Program Overview
Dream of working in a 5* hotel in London? Or maybe on a Caribbean resort? From weddings and conferences to restaurants and catering – our Hotel Management degree can take you all over the world.
The two-year accelerated Hotel Management degree is a one of a kind course in the UK. The course combines hotel experience in
Wivenhoe House
, a 4* country house hotel on Essex’s Colchester campus, with industry-relevant business management lectures to prepare you to become a successful manager.
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).
The BA Hotel Management is only available to students who do not require a VISA to study in the UK. Our three-year
BA Hospitality Management
has very similar course content, but is structured differently to allow applications from student of any fee status or VISA requirement.
With around 45 weeks of study per year and up to six weeks of annual holiday you will be able to fast-track your degree and start your career sooner. You will study topics including:
-
Customer experience and culture
-
Gastronomy and food trends
-
Finance management
-
Human resources management
-
Marketing and sales
-
Entrepreneurship and business strategy
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.
Professional accreditation
Accredited by the Institute of Hospitality that academic, vocational and professional standards achieved are appropriate and programme content and delivery meet international Institute of Hospitality benchmark standards.
Accredited by the Institute of Hospitality that academic, vocational and professional standards achieved are appropriate and programme content and delivery meet international Institute of Hospitality benchmark standards.
Why we're great.
-
The first hotel school of its kind in the UK offering experience in a fully-commercial 4* hotel.
-
Accelerated, two-year degree allows you to kick start your career sooner.
-
Outstanding preparation for employment through an innovative combination of professional experience and academic learning
Our expert staff
Our team includes lecturers with professional as well as academic backgrounds to ensure that you are taught by people with strong, industry-relevant experience. Among our academic staff we have 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
and many others.
-
The Edge Hotel Society
hosts student-organised events including industry speakers, 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 Hotel Management degree will be transferable 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 the Hotel Management programme have gone onto careers in:
-
Hotel management
-
Food and beverage management
-
Housekeeping
-
Guest experience
-
Interior design
-
Marketing and sales
-
Restaurant management
-
Events management
-
Airlines and airport operations
“The two-year degree has been great. I’ve been able to start earning money before my friends and it’s prepared me for working life.”
Toby, BA (Hons) Hotel Management (2018) now Deputy General Manager with BaxterStorey
Program Outline
Course structure
Below is just a example of modules 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 a full list of modules with more in depth information, please view the programme specification via the link below.
Please note the two-year accelerated degree course is divided into 8-month levels (Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6) instead of years. Due to the accelerated nature of our two-year degrees the modules have broader titles as your learning experience is fully integrated with your work experience in the hotel. Throughout the course you will cover industry relevant topics such as marketing, finance, human resources, entrepreneurship and business strategy.
See full list of modules
Level 4 (8 months)
-
Industry Context 1
-
Hotel Operations 1
-
Delivering Hotel Operations 1
-
The Customer Experience 1
-
Delivering the Customer Experience 1
-
Food and Beverage Management
Level 5 (8 months)
-
Industry Context 2
-
Hotel Operations 2
-
Delivering Hotel Operations 2
-
The Customer Experience 2
-
Delivering the Customer Experience 2
-
Continuing Professional Development
Level 6 (8 months)
-
Industry Context 3
-
Hotel Operations 3
-
The Customer Experience 3
-
Human Resources
-
Research Project (Dissertation)
-
Consultancy Project
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 will enable you to appreciate the history and culture of events and hospitality and to understand the factors in the external environment, which influenced the emergence of the important and diverse industry of today. The module will explain the economic profile of the event and hospitality industry and the issues and trends which continue to provide challenges e.g. skills gaps, proliferation of small businesses. You will be encouraged to monitor developments in the industry as it continues to change and progress, while taking an active part in the industry activities.
View Industry Context 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 financial and costing skills and utilise relevant technology to enhance business performance.
