Location
Napa, Sonoma, St. Helena, Yountville, California, USA
Program Description
Interested students must be 21+ years old by May 23, 2026 to participate in this program.
Napa, California is the premier wine-growing region in the United States. Learning about the influence of food, wine on the regional culture that can only be fully accomplished by visiting: visiting local restaurants and speaking with chefs, visiting wineries and speaking with owners, visiting growers and speaking with the farmers, visiting neighborhoods and speaking with residents.
Students will travel through the Napa Valley region, experiencing top-notch restaurants, world-class wineries, and exceptional hospitality while learning about enology, viniculture, and viticulture. Meetings with industry professionals will explore the marketing and management of this niche industry. Through journals. team and solo projects, and daily menu pairing activities, students have the opportunity to process their learning into meaningful artifacts.
This course explores the premier wine-growing regions of Napa and Sonoma, focusing on the region's wine, food, and culture.
Location Description
Students will stay together, eat together, and learn together in California's Napa Valley, with excursions around Napa, Sonoma, St. Helena, and Yountville.
Director
Donna Fickes | fickesdj@jmu.edu | Hart School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management
Accommodations
Students will stay in a local hotel with shared double rooms.
All meals will be provided through the program.
Additional Items to Consider
Students are expected to research, book, and manage individual flight itineraries independently once they have received notification from the program director.
Attendance at each of the following is required prior to the trip:
- Two informational meetings
- One introductory class
Applicant Criteria
21+ years old by the program start date
Applicants must have a GPA minimum of 2.0
Open to students in all majors and class levels
Open to non-JMU students
Application Process
This list serves as an application preview. To apply, students will need to complete the following:
- Study Abroad Online Application ($40 fee)
- Short Essay
- Resume
- Interview with the program director
- Official transcript required for non-JMU students
Further details and instructions about these application requirements will be available upon log-in.
Application Deadline
Dates
All dates are tentative and subject to change
Courses
HM 419: Napa and Sonoma Wine and Cultures (3 credits)
Courses listed here are to be used as a general guideline for program curriculum. *All courses are considered pending until approved by the Academic Department, Program, and/or College.
Cost
MSC 5731
100 East Grace Street
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
