SCA Certificate Programs

The Introduction to Coffee course is ideal for anyone who is new to specialty coffee. It charts coffee’s journey from its origins in Ethiopia to the major commodity that it is today. This course gives a general overview of the specialty coffee supply chain and explores topics such as history and cultivation, variables that affect coffee quality, basics of sensory analysis, fundamentals of roasting, factors of coffee freshness, and principles of brewing. In addition, learners will discuss the importance of water quality, cleanliness and maintenance. This interactive course also includes a cupping, an industry-specific process for evaluating coffee through a sensory experience. There is an online written exam administered upon the completion of the course.

 

Required Prerequisites: None

Recommended Prerequisites: None

Minimum Length: 4 Hours

Course Cost: 1,000 AED

 

Barista Skills teaches the essentials practical skills needed behind the espresso bar such as how to set your grinder, make espresso, foam and texture milk for cappuccinos and create latte art as well as an exploration of health and safety issues, customer service protocols and basic business practices.

 

Barista Skills can be studied at three different levels within the SCA Coffee Skills Program:

 

Barista Skills Foundation
The Barista Skills Foundation course focuses on the key skills required to set a grinder, make espresso and foam, and texture milk for cappuccinos. This course allows one to gain an introductory understanding of the coffee itself and set a foundation from which to build practical skills for milk technique and latte art, while implementing health and safety practices and customer service. Practical learning objectives and activities prepare the learner to set a grinder and make espresso, foam and texture milk as per SCA foam quality standards and construct espresso-based drinks to SCA standards. A written exam tests theoretical knowledge based on Foundation course learning objectives.

 

Required Prerequisites: None

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee

Minimum Length: 4 Hours

Course Cost: 1,600 AED

 

 

Barista Skills Intermediate
The Barista Skills Intermediate course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Foundation course. It is ideal for someone who has barista skills experience and wants to explore how to improve coffee quality and prepare for more complex job functions found in the barista profession. Through this interactive course, learners will gain a deeper understanding of the coffee itself, specifically the impact of a coffee’s variety, origins and processing methods on flavor; the parameters of coffee quantity, grind texture, water quality and shot time and their interaction when dialing in a brew recipe; drink construction and taste differences; workflow management and efficiency, sensory aspects of the espresso extraction; milk handling and techniques as well as latte art. In addition to coffee preparation, this course also covers key concepts regarding health and safety, customer service and basic business practices. A written exam tests Intermediate course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability in terms of grinder calibration, espresso extraction analysis, latte art skills and drinks construction.

 

Required Prerequisites: None

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee and Barista Skills Foundation

Minimum Length: 14 Hours

Course Cost: 2,600 AED

 

 

Barista Skills Professional
The Barista Skills Professional course is designed to test advanced skills and detailed knowledge of the science behind processes used by a professional barista (for example, a barista with 12 months or more of work experience). Successful candidates will have explored and demonstrated the advanced skills typically expected of a head barista. In particular, participants will learn a sophisticated tasting methodology and descriptive explanation of coffee flavors; gain a detailed understanding of drink ingredients and the techniques available to maximize the quality of the drinks made, understand how to manage the skills of others to produce quality drinks, demonstrate an understanding of how to develop brew recipes and a systematic method of structuring beverage menus, and finally be able to consistently apply the highest standard of latte art and milk steaming techniques. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course

 

Required Prerequisites: Barista Skills Intermediate

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee and Barista Skills Foundation

Minimum Length: 21 Hours

Course Cost: 4,600 AED

 

 

 

Learn about the variety of methods for brewing coffee and the brewing variables that affect quality. The Brewing module provides hands-on learning of grind profiles, brewing methods, measuring coffee strength and charting a coffee’s extraction.

 

 

Brewing can be studied at three different levels within the SCA Coffee Skills Program:

 

 

Brewing Foundation
The Brewing Foundation course introduces the learner to the different methods of brewing coffee. The learner will receive theoretical and practical hands-on instruction for a range of devices including automatic and manual gravity brewers, as well as other commonly used brewers within their local culture. Practical learning objectives and activities prepare the learner to produce a tasty brew based on an understanding of the essential brewing elements and an analysis of their brew results. A written exam tests theoretical knowledge based on Foundation course learning objectives.

