OENOLOGY 7560WT - Experience & Perspectives in the Wine Industry

Waite Campus - Semester 1 - 2018

The Master of Viticulture and Oenology program provides students with opportunities to gain experience working in viticulture and/or winemaking placements. Students undertake 10 weeks? work experience, either in an approved viticultural enterprise, and/or in a commercial winery. The placement is normally a continuous 10-week block, taken during the vintage period of the particular region. Viticultural placements, however, may take place throughout the year, and can be composed of a series of discontinuous periods (totalling 10 weeks), enabling students to experience different vineyard practices throughout the year and gain a hands-on working understanding of the management systems and structures. Alternatively students may elect to undertake experience in commercial winery during the vintage period. At the completion of the placement, a specified level of proficiency and an understanding of the contribution of each of the major unit operations to the overall winemaking process are required. In addition students will receive lectures and workshops designed to allow the examination the current policies and issues confronting the Australian wine industry. This will provide insight into how critical Australian wine industry organisations address topics of societal importance, including marketing, wine advertising, brand development and alcohol and health in the international context.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code OENOLOGY 7560WT
    Course Experience & Perspectives in the Wine Industry
    Coordinating Unit School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s Waite Campus
    Units 12
    Contact 10 weeks full time placement (off campus) plus up to 5 hours per week for 7 weeks
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites OENOLOGY 7047WT
    Incompatible OENOLOGY 7550WT
    Assumed Knowledge OENOLOGY 7520WT
    Restrictions Available to Master of Viticulture & Oenology students only
    Course Description The Master of Viticulture and Oenology program provides students with opportunities to gain experience working in viticulture and/or winemaking placements. Students undertake 10 weeks? work experience, either in an approved viticultural enterprise, and/or in a commercial winery. The placement is normally a continuous 10-week block, taken during the vintage period of the particular region. Viticultural placements, however, may take place throughout the year, and can be composed of a series of discontinuous periods (totalling 10 weeks), enabling students to experience different vineyard practices throughout the year and gain a hands-on working understanding of the management systems and structures. Alternatively students may elect to undertake experience in commercial winery during the vintage period. At the completion of the placement, a specified level of proficiency and an understanding of the contribution of each of the major unit operations to the overall winemaking process are required.
    In addition students will receive lectures and workshops designed to allow the examination the current policies and issues confronting the Australian wine industry. This will provide insight into how critical Australian wine industry organisations address topics of societal importance, including marketing, wine advertising, brand development and alcohol and health in the international context.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Paul Grbin

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    Classes commence in week 7, after vintage placement has been completed.

    There will be lectures and workshop on Thursdays, from 9am -5pm
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

    1.      
    Demonstrate competency in the key practical aspects of viticultural work
    in a commercial setting.

    AND/OR

    2.      
    Demonstrate competency in the work undertaken by a cellar staff in a
    commercial winery during the period of vintage.

     3.      
    Explain the principles behind either
    the practices that underpin a commercial viticultural operation. Students are
    required to reflect on practices undertaken in the vineyard.  This can include a first hand understanding of soil
    management, irrigation, pests and diseases, canopy management, pruning, and
    vine monitoring and further describe limitations and suggest improvements. Furthermore,
    the student should be able to evaluate the management strategy used by a
    viticultural enterprise.

    AND/OR

    4.      
    Explain the principles behind the
    practices that underpin practical winemaking during the period of vintage in a
    commercial winery. This can include a first hand
    understanding of grape harvest and vine monitoring, grape receival and
    weighbridge operations; grape and juice processing; fermentation and post
    fermentation operations, cellar management and quality control procedures and
    further describe limitations and suggest improvements. Furthermore, the student
    should be able to evaluate the processes by which a series of operations from
    grape harvest decisions to post-fermentation management of a selected wine are
    made by a commercial winery.

    5.      
    Explain the aims and objectives of the
    major grape and wine industry organisations.

    6.      
    Explain some of the issues that are
    currently before the industry. These may include topics such as alcohol abuse
    and its implications for health and society, the global positioning of
    Australian wine, the role and importance of the Australian Wine Show system,
    and emerging practices in grape growing and winemaking.

    7.      
    Develop high order report writing and
    presentations skills, including reflective analysis of placement experience in
    the context of industry issues.

    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2,3,4,5,7
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2,7
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1,2,7
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    3,4,5,6
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    5,6
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Multiple modes of learning and teaching will be utilised. Student will undertake a 10-week professional placement in their chosen discipline of viticulture or oenology, with the option after consultation with the course coordinator(s) of a blended option between these disciplines. Students are expected to undertake self analysis and reflection of their performance through a bi-weekly online journal. Supporting this placement experience is a lecture and workshop series that establishes the Australian wine industry in an international context, explaining the aims and objectives of the major grape and wine industry organisations and key issues confronting the industries’ potential growth and development. The goal is for the students to achieve an in-depth but practical ‘real-world’ understanding of the wine related industries and further develops professional skills and industry networks to enhance future career opportunities.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    A student enrolled in a 12-unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 48 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).

     

    Due to the non-standard nature of the activities associated with this course, the normal academic workload modelling used is inappropriate. During the ‘industry experience’ component of the course, students will typically be in full-time employment within a winery over the vintage period, or within a vineyard or similar operation at various times of the year. The total number of hours worked in this time will vary depending upon the year and the nature of the placement. Typically however, at least 400 hours of employment will be undertaken. Moreover, in many cases, this will take place to an extent outside of the formal semester timetabling.

