Master Beekeeper Testing#
To become a Master Beekeeper
Individuals should be able to function as a sideline or commercial beekeeper, demonstrate competence in peripheral knowledge areas, such as bee botany, business management, judging bee hive products, bee behavior or other specialty areas, and demonstrate skills in public ambassadorship for the cause of honey bees and beekeeping. Holders of the rank of Master Beekeeper are publicized on our website as a lecturers’ pool and public resource for all matters pertaining to honey bees.
Candidates are encouraged to read Dewey Caron’s Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, Jurgen Tautz’s The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism; Mark Winston’s The Biology of the Honey Bee; J.S. Wilson & O. Messinger Carril’s The Bees in your Backyard and new for testing in 2026, material covered in the Advanced Journeyman/Master Study Guide. Once the study guide is available you will be able to download all the materials from our website www.ent.uga.edu/bees. If you have any questions about the material please contact Jennifer Berry, jbee@uga.edu
Requirements:
Must have three years of beekeeping experience.
Must have held Journeyman rank at least one year.
Must pass a written test and practical documentation.
New for testing 2026 The written exam will include essay questions that will require one’s practical beekeeping experience to answer, along with one’s ability to read and comprehend peer-reviewed scientific articles. A list of 5 articles will be posted prior to the exam. Candidates will be required to read all five. Questions from only one of the five articles will be on the exam.
Complete a total of 10 units of public service work. Five units beyond that required for Journeyman (see public service requirements on our website www.ent.uga.edu/bees). Plus five units from this list of 16 below. Evidence for each must be presented in a portfolio as with the Public Service Credits (see public service requirements on our website www.ent.uga.edu/bees).
Demonstrating theoretic knowledge of Integrated Pest Management, practical competence in its application, and personal commitment to its precepts.
Winning 1st or 2nd place in any class in an authorized honey show (not to exceed 2 subspecialty credits).
Winning 1st or 2nd place in an authorized competition in beeswax.
Publishing article in beekeeping publication (excluding newsletters).
Publishing article in a non-beekeeping publication (with at least state-wide distribution).
Being recognized as a beekeeping authority in your local area by appearing on radio, TV, or other public medium.
Documenting training in life-saving treatment of persons suffering from allergic reactions to insect stings from a recognized certifying entity such as the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
Attending at least three regional (multi-state), national or international beekeeping meetings.
Conducting a program or workshop at a state, regional, national or international meeting or convention.
Demonstrating competence in small-scale queen rearing.
Completing a course on queen artificial insemination.
Acquiring private pesticide applicator’s license.
Documenting legally-licensed honey processing facility.
Participating in a beekeeping research or extension project at an approved institution.
Acquiring other certified bee-related training as approved by Review Board.
Serving two or more years as officer of regional, national or international bee organization (need not be consecutive nor in the same organization).