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Programme Overview
Highlights
This programme is designed to provide a sound introduction to essential barista skills, so that students could learn a range of complex job functions found in the barista profession.
It is a very comprehensive skill-based programme that covers how a barista sets the grinder, makes espressos, foams and textures milk for cappuccinos, and creates latte art. Through interactive activities, demonstrations and self-practice, students can prepare their own coffee and explore ways to improve coffee quality through a number of parameters, such as grinder calibration, espresso extraction and drinks construction. In addition, this programme also covers key concepts regarding health and safety, customer service and basic business practices of a café, such as workflow management, stock management, coffee menu description, and coffee equipment cleaning and maintenance.
This programme is suitable to those coffee enthusiasts so that they can deepen and broaden their coffee knowledge for social purpose; and those who wish to work with coffee as part of a larger beverage portfolio in the retail, wholesale and hospitality sectors, since students will acquire the job skills and competencies of being a barista. This programme is suitable to those who wish to open a cafe or work in a cafe as a barista.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
On completion of the programme, students should be able to:
- Describe and explain the routines and responsibilities of a barista in a café;
- Identify and describe the essential elements and processes that influence the aroma, flavor, body, texture and strength of an espresso;
- Describe the café operational management including customer service, workflow and stock management, health and safety, equipment cleaning and maintenance; and
- Demonstrate the milk foaming and latte art technique and prepare multiple espresso-based drinks.
WHY HKU SPACE?
- Graduates of our coffee programme will be awarded:
- HKU SPACE Certificate for Module (Specialty Coffee: Barista Skills - Foundation and Intermediate) 證書(單元 : 精品咖啡之初級及中級咖啡師技巧), awarded within the HKU system through HKU SPACE.
- "Barista Skills Foundation" certificate (e-certificate) by the SCA.
- "Barista Skills Intermediate" certificate (e-certificate) by the SCA. - Students can taste various samples of coffees during the course of their studies, and they are systematically arranged by classroom session.
- Our coffee programme is taught by qualified professionals who are also experienced in coffee education.
- Our coffee programme will be delivered by a single teacher, where possible, throughout the entire course to ensure consistency in content and teaching style.
- All coffee beans are carefully and impartially selected from different recognized coffee suppliers to suit the genuine needs of the course.
- Small class-size (max.8) in our coffee programme brings about better teaching and learning, and enhances teacher-student interaction.
Programme Details
The programme consists of 30 face-to-face teaching hours, 3 hours in each session with coffee tasting, and they are structured into 10 sessions with the following key topics.
SYLLABUS
This syllabus is adapted from the Coffee Skills Diploma programme guidebooks by Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)
No. | Topic |
---|---|
1. | Coffee beans |
2. | Workspace management and workflow |
3. | Espresso process: Grind, Dose, Tamp |
4. | Extraction and brewing |
5. | Sensory |
6. | Milk |
7. | Espresso based menu |
8. | Cleaning, health and safety |
9. | Water quality |
10. | Customer service and café management |
ASSESSMENT AND AWARDS
This programme will be assessed by Two Tests. Setting and marking of the test papers are conducted/verified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) or its Authorized SCA Trainers.
Students have to obtain a ‘Pass’ on all assessment components (see below table for details) and attain 70% attendance for completion of this Certificate for Module programme. Students who fail in any assessment components can apply for re-attempt subject to payment of retake fee.
Type of Assessment |
Description | Pass Mark |
---|---|---|
Test 1 (40%) | Online Multiple Choice Questions (22 minutes) | 60% and above |
Test 2 (60%) |
Section A: Online Multiple Choice and Short Questions (37 minutes); Section B: Three sections (1, 2 & 3) in Practical Examinations (40 minutes) |
Section A: 70% and above Section B1: 50% and above Section B2: 82.7% and above Section B3: 64% and above |
Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates will be awarded the 'Certificate for Module (Specialty Coffee: Barista Skills - Foundation and Intermediate) 證書(單元 : 精品咖啡之初級及中級咖啡師技巧)' within the HKU system through HKU SPACE. In addition, graduates of this programme with a mark of 60% attained in Test 1 will be awarded the “Barista Skills Foundation” Certificate by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA); Graduates of this programme with a mark of 70% attained in Test 2 Section A, 50% attained in Test 2 Section B1, 82.7% attained in Test 2 Section B2, and 64% attained in Test 2 Section B3 will be awarded the “Barista Skills Intermediate” Certificate by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
private group Training
Corporate training or private group training can be arranged. Please contact Programme Team (Tel: 2867 8483 or email: coffeehtm@hkuspace.hku.hk) for details.
