Tennessee Master Beekeeping Program (UT Extension)

Category: Learning Also called: TN Master Beekeeping Program; TN MBP; UT Master Beekeeping; University of Tennessee Master Beekeeper classes; UTIA Entomology & Plant Pathology apiculture program; epp.tennessee.edu/masterbee Last checked: 2026-09-28

What it is

The Tennessee Master Beekeeping Program (TN MBP) is a first-party University of Tennessee beekeeping education program run through the UT Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and UT Extension. Its official page (epp.tennessee.edu/masterbee) describes it as “a school for all beekeepers, regardless of operation size or experience level,” whose goal “is to improve the knowledge of TN beekeepers about beekeeping,” and says the program “is dedicated to beekeepers in Tennessee.” Classes are coordinated by the State Apiculturist (Jennifer Tsuruda) and the State Apiarist (Mike Studer) and “put on in cooperation with county Extension offices.” The program has two tiers: a two-day Basic class offered in counties across the state, and Advanced classes (the 2026 topic was Queen Rearing) for Basic certificate holders. It is not a county club and not a hive-equipment retail shop.

Who it’s for

Tennessee beekeepers, and would-be beekeepers who do not yet have bees, aged 18 and over who want an in-person, hands-on, fee-printed university Extension class. It suits people who can commit to two full days (8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) and who may want the certificate to count toward the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s TAEP cost-share program. Printed tuition is $125 per two-day class, lunches included. The Basic class has no prerequisites. Advanced Queen Rearing requires a Basic TN MBP certificate from 2025 or earlier, and the program prefers 5–10 years of experience. Younger youth are pointed to their county’s 4-H Entomology & Beekeeping program. Not a substitute for a local club meeting or for buying woodenware.

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party Learning program with printed dollar tuition, class-size limits, attendance and assessment rules for certification, a dated 2026 county-by-county Basic schedule and Advanced dates, named state coordinators, and a UTIA campus contact block. It is curriculum- and fee-first, not a blog and not an affiliate landing page.

• Class format & rules (TN Master Beekeeping Program page, checked 2026-09-28): all TN MBP classes are in person only and include hands-on activities. Each runs two days, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. To receive a certificate you must attend in full (no arriving late or leaving early) and complete the pre- and post-class assessments. Tuition is $125 (includes lunches). Registration is online only (“NO WALK-IN REGISTRATION ACCEPTED”), and registrations are non-transferrable and non-refundable. Classes count for TDA’s Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP). Basic classes are capped at 35 and may be cancelled if fewer than 15 register. The coordinator keeps a limited supply of loaner protective gear for the apiary session.
• 2026 Basic class schedule (same page): Cumberland County, May 21–22 (Thu–Fri); Madison County, June 4–5 (Thu–Fri); Loudon County, June 8–9 (Mon–Tue); Lawrence County, June 22–23 (Mon–Tue); Putnam County, June 25–26 (Thu–Fri); Williamson County, July 7–8 (Tue–Wed); Claiborne County, July 23–24 (Thu–Fri); Lincoln County, July 30–31 (Thu–Fri); Greene County, August 27–28 (Thu–Fri). Official note: “All classes have met the minimum registration requirement and are a go!” 2026 Advanced (Queen Rearing): Knox County, May 18–19, 2026 and Davidson County, June 15–16, 2026 (both Mon–Tue). Every dated 2026 session had already taken place by the check date. The page directs people to an Interest Form for future planning and cancellation openings.
• Related first-party resources (Apiculture Assistance + Other Apiculture Resources pages, checked 2026-09-28): UTIA handles education (for example, the Master Beekeeping Program), outreach, and research. TDA handles apiary inspections, the mandatory hive registry, hive-movement permits, and TAEP. The TAEP honey bee cost-share (Application B, Producer Diversification) is for Tennessee beekeepers with at least five years of experience and 15 or more hives, and applications are accepted October 1–7. UT Apiculture also co-hosts a free online At Home Beekeeping Webinar series, which the page says does not qualify for TAEP. Campus footer: The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, 2621 Morgan Circle, Knoxville, TN 37996. The department line is (865) 974-7135, [email protected]. For local questions, the program says to contact your county Extension agent.

