Rohnert Park, CA-   Sonoma State University is now accepting applications for their new Global Wine MBA program, set to begin in fall 2015.  The program is a full-time, one-year accelerated Wine MBA program, focused on serving the global wine business professionals who desire to further their wine industry knowledge while living in the heart of California wine country.

For those students coming from abroad, Sonoma State has an English language immersion program, offered through its American Language Institute (SSALI).

Vicente Johnson, an independent winemaker and Board of Director member of Casas del Toqui Winery in Chile who received his Executive MBA from SSU, said, “I developed my English proficiency in SSU’s American Language Institute (SSALI) where I studied almost 5 months before starting the EMBA program.  In the SSALI program I met and worked with professionals from different areas, experiences, and cultures.”

In the global wine format, students will learn from leading experts and world-renowned faculty, while having the opportunity to get hands-on experience at first-class wineries located just down the road from Sonoma State’s campus. Containing all the content from SSU’s two-year Wine MBA, the Global Wine MBA accelerates the class schedule and program requirements, permitting students to graduate in one calendar year. In addition, weeknight classes allow students to work on projects or internships while in the program.    

“SSU changed the direction of my life,” said Sonoma State alumnus and Master Sommelier, Ian Cauble. “There were so many great resources, I was located near the greatest wineries of California, and had the opportunity to work for those wineries while going to school.” Cauble, star of the movie SOMM, recently co-founded SommSelect, a direct-to-consumer website where wine enthusiasts receive special offers of unique wines from around the world, hand selected by Cauble.

Sonoma State recognizes that as the global wine industry continues to evolve, wine industry professionals must learn new ways to solve problems.  “Sonoma State has a rigorous Wine MBA program taught by internationally distinguished faculty,” said Jingmei Su who moved from Zhangjiang, China, to study in the Wine MBA program. SSU provides the world’s most comprehensive wine business education to prepare emerging and existing wine leaders across the globe for success in the growing wine industry. 

Click here to learn more or apply for the Global Wine MBA: http://sonoma.edu/mba/programs/evening-global-wine-mba.html

### For more information, please contact Christine Pinella at 707-664-3501 or Christine.Pinella@sonoma.edu.

About Sonoma State University's School of Business and Economics: Sonoma State University School of Business and Economics' mission is to create extraordinary learning experiences for our students and to advance best business practices in the North Bay and beyond.  Its Wine Business Institute is recognized around the world for its expert faculty, business-focused research, and the first undergraduate and graduate degree programs in wine business in the United States.  Creating a vibrant community, developing a sustainable business model for entrepreneurship in higher education, and developing and delivering innovative programs are the goals for its campus-wide, community-reaching entrepreneurship initiative. With undergraduate, graduate and executive programs serving over 1600 students each year and degrees and concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, Wine Business, and Economics, the School offers the most in-demand programs on the Sonoma State campus.  The School of Business and Economics is accredited by AACSB (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), making it one of 15% of all business schools in the world to meet these standards for excellence.  For more information visit, www.sonoma.edu/sbe