View Hotel Operations 1 on our Module Directory
This module will introduce you to concepts and techniques of independent learning and professional development. You will develop the skills and knowledge to reflect on your personal effectiveness both academically and practically and be encouraged to monitor and review your progress in improving their individual performance within the practical environment.
View Delivering Hotel Operations 1 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 hospitality business. You will understand the different types of Customer and factors that will influence their behavior 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 The Customer Experience 1 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, enabling you to acquire the practical skills which will support the understanding and knowledge gained from the module Introduction to the Customer Experience.
View Delivering the Customer Experience 1 on our Module Directory
This module investigates the cultural and contemporary influences on the development of gastronomy and restaurants looking at the changing face of contemporary dining and cultural food trends. You will have an understanding of the physical nature of food and beverage commodities and their usage in professional outlets.
View Food and Beverage Management on our Module Directory
This module will enable you to analyse current concepts in the hotel and hospitality sector. You will analyse the management structure of the different operations and the systems deployed to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and profitability in relation to deploying staff. You will consider the importance and development of revenue management to the sustainability of the industry together with a consideration of how other industries have shaped or influenced the hotel and hospitality industry. Finally a continuation of further consideration of contemporary issues that impact the industry.
View Industry Context 2 (Assessed in Future Year) on our Module Directory
This module continues from the level 4 module Hotel Operations 1 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 teams for the delivery of products and services to customers in all aspects of hotel management operations. This module develops further your knowledge, understanding and application of financial performance management.
View Hotel Operations 2 (Assessed in Future Year) on our Module Directory
This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop further the skills gained in Delivering Hotel Operations by providing you with the opportunity to develop supervisory and professional operational skills when responsible for functional areas of the hotel operations. You will analyse the operational characteristics and success of your teams thus providing the opportunity to put your learning into practice. You will be responsible for the planning, organising of your teams in the delivery of products and services to customers in all aspects of hotel operations.
View Delivering Hotel Operations 2 (Assessed in Future Year) on our Module Directory
This module will build on your understanding of the importance of the centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within a hotel business. You will develop a greater understanding of the tangible and intangible components of the customer experience and how the components of delivering the customer service encounter and the service need to be in place to exceed customer expectations.
View The Customer Experience 2 (Assessed in Future Year) on our Module Directory
The purpose of this module is to consolidate professional and personal learning and to provide a focus on the development of techniques and strategies for self-management of your continuous professional development, critical self-reflection of professional experience and application within an organisational setting as well as provide an understanding of the role and relevance of research for managers. 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 (Assessed in Future Year) on our Module Directory
This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills gained in Delivering the Guest 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 guest experience and reflect on how the components need to be in place to exceed guest expectations.
View Delivering the Customer Experience 2 (Assessed in Future Year) on our Module Directory
This module will enable you to analyse current concepts in the hotel and hospitality sector. You will analyse the management structure of the different operations and the systems deployed to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and profitability in relation to deploying staff. You will consider the importance and development of revenue management to the sustainability of the industry together with a consideration of how other industries have shaped or influenced the hotel and hospitality industry. Finally a continuation of further consideration of contemporary issues that impact the industry.
View Industry Context 2 on our Module Directory
This module continues from the level 4 module Hotel Operations 1 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 teams for the delivery of products and services to customers in all aspects of hotel management operations. This module develops further your knowledge, understanding and application of financial performance management.
View Hotel Operations 2 on our Module Directory
This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop further the skills gained in Delivering Hotel Operations by providing you with the opportunity to develop supervisory and professional operational skills when responsible for functional areas of the hotel operations. You will analyse the operational characteristics and success of your teams thus providing the opportunity to put your learning into practice. You will be responsible for the planning, organising of your teams in the delivery of products and services to customers in all aspects of hotel operations.
View Delivering Hotel Operations 2 on our Module Directory
This module will build on your understanding of the importance of the centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within a hotel business. You will develop a greater understanding of the tangible and intangible components of the customer experience and how the components of delivering the customer service encounter and the service need to be in place to exceed customer expectations.
