MSc Wine & Gastronomy

Programme objectives

The MSc Wine & Gastronomy offers theoretical courses where academic research and advanced marketing principles are combined with real-world case studies.

This top-tier programme delivers in-depth, high-level academic content, enhanced by practical workshops to better understand and anticipate market challenges.

By the end of the programme, students will be equipped to master the complex dynamics of the food industry, as well as the cultural, global, and structural issues that influence consumer purchasing behaviour.

Skill sets

The programme MSc Wine & Gastronomy, awarding an advanced higher-education degree in international management (DESSMI) provides the skills to:

• Perform a functional analysis and implement an action plan that incorporates digital, sustainable and international components.
• Conduct a scientific study and issue a recommendation
• Develop ethical leadership abilities to strengthen one’s manager posture

The skills blocks of the certification may not be acquired separately. The proposed curriculum covers all skills blocks.

Programme highlights

Analyse and address challenges in the food and beverage industries

Explore the environmental, economic, and social aspects of food production. Understand key issues and different food chains. Learn about sustainable value chains, life-cycle assessment, and sustainable development in food systems. Integrate current challenges with heritage to blend tradition and innovation.

Access key certifications

Earn Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 or 3 certifications to gain industry recognition, expertise, and career opportunities in the wine and spirits sector, and obtain the Champagne MOOC certification to deepen your knowledge, enhancing your ability to taste, present, or sell champagne, showcasing your expertise.

Enjoy an experiential and immersive learning approach

Attend the Taste & Tell conferences to engage with industry leaders, gain insights into market trends, and expand your professional network. Participate in visits to prestigious companies such as Veuve Clicquot and Ayala Champagne.

Learn by doing

Benefit from courses and workshops to better understand the implications and applications of theoretical concepts in the food and beverage categories, as well as hospitality.

Workshop examples:

• New perspectives on wine tasting and the revival of traditional food products
• Management and promotion of a collective brand
• Collaboration with professionals: winemakers, chefs, and producers
• Territorial brand management: collective initiatives and key stakeholders
• Development of food and beverage products, including by-products (e.g., cooper) and entrepreneurship

Professional experience (4-to-6 months)

The programme includes an internship or other practical experience (fixed-term contract, permanent contract, business start-up, etc.) where theories and skills are applied in a professional environment. Students are free to complete their professional experience in France or abroad, subject to approval by the internship director and based on its relevance to the programme and course content.

Adapted programme for high-level athletes and artists

High-level athletes and artists may benefit from an adapted programme in order to pursue both their studies and their passion.

To learn more about the MSc Wine & Gastronomy in detail, please download the programme brochure.

Evaluation procedures

The programme is validated in two ways:

• Continuous assessment: Evaluations conducted throughout the course the programme in the form of individual or collective assignments to be submitted.
• Final assessment: Carried out at the end of the course and may take a number of different forms, most of which are individual.

At the end of the course and after validation of the ECTS for each year of training, the Level 7 DESSMI – MSc Wine & Gastronomy diploma is awarded to participants.

If certain modules have not been validated and therefore credits not obtained, the student may take a resit examination during the periods set aside for this purpose.

• Percentage of students sitting final examinations* : 100%
• Graduation rate* : 100%

Source: *Degree Rewarding Committee Report for the 2022-2023 year

Take your career to the next level:

The MSc Wine & Gastronomy has been created to develop a new generation of expert food and drink marketing professionals capable of anticipating change in a complex world and adept at understanding the dynamics surrounding the consumption, marketing and management of food, wine, spirits and beverages.

Targeted professions

Graduates can aim for any role in the food & beverage sector, including:

• Director of food and beverage service in the hospitality industry
• Director of a wine brand or house
• Export Manager for a food or wine brand
• Food & Wine Journalist
• Marketing Director for a food or wine brand (e.g., Unilever, LVMH)
• Oenotourism Manager for a winery
• Market Researcher or Analyst in food and wine
• And many others…

Results indicators

100%

Professional immersion¹

1 month

Average time to secure employment²

100%

Employment rate
at 6 months²

83%

Percentage of graduates entering targeted professions³

Sources: ¹ Course data 2022-2023 | ² Graduate Employment Survey 2021 & 2022 | ³ Graduate Survey 2022

Admissions Requirements

1-year course:

• Completion of a 4-year Bachelor’s degree (in business, economics, sciences, etc.) or a 3-year Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 1 year of professional experience
• Proof of English language proficiency is required during the application process (TOEIC, IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge, Duolingo)*

2-year MSc option:

• Completion of a 3-year Bachelor’s degree (Open to all backgrounds)

Proof of English language proficiency is required during the application process (TOEIC, TOEFL ibt, IELTS, Cambridge and Duolingo).*

*Contact us to learn more about the scores required for each test. 

