Introducing the WSET Level 4 Wine Course with Lauren Denyer

This show was published Saturday, December 3, 2022

Overview

In this first interview Lauren Denyer gives us an overview of the WSET L4 Award in Wines/Diploma course.

Lauren is the events and enrichment manager for the Diploma team at the WSET. Her main role is to provide additional learning opportunities in and out of the classroom to help students feel confident and prepare. This might include practice papers, tasting events either online or in class, webinars relating to the diploma syllabus.

In 2018 the Diploma had a major revision changing the structure and the syllabus is revised each year to keep it updated with new information.

To take the Diploma course you don't need to be in the trade, though about 80% are, but you do need the Level 3 qualification. Different formats are available at the WSET School London, for example evenings and weekends but also day release and block courses. Typically, it takes 2 years to complete without any overlap between the units and revision time outside of class leading up to the exams. There is no real end point, so that if you have to drop out you can carry over your credits from previous passes if you wish to re-start.

The WSET School London offers the course two semesters dividing up the units into two blocks.

The units and weightings are:

D1 - Wine Production (viticulture & viniculture) - 20% of marks
D2 - Wine Business - 10% of marks
D3 - Wines of the World - 50% of marks
D4 - Sparkling Wine - 5% of marks
D5 - Fortified Wines - 5% of marks
D6 - Independent Research Assignment - 10% of marks

The exams include theory and tasting papers with 55% being the minimum pass rate. You must pass every single unit with at least 55%. Marks of 65% + are awarded a merit and 75% or above is a distinction.

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