SCA – Speciality Coffee Association

SCA Courses

SCA Courses

SCA Introduction to Coffee

Introduction to Coffee is an ideal module for anyone who is new to the coffee industry or just has an interest in this wonderful drink. It charts coffee’s journey from its origins in Ethiopia to the major commodity it is today, enjoyed by millions of people around the world. From farming the cherries through drying, roasting, brewing and finally drinking, this module looks at the processes coffee goes through. This half day course also includes a “coffee cupping” which allows you to taste the various flavours coffee has to offer.

SCA Barista Skills

Barista Skills is for people focussing on the key skills required to set your grinder, make espresso and foam and texture milk for cappuccinos. This module allows you to gain a deeper understanding of the coffee itself and build on your practical skills for milk technique and latte art, not to mention health and safety, customer service and basic business.

Barista Skills can be studied at three different levels:

Foundation level is for people new to the coffee industry and focuses on the key skills required to set your grinder, make espresso and foam and texture milk for cappuccinos.  No previous barista experience is required for this course.

Intermediate level provides a deeper understanding of the coffee itself and builds on the practical skills learnt at Foundation level. Milk techniques, including latte art, are introduced as well as health and safety, customer service and basic business. This course is suitable for people already working as baristas.

Professional level is suitable for baristas with considerable experience who have also completed the Intermediate qualification. It takes both a scientific and managerial perspective to coffee and making espresso-based drinks.

SCA Brewing

The study of Brewing introduces you to the different ways of brewing coffee, from Chemex and siphon to clever dripper and French press. In addition, this module allows you to get hands-on and learn to analyse your grind profile, match your grind to your brewing method and to scientifically measure coffee strength and chart a coffee’s extraction.

Brewing can be studied at three different levels:

Foundation level introduces the beginner to the different ways of brewing coffee, from Chemex and siphon to clever dripper and French press.

Intermediate level is very much a hands-on workshop where you will learn to analyse your grind profile, match your grind to your brewing method and to scientifically measure coffee strength and chart a coffee’s extraction.

Professional level takes the scientific knowledge a stage further, covering the impact of temperature on brewing, acidity levels during the brewing process, the impact of water quality on coffee brewing and flavour and understanding how to chart espresso and brew within a given extraction percentage.

SCA Sensory Skills

Sensory Skills teaches you the essentials of sensory evaluation in a practical and interactive manner. It investigates the way we perceive what we taste and how to apply this knowledge when evaluating coffee’s natural characteristics. It also offers an insight into identifying speciality coffee qualities, as well as an overview of how to implement this in business.

Sensory Skills can be studied at three different levels:

Foundation level covers the essentials of sensory evaluation in a practical and interactive manner. It investigates the way we perceive what we taste and how to apply this knowledge when evaluating coffee’s natural characteristics. It also offers an introduction to identifying speciality coffee qualities, as well as an overview of how to implement this in business.

Intermediate level is ideal for someone already working in the area who wants to develop their knowledge of sensory skills. It is broken down into three areas: How we taste, perceive and interpret; Running a cupping session and tasting the diversity of coffee; How to set up sensory skills in your business.

Professional level is aimed at people with extensive experience in the industry who wish to develop their knowledge to become sensory skills leaders in a coffee business.

SCA Green Coffee

The Green Coffee module covers the key concepts surrounding green coffee, from growing the plant, through processing, shipping, storage and arrival at a roaster.  It includes principles of coffee growing, processing and green coffee grading and coffee contracts and green coffee portfolio management.

Green Coffee can be studied at three different levels:

Foundation level covers the key concepts surrounding green coffee, from growing the plant, through processing, shipping, storage and arrival at a roaster.  It includes an introduction to cupping and coffee grading.

Intermediate level looks at green coffee in greater detail and builds on the core vocational skills needed by people who work with green coffee on a daily basis.  It is broken down into three areas: Principles of coffee growing and processing; Introduction to green coffee grading; Coffee contracts and green coffee portfolio management.

Professional level is suited to people who have worked for at least two years in a job related to green coffee. It builds on the knowledge gained at Intermediate level and prepares the student for managerial jobs within the industry. Good knowledge of other Coffee Diploma System modules, especially Sensory Skills and Roasting, is highly recommended for anyone wanting to study at this level.

SCA ROASTING

Learn about the roasting process, including roast cycle, roast levels, identifying defects, the physical changes that beans undergo during the roasting process, as well as workspace management and lean production.

Foundation level provides a first taste of a specific coffee discipline and is a great way to get insight into a module to help you decide if you want to go on to learn more. The Foundation level requires no previous experience. Courses at this level usually take 1 day.

Intermediate level is suitable if you are already part of the industry, working in the field covered by the module, and have a firm knowledge of the basic skills. Experience working in the field is recommended for this level. Courses at the Intermediate level usually take a minimum of 2 days.

Professional level is suitable if you want to pursue specialist knowledge at a high level in your subject. Success at this level should indicate to employers competence to work in the field. Extensive relevant experience is recommended before attempting this level. Candidates must hold the Intermediate qualification in the module before attempting the professional level. Courses at this level would be expected to take a minimum of 3 days.

COFFEE SUSTAINABILITY PROGAM

Foundation Level, students will be exposed to sustainability terminology, a brief history of sustainability projects in coffee, and key sustainability challenges across the value chain. They will begin to understand the trade-offs and complexities of different approaches and access some of the tools that exist to address a variety of challenges. Designed for people at all points in the coffee chain, participants will leave the course understanding why sustainability is a different kind of challenge than others in coffee, but not an impossible one, and will have ideas on where they might start in their own organisations.

  • Articulate broad sustainability challenges at different points in the value chain

  • Discuss different possibilities for future sustainable practices at various levels of the coffee chain

  • Explain trade-offs of different sustainability projects

Intermediate Level course builds on concepts introduced in Foundation to develop student ability to analyze and interpret a variety of different types of sustainability projects.

After completing the Intermediate level, students be able to articulate different ideas about defining and measuring sustainability and sustainable development in order to better understand and assess the major issues facing specialty coffee.

  • Gain exposure to different sustainability approaches in the value chain, with a firm grasp of the defining issues in at least two parts of the chain most relevant to the student

  • Have a more detailed understanding of collective action and what platforms exist to collaborate, leverage resources, and share results

  • Understand and be able to articulate how progress on sustainability initiatives is measured and defined in a variety of contexts

  • Be able to assess case studies and sustainability research

  • Develop a plan to move forward on a sustainability initiative within their own organisation

Professional Level offers an intensive, practical experience in which students design, carry out, and assess their own sustainability projects in accordance with their organisation’s goals and capabilities. The Professional class is designed to be taught over a period of several months to a year, with in-class sessions (online or in person) supporting students as they carry out their projects. The Sustainability Professional makes educated choices about trade-offs and costs and is a leader in Sustainability programming within the SCA and the specialty industry at large.

  • Identify measures of accountability and progress on a particular sustainability issue

  • Engage extensively with debates, policies, and practices of sustainability across multiple points of the value chain

  • Lead others in discussion and practice of these issues, and serve as a mentor for future students

  • Identify, develop, carry out, and assess a sustainability effort that fits within their organisation’s capabilities, is measurable and trackable, has structures of accountability, and is critically reflexive about its successes and failures

  • Serve as an advocate for intelligent sustainability programming across the coffee industry by participating as a mentor to future students

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