Member certification
Self Study

Take your cheese education to the next level and study for the Member certification with the eLearning platform, accessible online wherever you are in the world, 24/7.

Level Two

Additional information

Self Study Member Course

Studying for your certification via the self study eLearning platform allows you to study at your own pace, at a time that suits you. You can study with us from wherever you are in the world before taking the online exam and becoming a certified Academy of Cheese Member.

When you enrol you’ll receive instant access to:

Level Two online Learning Road, consider this your digital course book
Knowledge check questions to test your progress as you study
Digital downloadable delegate pack (printed version available to purchase)
Downloadable Tasting sheets
Level Two Exam
Cheese Library containing over 150 cheeses

The Self Study course does not include cheese but we encourage delegates to taste as many of the 75 cheeses as possible whilst studying the course.

You have 12 months access to the Learning Road and to take the exam. Upon passing the exam you will receive a pin badge and certificate suitable for framing.

Academy of Cheese

Includes instant access to the Associate learning road and certification

1: Milk Production and Cheesemaking

How to describe the key ingredients used in cheesemaking and their purpose
Have an overview of the steps involved in cheesemaking and maturation
Understand the Academy of Cheese Make/Post-Make (MPM) Model
Understand how milk is produced

2: Maturing, Affinage and Grading

Recognise the condition of a soft mould-ripened cheese in terms of degree of ripeness
Understands cheese grading and its relevance
Understands the role of maturation and affinage in adding value to the product
Knows the different techniques to accelerate and decelerate ripening in soft mould-ripened cheese

3: Buying and Distribution

Understand of how cheese is bought and transported including the term “chill chain”
Understand the importance of offering an appropriate range of cheeses for a cheese board

4: Presentation

Select and use appropriate packaging, to wrap and re-wrap cheese
Be able to cut cheese using appropriate tools
Understand the importance of caring for, cutting and serving cheeses appropriate to the variety

5: Communicating

Understands the key descriptors of cheese i.e. country of origin, species of milking animal, vegetarian/animal rennet, raw/pasteurised milk, MPM Model, protected status, age
Understands the principles of pairing cheese and drinks

6: Cheese Industry Knowledge

An overview of the history of cheesemaking
Understand the differences between large scale and artisan production
Understand an overview of the nutritional value of cheese

7: Regulation and Good Practice

Demonstrates good hand-washing techniques
Understand how to handle cheese safely
Understand the difference between “use by” and “best before”

8: Tasting

Understands how to use the Academy of Cheese Level 1 Structured Approach to Tasting Model
Practical assessment of cheese using the model

9: Level One Associate – 25 Cheeses

At Level One you are required to study and taste 25 iconic cheeses. You will find details on each cheese in your delegates pack and in the online Cheese Library. Whether you attend an online or classroom course you will be expected to have tasted the 25 cheeses on the Level One list by the time of your assessment.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Use the Structured Approach to Tasting Cheese (SATC) sheet to record your tasting notes.

Level One Exam

Whichever way you chose to study, you’ll need to take the online exam to become a certified Academy of Cheese Associate. It’s 30 questions in 30 minutes, you’ve got this!