Fermentation Science Degree Program

Explore the Fermentation Science degree program

Creating a good beer or wine is not just an art - it’s a science. At Wayne State College, you’ll learn how to brew the perfect craft in the Fermentation Science degree program. Chemistry courses will give you the foundation you need to understand the process of fermentation.

Our program includes practical research and outreach to answer questions facing the growing brewing industries in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and the nation. Hands-on fermentation in the lab paired with an internship in the industry will give you the experience you need to become an expert brewer or winemaker.

View program courses Download program fact sheet (PDF)

Fast facts

Degree options: B.A. or B.S. in Chemistry/Fermentation Science

Delivery format: On campus (Wayne)

Program credit hours: 57

Chemistry core (12 credit hours)
Fermentation science concentration (45 credit hours)

Note: Students must also take 30 credit hours of General Studies courses. A total of 120 credit hours are needed to graduate from WSC. Additional majors or minors can be added to help meet graduation requirements.

School: Science, Health, and Criminal Justice

Department: Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Prepare for your future

Opportunities and outcomes

Fermentation science topics covered

Fundamental aspects of organic chemistry
Biochemistry with emphasis on structure, function, and metabolism
Scientific writing, research, data collection, and analysis
Principles of fermentation and the use of microorganisms to produce beverages and foods
Chemical and physical processes of brewing ingredients for different styles and flavors
Sensory science and perception
Structure and physiology of microorganisms
Physical changes and psychological effects of drugs

Student learning outcomes

Demonstrate mastery of the theoretical aspects of chemistry
Demonstrate mastery in the technical aspects of chemistry
Communicate effectively in a chemical manner, both verbally and in writing
Apply mathematical and mechanistic problem-solving skills to chemistry processes
Operate standard laboratory equipment and instruments and be able to interpret the data or spectra obtained

Nebraska S-STEM Scholars Program

Incoming first-year students studying Fermentation Science are eligible for the Nebraska S-STEM Program. Students in the program are awarded up to $10,000 per year based on their unmet financial needs. If selected for the program, you’ll be guided by faculty mentors through independent research projects beginning your first year and supported by a team of advisors, supplemental instructors, and peer tutors. A research and travel stipend is also provided to help you attend regional conferences and network with fellow mathematicians, and present your research. Additionally, you’ll live in the residence halls for your first two years alongside other S-STEM scholars, where you’ll support each other while developing leadership and professional skills.

Nebraska S-STEM Scholars Program

Fermentation science internships

Our outstanding Career Services Office is available to help you find fermentation science internships and career opportunities. Students recently completed internships at the following locations:

Divots Brewery
Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company

Career services and internships

Graduates work in their chosen field using the skills they learned while at Wayne State College. Each year, eager employers welcome WSC graduates into their organizations.

Note: Due to the recent addition of the Supply Chain Management program, career outcomes will be available for reporting beginning in Summer 2026 with the 2024-25 Graduate Outcomes Survey.

Possible careers:

Brewer / assistant brewer
Brewing/distilling manager
Brewmaster
Plant manager
Process engineer
Distiller
Quality manager
Laboratory manager
Sensory coordinator
Research and development specialist
Winemaker
Vineyard foreman
Vineyard manager

job or grad school placement rate
within six months of graduation
Data based on most recent
employment outcomes survey

Cost of attendance

Most Affordable College in Nebraska

- College Affordability Guide, 2024

Wayne State is considered the most affordable four-year college or university in Nebraska. With same rates for in- and out-of-state students, our tuition guarantee, and our generous scholarship packages, it is clear to see how WSC earned the title. In fact, the average remaining annual cost of attendance for 2024-25 is $2,268 for undergraduate students after financial aid and scholarships.

Chemistry core courses (12 credits)

Credits: 4
Description: Emphasis on nomenclature, atomic structure, bonding, gaseous and liquid states, equilibrium, and stoichiometry. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: High school chemistry or CHE 102 Chemistry for General Studies
Credits: 4
Description: A continuation of CHE 106 General Chemistry I with emphasis on kinetics, redox reactions, molecular geometry, hydrolysis, electrochemistry, and solubility products. Qualitative analysis included. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: C- or better in CHE 106 or by consent of instructor
Credits: 4
Description: Emphasis on theories and application of quantitative analysis including gravimetric and volumetric procedures. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: C- or better in CHE 107 General Chemistry II

Fermentation science concentration courses (45 credit hours)

