Your adolescent dream of majoring in beer is about to come true— at least your dream of majoring in "sustainable brewing," which is basically the same thing, will.
Today, Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College announced they are teaming up to offer the nation's first higher education program in sustainable brewing with classes beginning this fall.
MLive reports:
The sustainable craft brewing program will allow students to earn an associate degree at KVCC, then transfer to WMU to earn a bachelor of science degree. KVCC students can transfer to WMU's bachelor program, or WMU can enroll in the KVCC program during their first two years. The program will require 96 credit hours, including the 30-hour KVCC certificate.
So, just to recap: You can actually get a degree in beer making from these two schools.
WMU and KCVV are both located in Kalamazoo, which also happens to be home to Bell's Brewery, one of our favorite craft beer bars.
MLive again:
Brewing will be taught on KVCC's new healthy living campus in downtown Kalamazoo in a teaching brewery designed to incorporate sustainable brewing practices. The program will include hands-on experience and internships.
"The growth of the brewing industry has been accompanied by growth in ancillary and support industries such as distributors, hops farms and malting houses," says Dean McCurdy, associate vice president for Food and Community Sustainability at KVCC, said in a press release. "We plan to position Kalamazoo as an education destination for this rapidly growing employment and entrepreneurial phenomenon."
If you've been toying with the idea of going back to school next year, now would be a good time to apply.
