MSc Brewing and Distilling with Entrepreneurship 12 months Postgraduate Program By Heriot-Watt University |Top Universities
Program Duration

12 monthsProgram duration

Tuitionfee

26,976 GBPTuition Fee/year

Scholarship

YesScholarships

Main Subject Area

Food ScienceMain Subject Area

Program overview

Main Subject

Food Science

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

Overview of Programme 

MSc Brewing and Distilling with Entrepreneurship provides you with the unique blend of a high-level education in brewing and distilling and key transferable professional skills, to enable you to enter careers in these industries, including private entrepreneurial ventures upon your graduation. The programme will give you the skills to assess and address both technical and entrepreneurial challenges as they arise in the malting, brewing and distilling industries.  


You’ll learn a broad range of subjects, from malting, brewing and distilling science and chemical engineering to optional units in business studies and production management, to set you up for a variety of careers including malting, brewing, and distilling production, sales, marketing, and technical sales. You'll explore the underlying principles, relevant defining concepts, theories, and methods of the malting, brewing and distilling industries whilst understanding the current and emerging characteristics of and problems faced by industry. You’ll explore the global, regional, and local contexts and structure of industry, and be made aware of the political, legal, ethical, health and safety issues in producing, selling, and marketing alcoholic drinks and beverages.  


During the masters programme, you’ll develop a broad spectrum of expertise, covering topics in cereal science and technology, yeast science, microbiology, biochemistry, process technology, business strategies, management, food safety, quality control and quality assurance, flavour assessment, and analytical chemistry. You’ll explore policy, legislation, ethical, health and safety issues of concern as they relate to the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of alcoholic drinks within the brewing and distilling industry.  


You’ll gain hands-on experience by utilising our on-site brewery, distillery, and rectification laboratory to support your in-depth scientific learning. This will ensure you build the skills and know-how to perform successfully in industry and make you highly employable in the quickly developing craft brewing and distilling industries upon graduation.  


Our Expertise 

Teaching in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt began in 1903, which led to the establishment of the highly reputable International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) in 1989. The ICBD has e stablished itself as an excellent research centre, with close ties with the professional and industrial world of science, engineering, and technology.  


The International Centre for Brewing and Distilling is a unique teaching and research facility which meets the needs of the brewing, distilling and malting industries worldwide. You will learn directly from academics involved in this world leading research, whose work focuses on promoting excellence across five main research themes across the brewing and distilling industries: 

  • Raw materials 
  • Malting 
  • Process improvement 
  • Sustainability 
  • Biochemistry and microbiology 

Your learning environment  

The MSc Brewing and Distilling with Entrepreneurship programme is taught though a combination of lectures, tutorials, and laboratory practicals, allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your teaching staff, academics, and peers. You will be evaluated by a variety of assessments, including coursework, your dissertation, and in some cases exams, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme.   


During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our specialist equipment, software and laboratories used by industry, including our on-site nano-brewery (2 HL), distillery, and rectification laboratory. You will have the opportunity to work on research addressing real-world problems, and work across disciplines to deliver practical solutions with global impact. 


Outside of the classroom, there are various Brewing and Distilling and business related societies which provide the opportunity to meet likeminded people, gain insights into industry and career opportunities, and get involved in regular social events and networking events, including Brewing Society for those who enjoy brewing, drinking great beer or just like a good chin wag with fellow beer enthusiasts, Cocktail Society, and Whisky Society to enjoy regular tastings, listen to special guest speakers from industry and learn more about Scotch whisky.  


Graduates of the programme will become members of their own branch of The Watt Club, known as The Watt Club: Brewing and Distilling. This group of alumni were established in 1958 as Heriot-Watt University Former Brewing Students Association, and still gather annually in Edinburgh to network and to meet with new students providing an excellent but informal opportunity to meet alumni working in the industry. 


Customise your learning 

You’ll have the opportunity to focus on the areas of brewing and distilling, entrepreneurship, and bioscience that interest you the most. You can customise your degree to match your specific interests or desired career pathway by studying seven mandatory courses and choosing one further option from beverage microbiology and biochemistry, foundations of energy, and introduction to process technology.  


In semester three, you’ll analyse a particular brewing and distilling industry-based problem or topic in depth through your research project/dissertation. You’ll be required to demonstrate your mastery of the subject area by designing, planning, and conducting a piece of original research applied to the brewing and distilling sector. You may also have the option to work with an industrial collaborator on your dissertation, and many recent MSc Brewing and Distilling projects have been collaborations between industry and students.


