ITMA Certified Tea Sommelier Course™, a 2 day on-site training, followed by 9-weeks of home study, for tea enthusiasts who want to increase their knowledge, experience, and professional stature, many of whom desire to open or expand a tea business, tea room, or tea web site.

Important Consideration:  Any Certification Course has to be completed in a period of maximum 24 months with a minimum passing grade of the Final Examination of 70.

Curriculum

Part 1 (On-Site Training)
Introduction to the World of Tea
History of Tea
Growing regions, terroir, planting (cuttings and cloning), cultivation, harvesting, processing and grading (China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Kenya)
Teapots and Utensils
Tea Ceremonies
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Chinese Tea Ceremony
English-style Tea Serving
American Tea Ceremony
Chemistry of Tea
Mechanics of Taste
Tea Aroma Wheel
Tea Tasting Protocol
Tea Evaluation Form
Tea Tastings (8-12 teas)
Health Benefits of Tea; Caffeine-Theanine
Guest Service Skills
Listening from Service
Asking Key Questions
Educating the Guest

Part 2 (Home Study)

Tea Evaluations – Multiple Steepings (In Part 2 of the training, registrants will taste and evaluate two selected teas in each of the nine categories below (18 teas total), as well as learn the history and background of each tea, and preparation instructions using the ITMA recommended tasting and evaluation protocol).

Japanese Green Teas
Chinese Green Teas
White Teas
Oolong Teas
English Black Teas
Chinese Black Teas
Indian Black Teas
Pu-erh Teas
Chai (registrant creates the blend)
Herbal Teas/Tisanes

Additional Training
A registrant with a strong background in tea or one who has completed similar training with another organization can skip the On-Site and Home Study portions of the course and go directly to the Post-Training section.:

Mystery Tea (blind tasting evaluation
Oral (5 minute) or written (4 page) dissertation with citations on subject assigned by ITMA
Final Examination (100 questions) $95 (repeat exam $45)

Participants are provided a copy of the ITMA Comprehensive Tea Sommelier Training Manual™ on the first day of class, and a copy of the ITMA Tea Sommelier Tasting Manual™ will be distributed on the second day of class in preparation for the start of the ITMA Tea Sommelier Tasting Course™.

Upon course completion, graduates will receive an ITMA Certificate of Completion.