Application Code | 2265-2318AW | Apply Online Now |
Start Date | 16 Jan 2025 (Thu) | |
Apply Online Now |
Application Code | 2270-1622AW | Apply Online Now |
Start Date | 17 Feb 2025 (Mon) | |
Apply Online Now |
Application Code | 2275-2114AW | Apply Online Now |
Start Date | 10 Mar 2025 (Mon) | |
Apply Online Now |
Application Code | 2275-2116AW | Apply Online Now |
Start Date | 28 Mar 2025 (Fri) | |
Apply Online Now |
Duration
- 30 hours
3 hours per session; 1-2 sessions per day
-
Kowloon West Campus
KWC501
Modules & Class Details
Class Details
upcoming classes
Application |
Date | Time |
Tutor |
Test |
Application Deadline |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2265-2316AW (Full house) |
4 January 2025 5 January 2025 11 January 2025 12 January 2025 18 January 2025 |
10:00AM - 5:00PM (Incl. 1 hour lunch break) |
Isacc Wong (Cantonese |
18 January 2025 | 30 December 2024 |
2265-2318AW |
16 January 2025 23 January 2025 6 February 2025 20 February 2025 27 February 2025 |
10:00AM - 5:00PM (Incl. 1 hour lunch break) |
Keith Tse (Cantonese |
27 February 2025 | 8 January 2025 |
2270-1622AW |
17 February 2025 18 February 2025 19 February 2025 24 February 2025 25 February 2025 |
10:00AM - 5:00PM (Incl. 1 hour lunch break) |
Keith Tse (Cantonese |
25 February 2025 | 19 January 2025 |
2275-2114AW |
10 March 2025 (Monday) 11 March 2025 (Tuesday) 12 March 2025 (Wednesday) 13 March 2025 (Thursday) 14 March 2025 (Friday) |
10:00AM - 5:00PM (Incl. 1 hour lunch break) |
Keith Tse (Cantonese |
14 March 2025 | 20 February 2025 |
2275-2116AW |
28 March 2025 (Friday) 11 April 2025 (Friday) 25 April 2025 (Friday) 2 May 2025 (Friday) 9 May 2025 (Friday) |
10:00AM - 5:00PM (Incl. 1 hour lunch break) |
Isacc Wong (Cantonese |
9 May 2025 | 28 February 2025 |
- The programme team reserves the right to change the above timetable if necessary.
- All classes are subject to sufficient enrolment.
Our Coffee Tutor
Mr. Chris So
Chris has great passion in coffee and has been certified as a Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Trainer since 2015. He holds the SCA Coffee Skills Diploma and is a licensed Q Arabica Grader of Coffee Quality Institute. Chris is a professional coffee consultant and his focus is on training, quality control and coffee buying. Chris has been a Head Judge for multiple Hong Kong Coffee Championships and he is also a Certified Sensory Judge for the World Barista Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship and World Coffee Roasting Championship. Chris won the Hong Kong Coffee in Good Spirits Championship in 2018 and represented Hong Kong and ranked 8th at the World Championship. He has also successfully coached four Hong Kong Champions and one World Champion in Coffee.
In addition to his coffee knowledge, Chris is also a longstanding Wine and Spirit Educator at HKUSPACE and he is an international judge for Wine, Spirit, Sake and Beer. Chris was awarded the "Outstanding Teacher Award of HKUSPACE College of Business & Finance 2018/19" for his teaching excellence.
Competition Coach:
2012 Hong Kong Siphonist Champion
2013 Hong Kong Siphonist Champion
2013 World Siphonist Champion
2015 Hong Kong Brewers Cup Championship 2nd place
2016 Hong Kong Brewers Cup Championship Champion
2016 Hong Kong Latte Art Championship Champion
2017 World Latte Art Championship 5th place
2018 Hong Kong Siphonist Champion
2018 World Siphonist Champion 4th place
2018 Hong Kong Latte Art Championship Champion
2019 Hong Kong Brewers Cup Championship 3rd place
Competition Awards:
2013 Hong Kong Clever Cup Contest Champion
2016 Hong Kong Coffee Power Rangers Team Championship Champion
2018 Hong Kong Coffee in Good Spirits Champion
2018 World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship 8th Place
2024 United Kingdom Brewers Cup Championship 3rd place
Mr. Keith Tse
Keith is a professional barista and has been working as a barista for over eight years. He is very passionate about coffee and he wishes to share coffee knowledge and professional techniques to more people by being an Authorized Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Trainer. He holds the ‘Brewing Professional’ and ‘Barista Skills Professional’ from Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). He is an experienced teacher for barista programmes and he taught barista training programmes for nearly five years for ‘City & Guilds’ and ‘Employees Retraining Board (ERB)’. Students enjoy his coffee classes very much since he is a friendly and open-minded teacher delivering highly interactive and informative classes.