Industry  

We work closely with industry through our Industrial Advisory Board which contains members of the malting, brewing, distilling, and allied industries.  This helps us to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of industry and employers. We also offer research projects which are carried out in collaboration with industrial partners such as the highly successful Natural Selection Brewing project with local brewery Stewart Brewing. Throughout the year you will have the opportunity to hear from and meet guest speakers from various parts of the industry through our ICBD After Hours lecture series. 


Accreditation 

The Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) offer MSc graduates the opportunity for exemption from the Diploma in Brewing, or Diploma in Distilling should they, later in their career, wish to undertake the IBD Master Brewer or Master Distiller qualification through the IBD. Students from the programme can join the IBD at a reduced student rate and can access continuing professional development and networking opportunities organised by the IBD.   

Program overview

Main Subject

Food Science

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

Overview of Programme 

MSc Brewing and Distilling with Entrepreneurship provides you with the unique blend of a high-level education in brewing and distilling and key transferable professional skills, to enable you to enter careers in these industries, including private entrepreneurial ventures upon your graduation. The programme will give you the skills to assess and address both technical and entrepreneurial challenges as they arise in the malting, brewing and distilling industries.  


You’ll learn a broad range of subjects, from malting, brewing and distilling science and chemical engineering to optional units in business studies and production management, to set you up for a variety of careers including malting, brewing, and distilling production, sales, marketing, and technical sales. You'll explore the underlying principles, relevant defining concepts, theories, and methods of the malting, brewing and distilling industries whilst understanding the current and emerging characteristics of and problems faced by industry. You’ll explore the global, regional, and local contexts and structure of industry, and be made aware of the political, legal, ethical, health and safety issues in producing, selling, and marketing alcoholic drinks and beverages.  


During the masters programme, you’ll develop a broad spectrum of expertise, covering topics in cereal science and technology, yeast science, microbiology, biochemistry, process technology, business strategies, management, food safety, quality control and quality assurance, flavour assessment, and analytical chemistry. You’ll explore policy, legislation, ethical, health and safety issues of concern as they relate to the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of alcoholic drinks within the brewing and distilling industry.  


You’ll gain hands-on experience by utilising our on-site brewery, distillery, and rectification laboratory to support your in-depth scientific learning. This will ensure you build the skills and know-how to perform successfully in industry and make you highly employable in the quickly developing craft brewing and distilling industries upon graduation.  


Our Expertise 

Teaching in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt began in 1903, which led to the establishment of the highly reputable International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) in 1989. The ICBD has e stablished itself as an excellent research centre, with close ties with the professional and industrial world of science, engineering, and technology.  


The International Centre for Brewing and Distilling is a unique teaching and research facility which meets the needs of the brewing, distilling and malting industries worldwide. You will learn directly from academics involved in this world leading research, whose work focuses on promoting excellence across five main research themes across the brewing and distilling industries: 

  • Raw materials 
  • Malting 
  • Process improvement 
  • Sustainability 
  • Biochemistry and microbiology 

Your learning environment  

The MSc Brewing and Distilling with Entrepreneurship programme is taught though a combination of lectures, tutorials, and laboratory practicals, allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your teaching staff, academics, and peers. You will be evaluated by a variety of assessments, including coursework, your dissertation, and in some cases exams, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme.   


During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our specialist equipment, software and laboratories used by industry, including our on-site nano-brewery (2 HL), distillery, and rectification laboratory. You will have the opportunity to work on research addressing real-world problems, and work across disciplines to deliver practical solutions with global impact. 


Outside of the classroom, there are various Brewing and Distilling and business related societies which provide the opportunity to meet likeminded people, gain insights into industry and career opportunities, and get involved in regular social events and networking events, including Brewing Society for those who enjoy brewing, drinking great beer or just like a good chin wag with fellow beer enthusiasts, Cocktail Society, and Whisky Society to enjoy regular tastings, listen to special guest speakers from industry and learn more about Scotch whisky.  


Graduates of the programme will become members of their own branch of The Watt Club, known as The Watt Club: Brewing and Distilling. This group of alumni were established in 1958 as Heriot-Watt University Former Brewing Students Association, and still gather annually in Edinburgh to network and to meet with new students providing an excellent but informal opportunity to meet alumni working in the industry. 


Customise your learning 

You’ll have the opportunity to focus on the areas of brewing and distilling, entrepreneurship, and bioscience that interest you the most. You can customise your degree to match your specific interests or desired career pathway by studying seven mandatory courses and choosing one further option from beverage microbiology and biochemistry, foundations of energy, and introduction to process technology.  


