inline-defaultCreated with Sketch.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.

Students
Tuition Fee
USD 23,231
Per year
Start Date
Medium of studying
On campus
Duration
24 months
Program Facts
Program Details
Degree
Foundation
Major
Hospitality and Catering | Hospitality Management | Tourism Management
Area of study
Services
Education type
On campus
Timing
Full time
Course Language
English
Tuition Fee
Average International Tuition Fee
USD 23,231
Intakes
Program start dateApplication deadline
2023-10-06-
2024-01-15-
About Program

Program Overview


A world of opportunities is waiting for you. Graduates of this programme could go onto careers in the UK or overseas in hotels, restaurants, spas, cruise ships, airlines, events and visitor attractions. The course includes an integrated work experience placement in Wivenhoe House , a 4* country house hotel on Essex’s Colchester campus. With a student experience unlike any other, it may come as no surprise that the Edge Hotel School is ranked 4th for student satisfaction and 7th in the UK for Tourism, Transport and Travel (Complete University Guide, 2023). After completing the FdA you will have the opportunity, subject to satisfactory performance, to continue with your studies and finish with a BA degree. This course is not suitable if you need a Student Visa to study in the UK. At Essex you will gain the knowledge and industry connections to launch your career in hospitality management. You will develop your hospitality skills and business management understanding to open up a world of opportunities in this growing industry. You will study topics including:
  • Change management and hospitality business innovation
  • Gastronomy and food trends
  • Finance and macro-economics
  • Event planning and venue management
  • Human resources management
  • Digital marketing
The Edge Hotel School experience is unlike any other student experience. Not only will you graduate from a well-renowned university - you will develop your industry knowledge and professional skills by gaining valuable experience in a fully commercial 4* hotel alongside your studies. You will gain experience in the different departments of the hotel such as the kitchen, front office, restaurant, housekeeping and events department. These shifts may involve some late finishes on occasion, as well as weekend work, so that you get to see all aspects of what the hotel offers: including restaurant meals, afternoon tea, weddings, meetings, tribute acts, baby showers, conferences and more. Why we're great.
  • We're 7th in the UK for hospitality (The Guardian University Guide 2022)
  • Edge Hotel School graduates go onto careers all over the world
  • You will gain experience alongside your studies in a real 4* hotel to boost your employability

Our expert staff

Our staff includes lecturers with both professional as well as academic backgrounds to ensure you are taught by people with industry-relevant experience themselves. Among our academic staff are published authors including a former hotel General Manager, a Food and Beverage Manager for award-winning cruise lines, an organiser of the BRIT Awards and London Fashion Week and a Dr. (PhD) with international research experience.

Specialist facilities

  • Wivenhoe House, where you will gain experience, is a 40-bedroom country house hotel on the university campus with a brasserie restaurant and a busy conference and events function that hosts over 300 events and 50 weddings annually. If for any reason the hotel is subject to closures during rotations, we have developed a comprehensive platform of online skills and experience workshops to replicate the practical experience offer as closely as possible.
  • The Edge Hotel School has connections with a range of organisations across the hospitality and events industries – throughout your studies you can expect guest lectures, masterclasses and an annual careers fair to help further your career prospects. Supporters of the Edge Hotel School include:
    • Apex Hotels
    • The Arora Group
    • BaxterStorey
    • Claridges
    • Dorchester Collection
    • Edge Foundation
    • EDITION Hotels
    • Exclusive Hotels and Venues
    • Georgian House Hotel
    • Hand Picked Hotels
    • The Landmark London
    • Levy UK and Ireland
    • Master Innholders
    • Moet Hennessey
    • Milsoms Hotels and Restaurants
    • Oakman Inns
    • Royal Lancaster London
    • the Savoy Educational Trust
    • Sbe
    • St Julians Scholars
  • The Edge Hotel Society hosts student-organised events including industry speakers, student social events and an annual ball.
  • As an Edge Hotel School student you will be issued with a uniform to wear for your shifts in Wivenhoe House and when representing the School externally. You will just need to provide your own white shirts and black shoes.