Admissions process

• Complete the online application: apply.neoma-bs.fr
• Provide scanned copies of all original documents in English or French (CV, motivation letter, transcripts, etc.)
• Candidates who meet the admissions requirements will be asked to complete a deferred interview
• Admissions results are sent by email within two weeks of the interview.

Application fee: €100

Admissions calendar

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, from September with a final deadline for submissions in mid-July. Applicants will be informed of the admission jury’s decision within two weeks of the interview.

However, given the limited number of places, candidates are advised to apply as early as possible.

Additional recommendations

Candidates should demonstrate an interest and passion for food and wine via certifications, membership to associations, courses, etc. Candidates should have basic marketing knowledge and some notions of business.

Candidates should be able to communicate with confidence in English, participate in group work, demonstrate initiative, strong interpersonal skills, enjoy meeting people and having new experiences.

2-Year MSc Option

Discover the International Pre-Master, the extended course that makes a Master of Science accessible to students holding a 3-year bachelor’s degree!

Programme overview

Delivered on the Rouen campus, this programme serves as a gateway to a Master of Science (MSc) for graduates of a three-year higher education qualification (French Licence or Bachelor’s degree). The programme is also open to students with academic backgrounds in fields not directly linked to their desired MSc programme.

This first year of study in the International Pre-Master provides an overview of the core areas of business studies and the fundamentals of the selected MSc programme. Upon validation of this curriculum, students continue to their second year and obtain their Master of Science degree.

Please indicate your preferred Master of Science programme when preparing your application.

Programme strengths

Build the academic foundations and skillset to access NEOMA’s Master of Science programmes

Cultivate your cross-cultural competencies in a multicultural cohort of students, with instruction by an international faculty

Develop your skills in independent, critical thinking and effective communication

Empower your career trajectory thanks to career & personal development workshops

Gain professional experience through a 4-to-6-month internship in your first or second year

Evaluation procedures

The programme is validated in two ways:

• Continuous assessment: Evaluations conducted throughout the course the programme in the form of individual or collective assignments to be submitted.
• Final assessment: Carried out at the end of the course and may take a number of different forms, most of which are individual.

At the end of the programme, participants must validate 60 ECTS credits.

If certain modules have not been validated and therefore credits not obtained, the student may take a resit examination during the periods set aside for this purpose.

Professional experience

A professional experience (of minimum four months) is mandatory to validate your 2-year MSc. It can take place at the end of the first or second year of studies, in France or abroad.

Marina BASTOUNIS

Head of programme

Expand your professional horizons and reach for a Master of Science from a top French business school.

Stories

Anqi YANG
2013-14

The first year of my MSc was a year of building the fundamentals skills necessary for almost every aspect of my professional life. Courses like Quantitative Methods gave me skills related to several fields of study, like economics and finance, helping me to read and analyse data in a more objective way. Geopolitics provided me with a comprehensive vision of world trade. Also, a full day’s work in an English-speaking environment strengthened my preparation for work in an international context. The courses were extremely useful and gave me confidence in my skills. What I also liked a lot is the diversity of teachers; they are from different countries, which really gives me a feeling of studying in an international school.

Romain PENNEL
2013-14

After completing a special two-year diploma in Marketing & Trade, I chose to go abroad and complement it with a bachelor’s degree in English. After graduating with a 3-year bachelor’s degree, I decided to enrol in the two-year MSc option at NEOMA Business School. It was the ideal solution for me, and I was able to earn a Master of Science. The first year at NEOMA prepared me for my MSc courses and the professional challenges of international business.