SCA SENSORY SKILLS

This course is designed to introduce core sensory skills to those with no previous experience. It investigates the way we perceive what we taste and how to apply this knowledge when evaluating coffee’s natural characteristics.

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No prior knowledge is needed before taking this module. A passion for great coffee is essential! 

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Course Overview:

• What sensory assessment is, and the three sensory test methods

• Why sensory assessment matters in coffee

• Human physiology and the senses, and the five basic tastes

• Acidity, bitterness and mouthfeel in coffee

• The Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel and the WCR Sensory Lexicon

• The SCA cupping methodology and the Coffee Value Assessment Protocol, cupping with the SCA Descriptive and Affective Forms

• Core sensory equipment and the cupping room

This Foundation course has no practical exam. Your trainer assesses your practical work in class and completes a CSP Course Skills Report for you, which you keep and which prepares you for the Intermediate course. The course can be delivered in person, by distance learning, or as a combination of both.

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The course fee includes 1 written exam. A retests will be charged as follows:

• Written retest - ฿1,000.00

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We require a minimum number of 2 learners to run each class. If the number of sign-ups does not meet this requirement, learners will be notified and have their class rescheduled to the next available date.

This Intermediate course is broken down into three components: How we taste, perceive and interpret; Running a cupping session and tasting the diversity of coffee; How to set up sensory skills in your business.

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Course Overview:

• Sensory assessment of coffee, and the three sensory test methods

• Sensory physiology, neurology and psychology

• Taste, perceive and interpret

• Difference testing and triangulations

• Cupping practice with the SCA Descriptive and Affective Forms

• Setting up a sensory program and a sensory panel

• In/out tests and analytical tests

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IMPORTANT

• Students who have not previously completed SCA Sensory Skills - Foundation will need to demonstrate knowledge of sensory basics in order to enrol for this Intermediate course.

• It is mandatory to hold certification at the Intermediate level before pursuing the Professional level course, which requires extensive relevant experience.

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The course fee includes 1 written and 1 practical test and both exams will be scheduled another day (1-hour time slots). Any subsequent retests will be charged as follows:

• Written retest - ฿1,000.00

• Practical retest - ฿3,000.00

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We require a minimum number of 2 learners to run each class. If the number of sign-ups does not meet this requirement, learners will be notified and have their class rescheduled to the next available date

The Professional level module prepares you to be a sensory skills leader in a coffee business by raising your tasting skills to a professional level. Students will learn to identify and evaluate qualities in specialty green coffee and accurately measure and describe coffee beverage characteristics through the following learning areas:

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• How we perceive, analyse and interpret

• Master the physiology and sensory attributes: the chain of sensory perception, thresholds and sensitivity

• Bias and error, and how to mitigate them in sensory assessment

• Applying the Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel and the WCR Lexicon

• Assessing attributes in coffee, including the SCA Affective Assessment

• Detecting defects, staling and roasting problems

• Sensory descriptive profiling, and analysing and interpreting the results

• Cupping and the SCA Protocol, including the SCA Descriptive Assessment

• Running a sensory panel: training, performance checks, calibration, and the health and welfare of panel members

• Cultivating a professional sensory facility

• Where to apply sensory: shelf life, consumer testing and new product development

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IMPORTANT

1. It is mandatory to hold certification at the SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate level before pursuing the Professional level course, which requires extensive relevant experience.

2. It is recommended that students have been working for a minimum of two years in a position with exposure to sensory skills before taking this module.

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The course fee includes 1 written and 1 practical test. Any subsequent retests will be charged as follows:

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• Written retest - ฿1,000.00

• Practical retest - ฿5,000.00

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We require a minimum number of 2 learners to run each class. If the number of sign-ups does not meet this requirement, learners will be notified and have their class rescheduled to the next available date

Updated to the SCA Sensory Skills pack (20 Feb 2026)