Fees, class dates, caps, prerequisites, and the TAEP window above are what the official pages showed on the check date. The 2027 schedule had not been posted. Use the live UT page before treating any figure or seat as available.

Official URL

TN Master Beekeeping Program (classes, fees, 2026 schedule): https://epp.tennessee.edu/masterbee/

UT and TDA Apiculture Assistance (TAEP, agency roles): https://epp.tennessee.edu/ut-and-tda-apiculture-assistance/

Other Apiculture Resources (At Home Beekeeping Webinar): https://epp.tennessee.edu/other-apiculture-resources/

Entomology and Plant Pathology – Extension and Outreach: https://epp.tennessee.edu/extension-and-outreach/

UT Extension county office locator: https://utextension.tennessee.edu/office-locations-departments-centers/

Location

In person at host county Extension sites across Tennessee. The 2026 Basic classes met in Cumberland, Madison, Loudon, Lawrence, Putnam, Williamson, Claiborne, Lincoln, and Greene counties, and the Advanced Queen Rearing classes met in Knox and Davidson counties. The official page lists counties, not street addresses. Program home: UT Institute of Agriculture, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 2621 Morgan Circle, Knoxville, TN 37996; (865) 974-7135; [email protected].

This is a Learning / university Extension class address, not a Local club hall and not an Equipment retail counter.

Notes

• Category is Learning. This is a curriculum- and fee-first UT Extension certificate class program (Basic $125; Advanced Queen Rearing $125). It is not Equipment and not Local clubs. It is distinct from the Learning programs already listed (Montana, Cornell, UF IFAS, Penn State, Oregon, Texas, CSU Extension, Purdue, California/UC Davis): a different state, a different university, and its own fee schedule. Unlike multi-exam “Master Beekeeper” ladders, TN MBP awards its certificate for full attendance plus pre- and post-class assessments in a two-day class.
• The $125 tuition, 35-seat cap and 15-person minimum, age-18 rule, the nine 2026 Basic county dates, the Knox (May 18–19) and Davidson (June 15–16) Advanced dates, the 2025-or-earlier Basic prerequisite and 5–10 years’ experience preference, the non-refundable registration rule, TAEP eligibility and the Oct 1–7 window, and the Tsuruda / Studer coordinator names are transcribed from official epp.tennessee.edu pages checked on 2026-09-28 and may change. The page’s registration buttons go through UT short links (tiny.utk.edu). They were not used, and no registration was attempted.
• First-party program hero image saved beside this listing as tennessee-master-beekeeping.png (the “Tennessee Master Beekeeping Program” UT Extension hive sign photo, converted to PNG from the official page asset MBP-Sign-1024x768.jpg on epp.tennessee.edu, with no other edits).
• Not affiliated with Beekeeping Plaza.
• No Beekeeping Plaza contact, purchase, booking, or publication action was taken.

FAQ

Q: What does the Tennessee Master Beekeeping class cost, and how long is it?
A: Official program page (checked 2026-09-28): each TN MBP class is two days, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., in person with hands-on work, and costs $125 including lunches. Registration is online only, with no walk-ins, and is non-transferrable and non-refundable. You must attend both full days and complete the pre- and post-class assessments to earn the certificate. Confirm the live page before paying.

Q: Who can take it, and when are classes held?
A: The Basic class has no prerequisites (you don’t need bees yet), is for ages 18 and up, and is capped at 35. The 2026 Basic classes ran May 21 to Aug 28 across nine counties, and Advanced Queen Rearing ran May 18–19 (Knox) and June 15–16 (Davidson) for 2025-or-earlier Basic certificate holders. All 2026 sessions had taken place by the check date. Use the Interest Form on https://epp.tennessee.edu/masterbee/ for future classes.

Q: Is this a local bee club or a supply shop?
A: No. This listing is Learning: the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Extension beekeeping class program. For a county or regional meeting club see Local clubs (e.g. Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association, Cabarrus County Beekeepers). For hive and gear retail see Equipment (e.g. Beeline Woodenware, Blue Sky Bee Supply).