Complete Beekeeping Short Course — University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension

Category: Learning Also called: UAEX Complete Beekeeping Short Course; UA Extension Online Beekeeping Course; University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture beekeeping short course Last checked: 2026-10-08

What it is

The Complete Beekeeping Short Course is a free, on-demand online beekeeping course published by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service (UAEX). The official “Online Beekeeping Course” page says, “Our popular educational series, the Complete Beekeeping Short Course, is now available for you to watch online — for free!” All lectures are presented by UA Extension apiculture specialist Dr. Jon Zawislak, whom the page describes as an entomologist and an Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS)-certified Master Beekeeper. The course is an introductory video plus 17 numbered parts, each with a printable slide handout, running from hive parts and tools through bee biology, colony management, honey harvest, pests and diseases. It is a self-paced course, not a tested certification, not a county club meeting, and not a hive-equipment shop.

Who it’s for

People thinking about keeping bees and new beekeepers with no prior experience. The Beekeeper Education page says the course “covers everything you need to know to get started, with no prior experience required,” and that it “can be a great refresher course for experienced beekeepers.” The lectures are online, so anyone can watch, though the program sits within Arkansas Extension and points viewers to Arkansas beekeeping clubs. The page prints no fee, registration step, exam or certificate. It does not replace a local club, a mentor, or buying woodenware.

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party Learning program. The official page prints the full curriculum by part, links each lecture and its handout, names the instructor, and offers a combined slide deck. It is curriculum-first, not a blog and not an affiliate landing page.

• Curriculum (Online Beekeeping Course page — checked 2026-10-08): an introductory video, “Is Beekeeping Right for You?”, then Part 1 Intro to Honey Bees & Beekeeping; Part 2 The Bee Hive; Part 3 Essential Beekeeping Tools; Part 4 Honey Bee Biology; Part 5 Considerations for Placing Bee Colonies; Part 6 Starting New Bee Colonies; Part 7 First Year Bee Colony Management; Part 8 Second Year Bee Colony Management; Part 9 Harvesting Your Honey; Part 10 Keeping Hives Healthy; Part 11 Managing Parasitic Mites; Part 12 Managing Small Hive Beetles; Part 13 Managing Wax Moths; Part 14 Minor Bee Hive Pests; Part 15 Integrated Pest Management; Part 16 Honey Bee Diseases; Part 17 Final Thoughts on Honey Bees.
• Scope (same page): the series covers “the structure and function of each component of a modern bee hive, the basic tools and equipment needed, and how to choose the right protective clothing,” basic honey bee biology and behavior, seasonal colony management, “laws and regulations,” the basics of honey production and harvesting, and honey bee health, including diseases, parasites and hive pests. The page says each section builds on earlier material.
• Format & materials (same page — checked 2026-10-08): the lectures are videos on the Arkansas Division of Agriculture YouTube channel, linked part by part. The page offers a printable slide handout for each of Parts 1–17 plus an “All parts” PDF of the full slide deck (58 pages). Cost: free.
• Companion audio (Beekeeping Basics Podcasts page — checked 2026-10-08): a five-part audio series with downloadable written transcripts: Introduction to the Honey Bee, Introduction to the Bee Hive, Introduction to Beekeeping Tools, Introduction to Honey Bee Biology & Behaviors, and Introduction to Honey Bee Communication.
• Instructor & contact (course pages + UADA personnel directory — checked 2026-10-08): Dr. Jon Zawislak, Assistant Professor of Apiculture & Urban Entomology, phone 501-671-2222, email [email protected]. Office: University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, 2601 N. Young Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72704 (the personnel directory prints ZIP 72701).
• Related free resources (Beekeeper Education and Beekeeping in Arkansas pages — checked 2026-10-08): a month-by-month Arkansas Beekeeping Calendar for bees and beekeepers, beekeeping publications, and a pointer to the Arkansas Beekeepers Association’s list of local clubs. The Beekeeper Education page also lists other online options, including Penn State Extension Beekeeping 101, the UF/IFAS online Master Beekeeper program, Cornell Master Beekeeping and the University of Montana courses.

