New York College Offers a Degree in Craft Beer Studies

Drinking is such an important part of the college experience that we’re surprised someone hasn’t created a class about it by now. A college in New York has finally done just that by creating an entire degree plan for the study of craft beers. [photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty]
Paul Smith’s College announced that starting with the upcoming fall term, students will be able to obtain a minor degree in craft beer studies from their hospitality, resort and tourism management program. Students enrolled in the minor degree program will face intensive study about the making and stocking of micro and craft brews making it the first degree program of its kind in the country. Professor Joe Conto explained that the classes within the program won’t just cover how they are made or how the students can make their own.
Students will also be required to take courses in management, marketing, advertising and promotion. They’ll also get to take tours and make visits to craft breweries, pubs and specialty beer stores as part of their studies. The program is designed to teach them “all the management, administrative and operations opportunities the craft-beer industry has created and supports,” Conto said.
This is basically every hard drinking college students’s dream come true. Sure they can finally learn what makes a good beer and spend a lot of time “studying” them as they prep for their final exam but we finally have a degree with drinking is required for a class. Just imagine the homework and lab assignments connected to these courses. It’s like getting a handwritten permission slip from your professor allowing you to drink during class.