His creativity in practicing latte art has brought him to a world-class level, and he won 4 times the Hong Kong Latte Art Championship in 2016, 2018, 2021 & 2022. He is also the one of the semi-finalists for the 2022 World Latte Art Championship.
Competition Awards:
2016 Hong Kong Latte Art Championship – Champion
2017 World Latte Art Championship – 5th Place
2018 Hong Kong Latte Art Championship – Champion
2021 Hong Kong Latte Art Championship – Champion
2022 Hong Kong Latte Art Championship – Champion
Mr. Isacc Wong
Isacc is a seasoned barista with over a decade of experience in the coffee industry. He has developed a deep passion for coffee and is committed to sharing his expertise with others. His dedication to the craft has earned him the title of Authorized Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Trainer, and he holds certifications in 'Brewing Professional', 'Barista Skills Professional', and 'Sensory skills Professional' from the SCA.
As an accomplished barista trainer, Isacc has delivered training programs for prestigious institutions such as 'Employees Retraining Board (ERB)' from 2019 to present. He is known for his approachable and friendly teaching style, which combines highly interactive and informative classes that have garnered high praise from students.
Isacc's achievements as a barista extend beyond the competition circuit, as he was the 1st Run-up in the Korea Barista Team Championship 2018 (Korea) and placed 3rd Runner-up in the Hong Kong Barista Championship 2017 (Hong Kong). He has also served as a judge for the 2018 & 2019 Hong Kong Interschool Latte Art Competition.
He is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and experience with others, believing that a perfect cup of coffee can brighten anyone's day. He is enthusiastic about continuing to learn and grow in the coffee industry and is eager to inspire others to share his passion.
COMPETITION AWARDS:
2014 Hong Kong Coffee Power Latte Art Competition - 3rd place
2015 Hong Kong Coffee Power Coffee Power Coffee Roasting Competition - 2nd place
2017 Fuji Royal Roasting Competition - Champion
2017 Hong Kong Barista Championship - 4th place
2018 Korea Barista Team Championship - 2nd place
Our Edge
Professional Accreditation
Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is a non-profit trade association worldwide, with a purpose to foster global coffee communities to support activities to make coffee a more sustainable, equitable and thriving activity for the whole value chain. The SCA acts as a unifying force within the specialty coffee industry and works to make coffee better by raising standards worldwide through a collaborative and progressive approach.
Brand-New: SCA Skills Diploma
A new set of diplomas that give student in-depth knowledge and practical experience which can immediately apply in an industry setting. Each diploma requires a combination of advanced level learning and foundational coursework.
This programme is designed for students to acquire the required courses towards "SCA Café Diploma", "SCA Sustainable Coffee Diploma" awarded by Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Students completing this programme satisfactorily will simultaneously complete 2 out of 3 levels of the specialist module “Barista Skills” (namely Foundation level of Barista Skills and Intermediate level of Barista Skills). Students will also be awarded a SCA certificate (soft copy) of the completed module of the level. If students wish to continue to study other specialist modules, they can choose to study the remaining courses that the Diploma required to obtain the Diploma.
Retiring the SCA Coffee Diploma (100-point Diploma)
During the launch of the SCA Skills Diplomas, the current SCA Coffee Diploma (also known as the 100-point Diploma) will remain available for an extended transition period. Those qualifying for the SCA Coffee Diploma may still apply through SCA by December 31, 2023. Then, the SCA Coffee Diploma will be completely replaced by the SCA Skills Diploma.
Even though the SCA Coffee Diploma will no longer be issued starting in 2024, it is still recognized and celebrated by the Specialty Coffee Association as a valid representation of a learner’s achievement.