In semester three, you’ll analyse a particular brewing and distilling industry-based problem or topic in depth through your research project/dissertation. You’ll be required to demonstrate your mastery of the subject area by designing, planning, and conducting a piece of original research applied to the brewing and distilling sector. You may also have the option to work with an industrial collaborator on your dissertation, and many recent MSc Brewing and Distilling projects have been collaborations between industry and students.


Industry  

We work closely with industry through our Industrial Advisory Board which contains members of the malting, brewing, distilling, and allied industries.  This helps us to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of industry and employers. We also offer research projects which are carried out in collaboration with industrial partners such as the highly successful Natural Selection Brewing project with local brewery Stewart Brewing. Throughout the year you will have the opportunity to hear from and meet guest speakers from various parts of the industry through our ICBD After Hours lecture series. 


Accreditation 

The Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) offer MSc graduates the opportunity for exemption from the Diploma in Brewing, or Diploma in Distilling should they, later in their career, wish to undertake the IBD Master Brewer or Master Distiller qualification through the IBD. Students from the programme can join the IBD at a reduced student rate and can access continuing professional development and networking opportunities organised by the IBD.   

Admission requirements

6.5+
58+
3.3+
176+
90+
For MSc entry, candidates must hold a First or Second Class Honours Degree, or equivalent qualification from a British or overseas university, in a science or engineering subject (for example, Biological Sciences, Chemistry or Chemical/Mechanical Engineering).
1 Year
Sep

Tuition fee and scholarships

Domestic Students

10,736 GBP
-

International Students

26,976 GBP
-

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.

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From top 10 rankings to opportunities to study abroad, there are many reasons to choose Heriot-Watt.  Here are just a few of them.

A rich heritage
We are proud that since our foundation in 1821 we have been outward-looking pioneers of education, in pursuit of knowledge to the benefit of society and the world.

Become a global student
Heriot-Watt provides you with the opportunity to become a global student both at our UK campuses and internationally. On our Edinburgh Campus you’ll find that about one-third of our students are from countries outside the UK, bringing a real international flavour to our community. This mix of people provides a great opportunity to learn about other cultures and build friendships that stretch across the globe.

We also encourage students to take part in our global student programme, Go Global, by participating in an Inter-Campus Transfer, Exchange or Erasmus+ for a semester or year of their degree.

A world-class reputation
We are world-renowned for excellence in teaching and research. We are ranked 235th in the world and 32nd in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2024), and almost 90% of our research outputs are classed as world-leading and internationally excellent (REF 2021). View our rankings.

Strong links to business and industry
Our taught programmes and research are informed by the needs of business and industry. We actively facilitate collaborations and partnerships, building strategic alliances and promoting knowledge transfer.

Globally employable graduates
Global companies actively seek out our graduates as they are work-ready. Our programmes are designed to ensure that students receive a relevant, careerorientated education. As a result, more than 95% are in employment or further study six months after completing their programme.

Worldwide network
When you join Heriot-Watt you become part of a global family. We have around 123,000 alumni worldwide. The Watt Club was founded in 1854 and is the oldest graduate club in the UK. Lifetime membership is automatic upon graduation from Heriot-Watt and is free to all graduates of the University.

Heriot-Watt is one of the world’s leading universities with strong links to international business and industry driven by our established reputation as a top research-led institution. Heriot-Watt is world-renowned for conducting ground-breaking research which is relevant to business and industry. We aim to find radical innovations and solutions to real world challenges for the benefit of society.

We offer over 180 Postgraduate courses that will provide you with the knowledge to solve real world challenges. There are around 2,400 postgraduate students studying at our Edinburgh Campus. It is a friendly, welcoming place, where you will have the opportunity to meet with students from all over the world.

Heriot-Watt is regarded as a top UK university across a range of subject areas. The QS World’s University Rankings ranked Heriot-Watt 302nd in the world, 39th in the UK and 7th in Scotland. 

The international outlook of our university has been ranked 37th in the world, 13th in the UK and 3rd in Scotland by Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019.  This is based on the percentage of the university's international staff, the level of international co-authorship of academic papers and the percentage of international students studying with the university.  The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide named Heriot-Watt University ‘International University of the Year 2018’.

REF 2014 named Heriot-Watt in the top 25% of UK universities, with 82% of our research ranked as world-leading or internationally excellent. We ranked 9th university in the UK and 1st in Scotland for research impact. View our rankings.

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