on Txas A&M Today.
“There is an increasing demand for high-quality coffee that will require expertise in all aspects of production and marketing,” said Texas A&M Center for Coffee Research and Education director Dr. Roger Norton.
To meet the needs of the growing coffee industry, Texas A&M is offering a new standalone certification designed for undergraduate students in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences but available to all Texas A&M students.
The Coffee Processing and Quality Certificate, available through the Department of Food Science and Technology, is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to be competent professionals in that industry.
“Through the certificate program, we want to provide students with the educational opportunities and experiences needed to succeed in that industry should they choose that as their career path,” Norton said.
The certificate offers students focused coursework on coffee production, processing and quality evaluation, emphasizing the connections to various food products. Additionally, the certification track delves into the significance of coffee and other food items in promoting human health and wellness.
“This certification will help support and strengthen one of the world’s most important agricultural industries, by creating a new generation of agricultural and business leaders. We’re proud to be the national leader,” said Dr. Jeffrey W. Savell, vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Norton said this is the only academic title in coffee being offered by any university in the U.S. and is the equivalent of a minor in an academic discipline.
“The center has been involved in the development of the certificate and will continue to coordinate and collaborate with other departments in its implementation,” he said. “The certificate program takes in aspects of a number of additional academic fields such as horticulture, crop science, agricultural economics, hospitality and tourism, and nutrition.”
Students will learn about technological advances in coffee processing, the genetics of various coffee species, and practical alternative uses for coffee components and byproducts.