Your future

The skills you will gain throughout your Hospitality Management degree will be transferrable to a range of working environments within the hospitality industry including hotels, restaurants, resorts and event management. There are opportunities throughout the course to meet hotel general managers and recruitment managers to further your professional network. Graduates of this programme can go onto careers, in the UK or internationally, in areas such as:
  • Resorts
  • Hotels
  • Restaurants
  • Marketing and sales
  • Events or festival management
  • Cruise ships
  • Airlines
"During my time at Edge Hotel School I took part in a variety of conferences and networking events which played a huge part in allowing me to explore and identify the aspects of the industry I favoured as well as networking with professionals. The practical aspect of my hands on experience at Wivenhoe House also meant that I gained a better understanding of the industry and how all the departments work in reality to accompany my theory." Ellie Steele, 2018 graduate, now Sales and Marketing Manager at Georgian House Hotel, London

Program Outline

Course structure

Below is an example of a module list from the current academic year. Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore all modules listed are subject to change. To view the full list of modules currently on offer, please view the programme specification via the link below. We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.


Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose. Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.
Status What this means
Core You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.


Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits. In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available. Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code . For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:
HR 100 4 FY
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History. The module number. The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification. The term the module will be taught in.
  • AU : Autumn term
  • SP : Spring term
  • SU : Summer term
  • FY : Full year
  • AP : Autumn and Spring terms
  • PS: Spring and Summer terms
  • AS: Autumn and Summer terms
Year 1 Final Year This module introduces you to the regulatory frameworks for corporate bodies in the UK and sets the key financial documents into context (such as profit and loss, cash flow and balance sheets). Financial ratios and comparative measures are described and analysed in the context of micro-economics both internally and industry wide. View Finance for Hospitality Business on our Module Directory This module will enable you to analyse the macro, micro and internal business environments in which international hospitality and events businesses operate. A comprehensive understanding of the environments that an organisation operates in will enable you to interpret situations and allow you to make decisions that add value for stakeholders. The focus of the module is on the external and internal influences on organisations and the effect these have on business practices and internal aspects of organisational life. Contemporary business issues will be studied as they arise. View The Hospitality Business Environment on our Module Directory This module will introduce you to the importance and centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within hospitality and event businesses. You will understand the different types of customer and factors that will influence their behaviour and expectations. The module will identify the components of effective customer relationships enabling you to develop the knowledge required to effectively deliver customer excellence. View Marketing and Customer Behaviour on our Module Directory The module aims to develop your understanding of gastronomy as well as current trends in food and beverage and how culture, societal expectations and consumer demands influence the food and beverage offerings of events, restaurants, hotels and other food establishments. It will provide you with an understanding and insight into food and beverage commodities, how they are created and used as well as the processes used in the sourcing, purchasing, production and service of food and beverage within the events and hospitality industry. View Food and Beverage Management on our Module Directory This module will introduce you to the concept and importance of the centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within a hotel business. The module will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on and take part in delivering customer excellence within the various functions of the hotel operation. View Delivering Hotel Operations and the Customer Experience 1 on our Module Directory This module will enable you to acquire the understanding and knowledge of the operational characteristics of a high quality hotel business enabling the business to achieve its objectives. You will understand and use basic KPIs and costing skills and utilise relevant technology to enhance business performance. View Hospitality Operations on our Module Directory This module will introduce you to Conference and Events, which is a major supporting revenue stream for venue space hire, food and beverage sales, and accommodation demand within a hotel. The module will provide you with an understanding of the planning, organisation, delivery and evaluation of events, including taking a client brief, conducting a venue show-round, administration procedures, budgeting and risk management. View Conference and Events on our Module Directory This module will equip you with a range of management and leadership skills to support your career development in the hospitality and event industries. You will identify how reflective practice enhances the effectiveness of managers, and assess your own skills set, identifying areas for development. You will show appreciation of the types of management skills that are transferable from academia to the work of hospitality and event managers, building on from the skills outlined within the Continual Professional Development module studied at level 5, for example team working, delegation and self-management. View Management and Leadership on our Module Directory In this module you will explore the subject of business ethics and the related concept of corporate social responsibility. The module assesses the business need for ethical practice, and examines the strategies through which ethical practices can become embedded. Furthermore Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a key concept in business operations and organizational management in recent years. The module will examine the background of CSR, its current applications, challenges, limitations as well as the different forms it can take such as HR policy and codes of conduct, legislation, and administration. View Sustainability in Hospitality on our Module Directory This module will develop your understanding of the underlying themes and forces acting on an organisation relating to its digital business, and in particular e-marketing. This is an evolving and growing aspect of modern marketing and you will research different strategies used throughout all industries to gain customers and improve brand recognition. You will learn about revenue management and the use of data to inform decision makers when maximising revenue in hospitality and events. View Digital Marketing and Revenue Management on our Module Directory The purpose of this module is for you to consolidate your professional and personal learning and to focus on the development of techniques and strategies for self-management of your continuous professional development. You will develop critical self-reflection skills as well as provide an understanding of the role and relevance of research for managers in decision making. The module will also provide opportunity to develop a range of skills to prepare you for career advancement and employment opportunities. View Continual Professional Development on our Module Directory This module continues your development from the level 4 Hospitality Operations by providing you with the opportunity to develop the knowledge of supervising teams as well as aspects of operational management. You will develop further the knowledge and application required for the successful planning and organising of your team for the delivery of products and services to customers in all aspects of hotel management operations. You will understand the value of data to inform managers on trends, performance and analysis. You will review the use of technology applied to the running of a hospitality business. View Hospitality Supervision, Data and Technology on our Module Directory This module will enable you to analyse current contemporary issues that impact on management, staff, operations and customers within the international hospitality industry. Contemporary management practice will be studied within changing organisational, consumer and environmental contexts to enhance your understanding of factors that impact on competitive positioning within the industry. View Contemporary Issues in the International Hospitality Industry on our Module Directory This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills gained in Hotel Operations and Customer Experience by providing you, within a supervisory capacity, the opportunity to develop the skills required to deliver customer excellence. You will develop a greater understanding of the tangible and intangible components of the customer experience and reflect on how the components need to be in place operationally to exceed customer expectations. View Delivering Hospitality Operations and the Customer Experience 2 on our Module Directory


