Arm yourself with the knowledge and specialist-level skills needed to be recognised as a global expert in the field of wines.
About the course
WSET’s globally recognised Diploma qualification not only develops advanced product knowledge but will also develop your research and analysis abilities, which will continue to be of great value to you in the future as the wine world grows and evolves.
Our classes are delivered by highly qualified educators, many of whom are MWs, and all of whom are subject-matter experts. You'll learn alongside like-minded individuals in a discussion-led setting, with all theory underpinned by tastings of a vast variety of still, sparkling and fortified wines from all over the world.
Upon completion, you will gain the distinction of the 'DipWSET' postnominal, making you recognisable as one of just over 10,000 individuals worldwide who have gained this prestigious qualification. If your ambitions are to continue to the Master of Wine programme, no other course will prepare you to a higher standard.
Beyond the Diploma: WSET Alumni Body
Upon successful completion of the Diploma, you'll join a global community known as the WSET Alumni Body. This will offer you fantastic opportunities for continued learning, including a unique programme of tasting, networking and career events and access to market reports.
You’ll join ranks with many of the wine world’s most well-respected figures and build long-lasting relationships with your fellow Diploma alumni.
The Diploma is comprised of six units of study, each designed to develop expertise in a specific area. The course includes tutored tastings of over 250 light, sparkling and fortified wines, all carefully selected by our buying team to build your analytical tasting skills and supplement your theoretical knowledge.
D1 – Wine production
- Vine requirements
- Anatomy of the vine and grape
- Grape growing options, explaining and evaluating the different approaches and how these options affect grape yields, quality and the final wine produced
- Natural factors in the vineyard and how they influence the vine’s ability to produce grapes for wines of different styles, quality levels and price
- Winemaking and post-fermentation options and how they influence the style, quality and price of wine
D1 weighting: 20
D2 – Wine business
- The types of businesses engaged in wine production and the options for getting wine to the point of sale
- Factors that contribute to the price of wine
- Key considerations in wine marketing
D2 weighting: 10%
D3 – Wines of the world | D4 – Sparkling wines | D5 – Fortified wines
In each of these units you will learn:
- How grape-growing, winemaking, maturation, wine law and wine business influence the style, quality and price of the principal still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) of the world.
- How to taste and evaluate still wines (D3), sparkling wines (D4) and fortified wines (D5) using the WSET Level 4 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® (SAT)
D3 weighting: 50% | D4 weighting: 5% | D5 weighting: 5%
D6 – Independent research assignment
- How to research a specified wine-related subject
D6 weighting: 5%
Download the full Level 4 Award in Wines Specification
What some more information? Click here to download our information pack on studying for the WSET Diploma at WSET School London
D1 – Wine production
1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions
D2 – Wine business
1 hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions
D3 – Wines of the world
A theory and tasting examination to be held over two consecutive days:
Day one – A two-part theory exam formed of open-response questions to be completed in 3 hours 20 minutes (one 2-hour paper and one 80-minute paper).
Day two – A two-part blind tasting examination of 12 wines to be completed in 3 hours (two papers of 1½ hours)
D4 – Sparkling wines
1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions and a blind tasting of three sparkling wines
D5 – Fortified wines
1½ hour closed-book examination made up of open-response questions and a blind tasting of three fortified wines
D6 – Independent research assignment
One research assignment of 3,000 words. This is designed to assess your ability to research beyond the WSET learning materials provided and evaluate current trends in wine.
For full details on examination format and requirements please see the Level 4 Specification.
Wine knowledge
To enrol onto the Diploma, you must have successfully completed the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (previously known as the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits or WSET Advanced Certificate). We do not accept any other previous learning for enrolment on this course.
Written English language skills
While many people successfully complete the Diploma in their second or third language, a strong grasp of written English is required for this course - assessment for the Diploma requires an ability to write long- and short-form answers.
Students whose first language is not English are strongly recommended to have an IELTS score of 6.5 or above or be able to demonstrate an equivalent ability level. If you have any concerns about your English language skills, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
The WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines and Spirits will be withdrawn on 31 July 2019, with the launch of the new WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines on 1 August 2019. All students enrolled on the current Diploma will be automatically transferred to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines in September 2019.