The former SCA Coffee Diploma is exclusive to the Coffee Skills Program (CSP) and is awarded to learners who earned 100 or more points with CSP courses. In this diploma program, each CSP course is assigned a point value. The points awarded at each level are listed below:
Introduction to Coffee = 10 points
Foundation = 5 points
Intermediate = 10 points
Professional = 25 points
For more information, please visit: https://education.sca.coffee/sca-skills-diploma
Fee & Entry Requirements
Fee
- HK$17,100 per programme inclusive of:
1.) Learning materials in English
2.) Coffee tasting and hands-on practice
3.) Test Fee for SCA "Barista Skills Foundation" qualification
4.) Test Fee for SCA "Barista Skills Intermediate" qualification
5.) SCA certificate(s) (soft-copy) for each qualification upon successful completion
Note: A Student Service fee of USD 50 for SCA “Barista Skills Foundation” Examination and USD 50 for SCA “Barista Skills Intermediate” Examination will be paid by students directly to SCA, and this is an additional fee on top of the tuition fee (i.e. HK$17,100) to HKU SPACE.
Entry Requirements
Applicants shall not have any health conditions that made them unfit for coffee tasting.
Note: Applicants who have already obtained SCA "Barista Skills Foundation" / "Barista Skills Intermediate" certificate should approach Programme Team before application.
CEF
- The CEF Institution Code of HKU SPACE is 100
CEF Courses | ||
---|---|---|
Certificate for Module (Specialty Coffee: Barista Skills - Foundation and Intermediate) 證書(單元 : 精品咖啡之初級及中級咖啡師技巧) |
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COURSE CODE 43C141940 | FEES $17,100 | ENQUIRY 2867-8483 |
Continuing Education Fund This course has been included in the list of reimbursable courses under the Continuing Education Fund. |
|
Certificate for Module (Specialty Coffee: Barista Skills - Foundation and Intermediate)
|
Apply
Application Form Download Application Form
Enrolment Method
Application Code: |
|
2265-2316AW (Full house) | Apply Now |
2265-2318AW | Apply Now |
2270-1622AW | Apply Now |
2275-2114AW | Apply Now |
2275-2116AW | Apply Now |
Payment Method
1. Cash, EPS, WeChat Pay Or Alipay
Course fees can be paid by cash, EPS, WeChat Pay or Alipay at any HKU SPACE Enrolment Centres.
2. Cheque Or Bank draft
Course fees can also be paid by crossed cheque or bank draft made payable to “HKU SPACE”. Please specify the programme title(s) for application and applicant’s name. You may either:
- bring the completed form(s), together with the appropriate course or application fees in the form of a cheque, and any required supporting documents to any of the HKU SPACE enrolment centres;
- or mail the above documents to any of the HKU SPACE Enrolment Centres, specifying “Course Application” on the envelope. HKU SPACE will not be responsible for any loss of personal information and payment sent by mail.
3. VISA/Mastercard
Applicants may also pay the course fee by VISA or Mastercard, including the “HKU SPACE Mastercard”, at any HKU SPACE enrolment centres. Holders of the HKU SPACE Mastercard can enjoy a 10-month interest-free instalment period for courses with a tuition fee worth a minimum of HK$2,000; however, the course applicant must also be the cardholder himself/herself. For enquiries, please contact our staff at any enrolment centres.
4. Online Payment
Online application / enrolment is offered for most open admission courses (enrolled on first come, first served basis) and selected award-bearing programmes. Application fees and course fees of these programmes/courses can be settled by using "PPS by Internet" (not available via mobile phones), VISA or Mastercard. In addition to the aforesaid online payment channels, new and continuing students of award-bearing programmes with available online service, they may also pay their course fees by Online WeChat Pay, Online Alipay or Faster Payment System (FPS). Please refer to Enrolment Methods - Online Enrolment for details.
Notes
-
If the programme/course is starting within five working days, application by post is not recommended to avoid any delays. Applicants are advised to enrol in person at HKU SPACE Enrolment Centres and avoid making cheque payment under this circumstance.
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Fees paid are not refundable except under very exceptional circumstances (e.g. course cancellation due to insufficient enrolment), subject to the School’s discretion. In exceptional cases where a refund is approved, fees paid by cash, EPS, WeChat Pay, Alipay, cheque, FPS or PPS by Internet will be reimbursed by a cheque, and fees paid by credit card will be reimbursed to the credit card account used for payment.
- In addition to the published fees, there may be additional costs associated with individual programmes. Please refer to the relevant course brochures or direct any enquiries to the relevant programme team for details.
- Fees and places on courses cannot be transferrable from one applicant to another. Once accepted onto a course, the student may not change to another course without approval from HKU SPACE. A processing fee of HK$120 will be levied on each approved transfer.
- HKU SPACE will not be responsible for any loss of payment, receipt, or personal information sent by mail.
- For payment certification, please submit a completed form, a sufficiently stamped and self-addressed envelope, and a crossed cheque for HK$30 per copy made payable to “HKU SPACE” to any of our enrolment centres.
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