Teaching

  • Each year of the FdA consists of up to 21 weeks of teaching, 8 weeks gaining experience in the hotel and 2 weeks self-study, in addition to your holidays.
  • During a teaching week you would spend around 9 hours in lectures, or smaller seminars.
  • During a hotel week you would spend 4 or 5 days on shift, Monday – Sunday, gaining experience and applying the academic theory from your lectures.
  • Hospitality Management students gain experience throughout the course in the following departments: front of house, kitchen and restaurant, housekeeping, and conference and events.
  • Term dates for this programme may differ from the standard termly timetable. Please contact the department's professional services team for specific term date information on


    Assessment

    Your Hospitality Management degree has been designed to provide a mix of assessment approaches, including:
    • Essays
    • Exams
    • Posters
    • Presentations
    • Reflective statements
    • Reports
    • The Professional Performance Assessment (PPA) which takes the form of an interview is used throughout our courses to allow you to reflect, practise and improve your interview skills before embarking on interviews for your first graduate role.
    • The Professional Code of Conduct is an important part of your assessment. It focuses on areas that are important for future managers such as attendance, punctuality and team working. The Professional Code of Conduct is available in your Student Handbook.
SHOW MORE
Admission Requirements

UK entry requirements

GCSE: English Language C/4 and Maths C/4, or equivalent.
We can consider OFQUAL regulated Level 2 Functional Skills in Numeracy as equivalent to GCSE Maths C/4.
We are able to consider a range of equivalent English language qualifications, including OFQUAL regulated level 2 Functional Skills, Key Skills level 2, literacy units taken as part of the Access to HE Diploma, or a demonstration of the use of English through essay-based subjects at either GCSE or A-level equivalent.
Contact Undergraduate Admissions for further details.
UCAS tariff: 64 points to include one full A-level or the equivalent A-levels: CC BTEC: MPP IB: 24 points or three Higher Level certificates with 333.
Location
Video
How can I help you today?