 

Required Prerequisites: None

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee

Minimum Length: 7 Hours

Course Cost: 1,600 AED

Brewing Intermediate
The Brewing Intermediate course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Foundation course. It is ideal for someone who has brewing experience and wants to further explore how to improve coffee quality. This course covers a wide range of topics, including an exploration of the brewing process in terms of device usage, extraction order and wetting; the essential elements of brewing and their individual influence on the final cup; the scientific measurement of extracted coffee strength and charting a coffee’s extraction; analysis of brewed coffee and espresso and adjustments to consider in order to deliver a correctly extracted, well balanced cup and finally, the importance of cleaning and maintenance. A written exam tests intermediate course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability to Identify strength and extraction differences in brewed coffee; prepare brews from different devices and diagnose how to correct the recipe for a poorly brewed coffee from an automatic filter brewer

Required Prerequisites: None

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee and Brewing Skills Foundation

Minimum Length: 14 Hours

Course Cost: 2,600 AED

Brewing Professional
The Brewing Professional course builds upon the concepts and skills introduced in the Brewing Intermediate course. Learners take a deeper and more scientific look at the essential elements of good brewing, what happens when brewing parameters are manipulated, and how to master navigation of the coffee brewing control chart. Learners will gain a deeper understanding of water and its impact on brewing, specifically utilizing the ideals of aim, measure, and treatment. The most powerful tools that a professional brewer possesses are an analytical mind and the ability to process and manipulate a multitude of changing variables. These variables help the brewer to understand how best to interpret the information and then offer a solution or opinion that will improve the coffee quality, service, and delivery for their clients. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course.

Required Prerequisites: Brewing Skills Intermediate

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee and Brewing Skills Foundation

Minimum Length: 21 Hours

Course Cost: 2,600 AED

 

 

Sensory Skills courses cover concepts and skills relevant to the evaluation of coffee and related products. The content of these interactive courses includes sensory science, industry-specific protocols, common sensory attributes of coffee, physiological sensory training, implementation of sensory programs, consumer testing design, application in business and more.

 

Sensory Skills can be studied at three different levels within the SCA Coffee Skills Program:

 

The Sensory Skills Foundation course introduces the essentials of sensory evaluation in a practical and interactive manner. It investigates the way human senses influence perception and how to apply this knowledge when evaluating coffee’s natural characteristics. Learners gain the ability to differentiate certain sensorial aspects of coffee including body, acidity, bitterness and more. The course introduces fragrance identification references and also focuses on the purpose and procedure for conducting an SCA cupping. Learners gain insight into identifying specialty coffee qualities, as well as an overview of how to implement this in business. Practical learning objectives and activities specifically prepare the learner to identify basic differences in coffee attributes, recall fragrance identification and set up a cupping according to the SCA Cupping Protocol. A written exam tests theoretical knowledge based on Foundation course learning objectives.

 

 

Required Prerequisites: None

Recommended Prerequisites: None

Minimum Length: 4 Hours

Course Cost: 2,000 AED

 

 

The Sensory Skills Intermediate course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Sensory Skills Foundation course and prepares the learner for more complex job functions in the sensory evaluation of coffee and related products. This course covers a wide range of topics, including the physiology of taste and aroma; the types of sensory analysis tests, the operation of a cupping session; the diversity of coffee attributes; the use of the SCA Flavor Wheel and WCR Sensory Lexicon; and the implementation of a sensory analysis panel and session. A written exam tests intermediate course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability to identify basic differences in coffee attributes and recall fragrance identification.

 

 

Required Prerequisites: None

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee, Sensory Skills Foundation, and Green Coffee Foundation

Minimum Length: 14 Hours

Course Cost: 3,000 AED

 

 

The Sensory Skills Professional course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Sensory Skills Intermediate course and prepares the learner for managerial job functions in the sensory evaluation of coffee and related products. In this interactive course, learners gain alignment with industry coffee and sensory standards; learn about the implementation of sensory evaluation in a coffee business; acquire the skills required to start identifying and evaluating qualities in specialty green coffee; and demonstrate how to accurately measure and describe coffee beverage characteristics. Participants will learn how to generate repeatable and methodical sensory measurements of coffee, along with interpretation of those results. A written exam confirms professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course.

 

 

Required Prerequisites: Sensory Skills Intermediate

Recommended Prerequisites: Introduction to coffee, Sensory Skills Foundation, and Green Coffee Foundation

Minimum Length: 21 Hours

Course Cost: 5,000 AED

 

 

For course booking and more details please contact Rustam on +971555516333