Explore Course Paths
The UM Beekeeping Program has offerings for beekeepers of every skill level and area of interest. Our core Master Beekeeping Pathway program is designed to provide fundamental knowledge and skills for new, hobbyist, and sideliner beekeepers, while the Responsible Natural Beekeeping course offers a unique way to keep bees while closely emulating how they live in nature. Our Commercial Series is tailored for aspiring professionals seeking to enter the commercial beekeeping industry, as well as hobbyists aiming to transform their passion into a thriving business.
Follow Your Beeline
You can take our courses in rapid succession, or space them out to put what you learn into practice and maximize your skills. After completing the Apprentice Level Beekeeping course, a wide range of options becomes available to you. See below for just a few examples of potential course paths and possible outcomes:
Master Beekeeper
Apprentice → Journeyman → Master
Follow our core pathway to gain the skills and knowledge you need to be a well-rounded generalist beekeeper. Successfully completing the Master course will earn you a spot in our Master Beekeepers Directory.
Local Honey Producer
Apprentice → Commercial Honey, Wax, and Pollen Production
Supercharge your bee business with the latest expertise in commercial operations. This course path will take you from frame to market, with invaluable insights on maximizing yields, assuring food safety, and optimizing profits.
Bee Ecologist
Apprentice → Responsible Natural Beekeeping
Bees aren’t just honey machines – they are remarkable creatures and a vital element of their ecosystems. On this path, you will become an expert in the natural life patterns of bees, and learn to care for them with minimal human intervention so they can focus on what they do best: bringing life, vibrancy, and beauty to their surroundings.
Commercial Queen Breeder
Apprentice → Journeyman → Commercial Queen Rearing and Package Production → Summer Field Days: Small Scale Queen Breeding
Completing this special course path will set you up for success in a vital and in-demand niche: raising queens and bee packages for sale. If you’re able, you can cap your queen rearing experience at our apiary by attending one of our field day programs!