Coffee Basics Pro

SCA Coffee Skills Program modules

An overview of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Coffee Skills Program (CSP), its structure, and the key modules that support professional coffee careers.

Coffee Basics Nerds avatar
  • Coffee Basics Nerds
  • 2 min read
Article 1 of 12 in Careers, Certifications & Competitions/
SCA Coffee Skills Program modules

What is the Coffee Skills Program (CSP)?

  • A globally recognized certification framework for coffee professionals.
  • Provides structured learning across all areas of the coffee value chain.
  • Designed for baristas, roasters, trainers, producers, and entrepreneurs.

Program Structure

  • Foundation Level: Entry-level, covering key concepts.
  • Intermediate Level: Builds deeper technical skills.
  • Professional Level: Highest level, for leadership and mastery.
  • Students accumulate points toward a Coffee Skills Diploma.

Core Modules

  1. Introduction to Coffee
  • History, origins, and the journey from seed to cup.
  • Overview of coffee’s global value chain.
  1. Barista Skills
  • Espresso preparation, milk steaming, customer service.
  • Workflow, equipment calibration, and café efficiency.
  1. Brewing
  • Manual brewing methods (V60, Chemex, immersion, etc.).
  • Extraction theory, water chemistry, and recipe design.
  1. Green Coffee
  • Coffee botany, farming practices, and processing.
  • Logistics, contracts, and traceability.
  1. Roasting
  • Heat transfer, roast profiling, defect prevention.
  • Practical experience with drum and sample roasting.
  1. Sensory Skills
  • SCA cupping protocol, flavor lexicon, triangulation.
  • Training palate for acidity, sweetness, bitterness, body.

Diploma Framework

  • Students earn points by completing modules at different levels:
  • Foundation: 5 points.
  • Intermediate: 10 points.
  • Professional: 25 points.
  • Total of 100 points required for a Coffee Skills Diploma.

Benefits of the CSP

  • Internationally recognized credential.
  • Standardized framework ensures consistency across trainers and countries.
  • Supports career growth in cafés, roasteries, importing, consulting, and competitions.

Summary

The SCA Coffee Skills Program offers six modules—Introduction, Barista, Brewing, Green Coffee, Roasting, and Sensory—that progress from foundation to professional level. By completing these, coffee professionals gain recognized skills, broaden career opportunities, and deepen expertise across the coffee value chain.

You might also like:

Comment

Disqus comment here

Coffee Basics Nerds

Written by : Coffee Basics Nerds

Expert coffee historians and brewing enthusiasts dedicated to sharing the rich heritage and techniques behind your perfect cup of coffee.

Recommended for You

About Coffee Basics Pro

About Coffee Basics Pro

Learn about Coffee Basics Pro - your comprehensive resource for coffee education, brewing techniques, history, and culture. Join our community of coffee enthusiasts.

Response surface methodology (RSM)

Response surface methodology (RSM)

How Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is applied in coffee research to optimize brewing and roasting by modeling variable interactions.

Third Wave movement and specialty coffee

Third Wave movement and specialty coffee

In this topic we explore the rise of the Third Wave coffee movement, how it redefined coffee as an artisanal product, and the role of specialty coffee in reshaping global consumption, trade, and culture.

Open research questions in coffee science

Open research questions in coffee science

The unresolved questions in coffee science that researchers, baristas, and roasters continue to explore—spanning physics, chemistry, and sensory analysis.