George Brown College (GBC) is set to become one of the first institutions in Toronto to offer the prestigious Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 4 Diploma in Wines, an internationally recognized, expert-level qualification, covering all aspects of wine. It is a key milestone for those aspiring to become a Master of Wine.
Beginning August 2025 with its first cohort of 24 students, GBC's Centre of Excellence for Wine and Beverage will launch this part-time, two-year diploma program one of the first of its kind in Toronto. With six comprehensive units, the program provides in-depth grape growing and wine production knowledge, advanced analytical and tasting skills, and insight into the global wine business.
This milestone reinforces GBC's position as one of Ontario's leading WSET approved course providers and celebrates over a decade of exceptional instruction from the College's Centre for Hospitality & Culinary Arts. The deeply experienced instructor team includes two of Canada's Masters of Wine, industry leaders, winemakers, viticulturists, importers and marketers who have consistently delivered strong student outcomes and high pass rates.
"We are thrilled to offer the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines through our School of Hospitality & Culinary Arts," said Adrian Caravello, Diploma WSET, MBA, Coordinator and Professor, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. "This reflects our ongoing commitment to cultivating leaders who will help shape Ontario and Canada's wine industry. Our graduates will leave with WSET's highest credential and the confidence to make a meaningful impact on the global stage."
"The combination of the instructor team's expert level knowledge and extensive diploma teaching experience and the highly functional wine lab environment within the context of an inclusive, pedagogy-focused, school of higher learning will inspire and support candidates throughout their diploma journey," said Elsa Macdonald, Master of Wine who helped secure the rights to offer the program and will manage its implementation.
A New Era for Wine Education in Ontario
The WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines is regarded as one of the most rigorous and prestigious qualifications in the global wine industry. George Brown College's new offering fills the gap left by the closure of the Independent Wine Education Guild (IWEG), which had exclusively delivered the program in Ontario until May 2024. To support students during this transition, WSET is currently offering online courses and in-person exams in Toronto.
"We're delighted to welcome the two new WSET Diploma centres in Toronto into our network," said Rachel Webster, WSET's Global APP Development Director. "Becoming a Diploma centre is a tremendous achievement for any WSET course provider and follows a highly rigorous approval process that takes many months. WSET's challenging, but highly rewarding Diploma course enables students to gain specialist-level skill and in-depth knowledge about wines, as well as develop excellent research and analytical abilities, both transferrable skills are beneficial for career development."
Register Now
The WSET Diploma program at George Brown College begins in August 2025, with limited space available in the inaugural cohort. Early application is strongly encouraged. Students from other WSET approved course providers in Ontario, as well as those previously enrolled at IWEG, are welcome to apply. WSET Level 3 is required as a prerequisite.
An information session will be held on April 15, 2025.
For more information or to register, visit https://coned.georgebrown.ca/courses-and-programs/wset-level-4-diploma-in-wines-program.