     

    The weekly workload during the formal semester periods may be summarised thus:

    (i) Assuming six weeks of semester 1 working vintage (or equivalent), then one hour per week of weekly online reflective journal; additionally, ca two of the three two-hour sessions on Industry Placement Analysis and Industry Placement Case Study will occur over this period.

    (ii) Weeks 7 to 12 of semester at UA, then ca 3 hours per week Industry Perspectives lectures, 2.5 hours per week of Industry Perspectives workshops, plus non-contact study comprising two hours per week each of Industry Perspectives Seminar and Final Report preparation, completion of the Industry Placement Analysis and Industry Placement case Study assessments (ca 2 hours each in total) and preparation of the Industry Perspectives Literature review (3 hours). By revising therefore the ‘weeks’ value in the table below to 7 (cf 13), a weekly workload of 12.4 Hours is achieved.

     

    The overall course workload, 400 hours ‘work experience’ plus 86 hours at Uni, spread over the 13 notional weeks of the course, is ca 37.5 hours per week. 
    Learning Activities Summary

    Lecture topics include:

    Overview of research directions in the Australian wine industry

    Industry organisations and their roles:

    SA Wine Industry Association, Winemakers Federation of Australia, Wine Grapegrowers of Australia, Wine Industry National Environment Committee.   

    Industry specific issues:

    Environmental Protection Authority (SA).

    Australian Grape & Wine Authority (trade and other issues, international marketing of Australian Wine)             

    Wine marketing and Making an international brand, The changing face of world wine (emerging new varieties and styles).

    Wine show system from a judge’s perspective.

    Alcohol dependence, Wine and health, Alcohol policy, Corporate Social Responsibility, Centre for Automotive Safety Research.

    Workshop topics include:

    Human resource management ─ conflict resolution

    Leadership
    Specific Course Requirements
    All students must complete a 10-week industry placement at a viticultural and/or winery enterprise. This placement must be discussed with and approved by the Course Coordinator(s) prior to commencement. Lecture and workshops are presented in the second half of semester 1, after the mid-semester break and therefore classes are only scheduled in weeks 6-12 of semester 1. Students are therefore required to complete their 10-weeks placement prior to the return from mid-semester break.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment task  Type of Assessment Percentage of total assessment Approximate timing of assessment Learning Outcome
    Industry Placement Pre- Employment Report Formative & Summative 10 20 February 2017
    Industry Placement Weekly Online Reflective Journal Formative & Summative 10 Duration of placement
    Industry Placement Analysis Formative & Summative 25 Week 8
    Industry Placement Seminar Formative & Summative 10 Week 9
    Industry Perspectives Literature Review Formative & Summative 10 Week 10
    Industry Perspectives Seminar Formative & Summative 15 Week 12
    Industry Perspectives Final Report Formative & Summative 20 Week 13
    Assessment Detail

    Industry Placement Pre-Employment Report (10%)

    Students will prepare a 1,500 word report that will define the workplace area, company background, expected responsibilities and anticipated outcomes from the placement.

    Industry Placement Bi-Weekly Online Reflective Journal (10%)

    Students will contribute to an online bi-weekly reflective journal (using an online MyUni portal), that allows critical evaluation and reflection of their industry placement. Students will be expected to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information on their experience. The course coordinator(s) will monitor the reflective journal and provide appropriate feedback and commentary on their activities via monthly meetings (via skype or telephone).

    Industry Placement Analysis (25%)

    Students will prepare a 3,500-word report analysing their placement. The report will provide an overview of the region they are employed in, its climate, geography industry base, its wine-related history and the corporate structure and production objectives of their employer (including specific details of production techniques, reflected against industry standards or benchmarks. The report will describe the contextual understanding of the ethical and social aspects of the wine industry. Students will also be expected to provide critical evaluation and reflection on the processes they have been involved in directly and communicate them clearly and succinctly. As appropriate students will be expected to critique there own performance, providing reflection and solutions that would have improved the outcomes. Students will receive timely feedback from the course coordinator(s) and/or tenured academic staff.

    Industry Placement Seminar (10%)

    Students will present a 20-minute (plus question time) seminar on their placement experience. This seminar will summarise their Industry Placement Analysis. All students enrolled will be expected to attend to gain an insight into their peers’ role, analysis and reflection on their experience. Peer and academic assessment will be utilised, with feedback provided within 1 week.

    Industry Perspectives Literature Review (10%)

    Each student will be required to submit a detailed 1,500 word analysis of a topic related to research and development in the international wine industry. The aim of this analysis is to evaluate published literature to determine what is known and to identify gaps or problems in the knowledge, and generate appropriate conclusions. Assessment will be undertaken by academics in the specific discipline or appropriate for the topic of the review. Feedback will be provided within two weeks of submission.

    Industry Perspectives Seminar (15%)

    Groups of students will select a topic related to a wine industry issue from a provided list (e.g., Should health claims be permitted on Australian wine in international markets where it could be both legal and advantageous?). The groups will research and analyse the context, current industry perspective and present solutions or alternative viewpoints. Students will then provide evidence to support or refute these claimsand make further recommendations on research required for this topic. Students will present a 30 min group oral presentation. Peer and academic assessment will be utilised, with feedback provided within 1 week.

    Industry Perspectives Final Report (20%)

    Based on the main points developed via the Industry Perspectives Seminar each group will be required to submit a 3,500 word written report. This must include the background, objective(s) analysis and discussion of the key issues, conclusions and recommendations and appropriate references.In addition, each student is to append up to one page about their contribution and their approach to the topic of the seminar and written presentation. Both peer and topic specific academic assessment will be utilised, with feedback provided within 2 weeks.

    Submission

    If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

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