Credits: 4
Description: Topics of study detail the structure and physiology of microorganisms including mechanisms of pathogenesis. Beneficial aspects of microorganisms are also discussed with regard to both the human body and the environment. Lab techniques include microbial identification, enumeration procedures, and student-designed research. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: A grade of C- or better in BIO 110 Biology Concepts, and CHE 106 General Chemistry I
Credits: 4
Description: This course is designed to allow students to learn the fundamental aspects of organic chemistry. Among the topics covered will be structure determination, bonding, stereochemistry, and spectroscopy. Also included are the structure and reactivity of alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, and alcohols. The laboratory work will introduce the equipment and techniques of chemistry, which relate to the material discussed in the lecture. The experiments will develop organic laboratory techniques for product formation, isolation, purification, and identification. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: C- or better in CHE 107 General Chemistry II
Credits: 4
Description: This is a continuation of CHE 314. Among the topics covered will be electrophilic substitution, alcohols, aromatic chemistry, ethers, epoxides, and carbonyl chemistry-including nucleophilic substitution, carboxylic acids, alpha-substitution, and condensation reactions. The laboratory work introduces the equipment and techniques of organic chemistry, which relate to the material discussed in the lecture. The experiments will develop synthetic methods for product formation, isolation, purification, and identification. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: C- or better in CHE 314 Organic Chemistry II
Credits: 4
Description: Study of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates with emphasis on their structure, function, and metabolism. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: C- or better in CHE 208 Introductory Organic Chemistry or CHE 315 Organic Chemistry II
Credits: 1
Description: This course is designed for students majoring in Chemistry as an introduction to scientific writing, library research, data collection and data analysis. The student will be expected to use the skills learned in this course to establish a proposal for a research project for CHE 470 Research Project. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: 8 hours of chemistry
Credits: 2
Description: This course is a continuation of CHE 370 Introduction to Research. Students will take this course as a means of completing their individual research project under the direction of a chosen instructor. A presentation of this research in both oral and written form is required at the conclusion of the course. This course may be repeated up to a total of 3 hours. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: CHE 370 Introduction to Research
Credits: 4
Description: Principles of fermentation sciences will cover the use of microorganisms to produce beverages (e.g., wine, beer) and foods (e.g., cheese, yogurt) and biofuels. It will include the history, culture, and fundamental science of the fermentation processes, basic food science, microbiology, chemistry, biology, natural products chemistry, and nutrition. The course will touch on basic industrial processes in the cultivation of grapes, grains, and hops. The biochemical pathways of fermentation and the type of organisms used in fermentation will be explored. The accompanying laboratory will cover basic biochemical and microbiological procedures in fermentation. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $40 required.
Prerequisite: CHE 315 Organic Chemistry II
Credits: 4
Description: This course is designed to study the production of three common fermented beverages. Wine production and analysis will lead students through the processing of grapes, berry composition, fermentation kinetics, sanitation, aging, and bottling. Similar coverage of the chemical and physical processes that go into brewing malted beverages and spirits will include the processes and the scientific principles of each step with emphasis on the equipment, instrumentation and data analysis used in the process. With beer, coverage of the hops, malt, and yeast varieties and how they are combined to produce specific styles and flavors of beers. Flavor and aroma compounds will be quantified by students using appropriate instrumental techniques and data analysis. Students will have hands-on experience with micro-scale fermentations and standard laboratory analysis associated with each of these beverages. Field trips will include visits to local vineyards and wineries, breweries, and distilleries to provide relevant exposure to facilities and fermentation processes. 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory. Class fee of $20 required.
Prerequisite: CHE 481 Principles of Fermentation
Credits: 3
Description: This course is intended to provide students with a competency in sensory science and its relevance to beverage production. Students must be 21 years of age or older, although the “sip and spit” technique for proper sensory analysis will be advocated. The course will provide students with the basic principles involved in sensory perception and how these skills are used for quality assurance and detection in the food industry. Students should be adequately prepared to methodically assess products, identify characters and faults, and relate them to scientific principles presented in previous courses and experiences. Competency in statistics and methods of determining statistical differences in requisite for this course. Aspects of branding, marketing, business, laws, and liabilities will be integrated into class discussions and projects. Class fee of $40 required.
Prerequisite: CHE 481 Principles of Fermentation and MAT 180 Applied Probability and Statistics
Credits: 12
Description: Supervised practical experience in business/field setting or laboratory setting, e.g., at a winery, brewery, vineyard, distillery, or in a production or processing facility. Students, with the help of their advisor, must find an internship site. The site must be approved by the student’s advisor and department chair. Requirements will include 2.5 GPA, a clear agreement on the part of the industrial partner, and a commitment to excellence on the part of the student participant. A final report and an exit presentation are required.
Prerequisite: CHE 481 Principles of Fermentation, CHE 482 Wine, Beer, and Spirit Production and Analysis, and CHE 483 Sensory Analysis of Beer and Wine
Credits: 3
Description: A study of the physical changes and psychological effects that drugs have on the brain and nervous system. Topics will include the basic organization and function of the brain and nervous systems and a history of the use of drugs. The course will emphasize how the functions of the brain are altered by the use of drugs, from both illegal and prescription uses. An overview of the mental disorders for which drugs are prescribed, and the mental disorders that result from drug use is included.

Popular pairings

Many students at Wayne State will add a second major or a minor to complement their program of study or to focus their studies on a specific topic. Students who major in Fermentation Science at Wayne State are strongly encouraged to add a minor in Business Administration.

View all majors and minors