Any units successfully passed will be credited against the new programme. Please watch the video for more details.
Students interested in studying Spirits will be able to study for the new WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits from 1 August 2019.
Pub: 11 April 2019
What study options are available?
The WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines has a minimum requirement of 500 hours study time. For courses delivered by WSET School London, this is inclusive of approximately 125 hours classroom or online delivery time. No matter which study method you choose, it is important that you're prepared to dedicate a substantial amount of study time to successfully complete this course.
We offer a broad range of study options across four locations and online. Whether you are a wine professional or a dedicated enthusiast, London-based or living on the other side of the globe, we hope that you will find an option that works for you.
The study materials, syllabus and learning outcomes will be the same, regardless of which study option you choose. Your choice will typically come down to which option is the most appealing, convenient and financially viable for you.
Semester Delivery Options
These study options split the six units of the Diploma into two separate semesters.
This has the benefit of allowing you to spread the cost and commitment of the Diploma over two years.
You must enrol for and complete the study hours for Semester One before you can enrol on Semester Two. However, you are not required to have received your results or passed all the examinable units of Semester One before you enrol on Semester Two.
Day Release Course (London only) | £1,995 per semester
Designed for those with full-time commitments but with the flexibility to attend classes for one day per week. A popular choice for employers looking to train staff with minimal disruption to their working week.
One day a week from 9.00am – 5.30pm
Semester One: 11 attendance days plus 3 examination days
Semester Two: 13 attendance days plus 2 examination days
Block Release Course (London, Dublin, Manchester, Edinburgh) |
Designed for those with irregular schedules who find it hard to dedicate a specific day each week to attend classes, but are able to dedicate blocks of time for consecutive-day attendance.
Consecutive weekdays from 9.00am – 5.30pm
Semester One: 11 attendance days (split into three blocks) plus 3 examination days
Semester Two: 11 attendance days (split into three blocks) plus 2 examination days
Online Course | £1,290
Semester One:
33 weeks of online study, 2 in-person tasting tutorial days, 3 examination days
Semester Two:
38 weeks of online study, 2 in-person tasting tutorial days, 2 examination days*
Delivered through WSET’s Online Classroom platform, this flexible study option is ideal for those who can’t attend regular classroom sessions and would like to study for the course during hours which work around their commitments. It is a popular choice with international students and those located far from our classroom centres.
Please note that tasting tutorials and examinations must be attended in person in London.
Students should be prepared to dedicate substantial amounts of study time to this course. A minimum of 15 hours of study per week is recommended.
Continuous Delivery Options
These study options allow you to enrol on one single course that covers all six units of the Diploma.
Only one enrolment is required for the whole course and you will learn alongside the same classmates throughout.
Evening Course (London only) | £3,990
This delivery option is ideal for those who are unable to attend daytime sessions, as well as those looking to spread out their study hours over a longer period of time.
One evening per week from 6.30pm – 8.30pm
61 evenings plus 5 examination days
Saturday Course (London only) | £3,990
Designed for those who prefer to attend classes at the weekend. Delivered between 10:00am-2:30pm, you’ll still get most of the weekend to yourself.
Saturdays from 10.00am – 2.30pm
32 attendance days plus 5 examination days
Monday Course (London only) | £3,990
Designed with hospitality staff in mind, but also ideal for anyone who wants to start the week off with some specialist-level wine education.
Mondays from 10.00am – 2.30pm
32 attendance days plus 5 examination days
Intensive Block (London only) £3,990
This intensive course allows you to complete the course in just over a year. It best suits those who are able to dedicate a large amount of private study hours per week in a concentrated period.
Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 9.00am – 5.30pm
24 attendance days plus 5 exam dates
All details and prices above are correct for the 2019/20 academic year.
Course dates
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“The WSET Diploma has played an invaluable role in my professional development. I encourage anyone who is serious about a career in the wine trade to pursue this qualification.”