Course content and links above are what the official pages showed on the check date. Programs change. Use the live UAEX pages before treating any detail as fixed.

Official URL

Program page: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/beekeepingshortcourse.aspx

Beekeeper Education (classes & events): https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/beeclasses.aspx

Beekeeping in Arkansas (UAEX home for bees): https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/default.aspx

Beekeeping Basics podcasts: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/BeekeepingBasics.aspx

Arkansas Beekeeping Calendar: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/calendar.aspx

All-parts slide handout (PDF): https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/documents/UADA%20BeeShortCourse_slideshow-all.pdf

Part 1 handout (PDF): https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/documents/UADA%20BeeCourse_Lesson_01.pdf

Part 1 lecture video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo4Vs59ndNU

Instructor directory entry: https://personnel.uada.edu/detail/1011998/

Location

Online and self-paced. The course is produced by UA Extension’s apiculture program, whose office is at 2601 N. Young Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72704 (personnel directory: 72701). The Cooperative Extension Service state office is at 2301 S. University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204 (phone 501-671-2000). No in-person class session is required.

This is a Learning / online course identity, not a Local club hall and not an Equipment retail counter.

Notes

• Category is Learning. The Complete Beekeeping Short Course is a curriculum-first university Extension course with a published part-by-part syllabus and handouts. It is not Equipment and not Local clubs. It is the first Arkansas listing in the directory. It is separate from the already-listed Learning entries (Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, California, UF/IFAS, Montana, Cornell, WASBA, Great Plains, West Virginia Master programs; Penn State 101/102, UMN, Rutgers, UW–Madison, Purdue, CSU Extension). The UAEX page links to some of those as “other options.”
• Unlike the Master Beekeeper programs already listed, this course has no exam, levels or certificate on its official pages. It is listed for its free, structured beginner curriculum.
• Dates: the course page prints no publication or update date. The linked lecture videos were published on the Arkansas Division of Agriculture YouTube channel in July–September 2022, and the combined slide PDF’s file metadata shows it was last modified in June 2023. The course page and every cited link returned HTTP 200 on 2026-10-08. The page’s “Watch the YouTube Playlist” button had no link on the check date; the individual part links work.
• The curriculum titles, scope description, instructor details and office addresses are copied from official uaex.uada.edu and personnel.uada.edu pages checked on 2026-10-08 and may change. The podcast audio files are hosted on a UADA SharePoint account; only the page and its transcript links were checked.
• First-party image saved beside this listing as arkansas-complete-beekeeping-short-course.jpg (the course page’s og:image, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Research & Extension logo UA-Facebook.jpg, unedited 200×200).
• Not affiliated with Beekeeping Plaza.
• No Beekeeping Plaza contact, purchase, booking, or publication action was taken.

FAQ

Q: How much does the Complete Beekeeping Short Course cost?
A: Nothing. The official UAEX page (checked 2026-10-08) says the series is available to watch online “for free.” It prints no registration step or fee. Confirm at https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/beekeepingshortcourse.aspx.

Q: Who teaches it?
A: All lectures are presented by Dr. Jon Zawislak, UA Extension apiculture specialist, an entomologist and EAS-certified Master Beekeeper. His listed contact is 501-671-2222 or [email protected], at the UA Extension office at 2601 N. Young Ave., Fayetteville, AR.

Q: What does it cover, and how is it organized?
A: An introductory “Is Beekeeping Right for You?” video, then 17 parts: honey bees and the hive, tools, biology, colony placement, starting colonies, first- and second-year management, honey harvest, hive health, mites, small hive beetles, wax moths, minor pests, integrated pest management, diseases, and final thoughts. Each part has a printable slide handout, and a 58-page all-parts PDF is also offered.

Q: Do I get a certificate?
A: No certificate, exam or level is described on the official pages. For tested certification pathways, see the Master Beekeeper programs under Learning (e.g. the West Virginia Master Beekeeper Program).

Q: Is this a local club or an equipment shop?
A: No. It is listed here as Learning, a free online course from University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension. For hive gear, see the Equipment listings (e.g. Vermont Beekeeping Supply). For monthly club meetings, see Local clubs (e.g. Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association).