Beekeeping Certificate Program

Bees are a critical pillar of our way of life. Without them, we’d lose vital ecosystem pollination, including up to 1/3^rd of all our food crops – not to mention delicious honey! They are also remarkable creatures who have fascinated humanity around the world for thousands of years, and continue to delight and inspire us today.

As a beekeeper, you have an opportunity to learn from and grow with bees as you help them survive and thrive while pollinating your environment and creating invaluable products such as honey and wax. Beekeeping can be a fantastic hobby, side gig, or full-time career.

UM’s Beekeeping Program is one of the world’s most cutting-edge and comprehensive academic apiculture programs, with much to learn for novice and expert beekeepers alike. Learn more about our program, our master-class instructors, and possible course paths. Not convinced? Check out our industry-leading endorsements and testimonials.

No prior experience is required to take the Apprentice course; however, you will get the most out of the program if you have some experience handling bees, an appreciation of the contribution bees provide to our food crops, and a commitment to honey bee vitality. Additionally, you should meet the following basic requirements:

• Able to read, study, and write at the college level
• Be 16 years of age or older
• Have an interest in the science of beekeeping
• Able to allocate enough time for coursework (see below for more details)
• Able to acquire necessary textbooks and supplies (see below for more details)
• Have an open mind and interest in joining a community of informed beekeepers

Other requirements will vary by course and are listed on their respective pages.

No! All of our Master Beekeeping Pathway, Commercial Series, and Natural Beekeeping courses are offered fully online, and beekeepers have successfully completed our program from all over the world. The only exception is, of course, our in-person Field Days which all take place in Missoula, Montana (you must provide your own transportation and lodging).

We stand by the adage that “all beekeeping is local,” so some details of our instruction is tailored to this region; we will tell you what these details are and encourage you to learn about the particular ecologies, economies, and laws in your area.

All of our online courses are open for fixed dates, with new lectures and coursework due each week. You can find the times that work best for you each week to complete the coursework, but you must meet all of the deadlines outlined in the syllabus. Please remember that we offer academic courses that will require several hours of work each week; if you are not able to dedicate the required time and effort, you may fail a course.

That depends on your goals and interests. Our Master Beekeeping Pathway is suitable for all beekeepers and is the only way to join our Master Beekeepers Directory, while our other courses may be relevant to particular specialties. We believe that the best beekeepers are well-rounded and should see the bigger picture of bee biology, ecology, and agriculture. Check each course page for particular prerequisites or view our Course Paths page to get inspired.

Some courses are offered several times annually; others may only be offered once per year. The dates, length, and courseload for each course will vary, but you can find general timelines and workloads for each program on their respective pages.

Each course will have specific required readings, including textbooks you must purchase on your own. Additionally, the Journeyman and Master courses require you to have a beehive to gain experience and submit assignments; it is recommended that you successfully overwinter a colony before attempting the Journeyman level. On top of all the equipment you need to keep bees, these courses require a microscope.

Online courses require regular access to an internet-connected computer capable of meeting the system requirements for Canvas, the University of Montana’s browser-based online learning system.

Our program engages with even the most advanced beekeepers, as we are apprised of the latest developments in bee research and offer a variety of courses for many skill levels and focus areas. These are academic courses which will put your knowledge of bee biology to the test; having kept bees is not a guarantee that you will pass our courses.

If you are confident in your understanding of bee biology and behavior, as well as the fundamentals of apiculture, you may take a Test Out to prove your knowledge and advance to the Journeyman level. There is an additional fee assessed to take the test; however, if you fail, that fee may be applied as a discount on your registration for the Apprentice course.

The Apprentice course is open to everyone, including those who have never kept bees. However, the Journeyman and Master courses require you to have a beehive to gain experience and submit assignments, and our other courses may have similar requirements.

Our instruction focuses only on Langstroth hives – top bar and alternative hive designs are not used in this program.

Yes, you can pay an additional credit registration fee to receive Biology credits for some courses through the University of Montana Extended Credit model:

UM will provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. To request an accommodation, students should contact ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu or call (406) 243-4444.

You can find direct links to register on each of our course pages. You must complete the account creation and registration process, including payment, before you are officially registered for the course. Courses are limited to a maximum enrollment with registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a course is full, students will be added to a waitlist and notified if an opening becomes available.

You may register for a course with open seats up to the start of the course. Because our courses have weekly deadlines, you will most likely not be able to join the course more than a few days after it has started.

We are proud to collaborate with Hives for Heroes to offer a Bee U Scholarship for military members, veterans, and first responders. At this time, no other scholarships are available. Under the Extended Credit model, Beekeeping courses are not eligible for University of Montana financial aid.

Beekeeping courses are dependent upon a minimum number of registered students to run. If the minimum enrollment is not met, the course will be cancelled and registrants fully refunded.

Full payment is required at the time of registration. If your payment is not received one week before the course start date, you will be dropped from the course. If you have issues or questions about payment, reach out to ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu.

Registration cannot be cancelled automatically – you must reach out to ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu or call (406) 243-4444 to request a cancellation and refund.

Refunds are generally not provided for cancellations received after a course begins. Please note the University of Montana requires a "Substitute W-9 Form" in order to process refunds for payments made by check. The "Substitute W-9" form requires the student’s Social Security Number.

Shortly after you successfully register for a course, you will receive a confirmation email that includes instructions on how to log into Canvas. Note that your particular course’s Canvas page will only open shortly before the course starts, so if you’re registering early, just sit tight.

If you still don’t have access to your course’s Canvas page on the first day of classes, please reach out to ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu.

Don’t panic – reach out to ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu and we will help you out!

Check the syllabus for details on all your assignments - due to time zone differences and glitches, automatic deadlines in Canvas may not be accurate.

You should receive confirmation of your final grade within 1-2 weeks of the conclusion of the course. If you have any questions, email ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu.

For the Apprentice Beekeeping course, you must receive an 80% or greater to pass. For all other courses, you must receive a 70% or greater to pass.

If you passed the course, you will be emailed a digital certificate of completion. For the Apprentice and Journeyman courses, you will also be physically mailed a sticker for the corresponding level. For the Master course, you will also be physically mailed a printed certificate of completion, a sticker, and a patch.

No.

Don’t despair – many of our students will try again and go on to pass their courses. Some will even go back and retake courses they’ve passed to sharpen their skills and understanding. You’re in good company!

No worries, just drop us a line at ExtendedLearningSupport@umontana.edu.