View The Customer Experience 2 on our Module Directory
This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills gained in Delivering the Guest 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 guest experience and reflect on how the components need to be in place to exceed guest expectations.
View Delivering the Customer Experience 2 on our Module Directory
The purpose of this module is to consolidate professional and personal learning and to provide a focus on the development of techniques and strategies for self-management of your continuous professional development, critical self-reflection of professional experience and application within an organisational setting as well as provide an understanding of the role and relevance of research for managers. 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
You will analyse the strategic implications of managing within dynamic industry environments and evaluate the necessary theories, tools and skills needed to develop realistic, coherent and effective business strategy. You will analyse the nature of change and change management strategies within the industry with consideration for innovation. You will evaluate the important role technology is playing in regards to strategy, change and innovation within the industry.
View Industry Context 3 on our Module Directory
This module will enable you to critically evaluate and apply knowledge and skills in strategic and performance management in your development as a leader of high performance teams to deliver business excellence. You will analyse and apply key concepts, tools and processes to develop relevant, realistic, coherent and creative business strategy. The module will develop skills and knowledge to enable you to critically analyse business performance, interpret the key performance indicators and utilise appropriate tools, techniques and technology for effective planning and review of finance and quality. You will evaluate approaches and characteristics of effective leadership of high performance teams.
View Hotel Operations 3 on our Module Directory
This module will explore your understanding of the importance of the centrality of the customer experience. You will develop critical understanding of the nature of the service encounter and how the quality and consistency of the customer experience is determined by all of the components in delivering the customer service encounter. The management of the quality of the customer service encounter will also be put in practice.
View The Customer Experience 3 on our Module Directory
During this module you will evaluate the concept of strategic Human Resource Management and critically analyse retention, engagement and performance management within hospitality operations.
View Human Resource Management on our Module Directory
For your 8,000 word dissertation, you will manage a piece of individual research in the context of the commercial hospitality industry. You will be expected to demonstrate expertise with a range of business data, research resources and methodologies, as well as personal communication skills.
View Dissertation on our Module Directory
The Consultancy Project consists of an individual report, a group presentation and a group report focusing on a project in the hospitality industry. Working with fellow students you will work with an external hospitality client to resolve an issue that they are facing using research, data and analysis.
View Consultancy Project on our Module Directory
Teaching
-
Your fast track two-year Hotel Management degree will be divided into three 8-month levels (Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6).
-
In the first and second levels (Level 4 and Level 5), each level consists of up to 8 weeks of teaching, 16 weeks gaining experience in the hotel and 4 weeks self-study, in addition to your holidays.
-
In the final level (Level 6), you will have up to 18 weeks of teaching, 5 weeks gaining experience in the hotel and 5 weeks self-study, in addition to your holidays.
-
During a teaching week you would spend around 4 hours per day in lectures, or smaller seminars, Monday – Friday.
-
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. Hotel Management students gain experience throughout the course in: reception, restaurants, kitchens, housekeeping and conference and events.
-
During the final level of the course (Level 6) you will spend time working at a duty manager level. The remainder of the last 8-months will be spent in lectures/seminars and working on your assessments and dissertation.
-
Our two-year accelerated degrees include around 6 weeks of annual holiday. Holiday weeks are not necessarily over seasonal periods such as Christmas and hotel shifts over Christmas/New Year are an important part of our two-year courses.
-
Our two-year accelerated degrees do not follow the standard termly timetable, and students are expected to continue their academic and hotel work over the Summer, Easter and Christmas periods. Further information for the course is available on the by contacting our professional services team at
Assessment
Your Hotel Management degree has been designed to provide a mix of assessment approaches, including:
-
Essays
-
Exams
-
Posters
-
Presentations
-
Reflective statements
-
Reports
-
Dissertation
-
Consultancy Project. The consultancy project enables you to work on a project or problem for an external client. Past consultancy projects have included social media and marketing strategies, brand development and new hotel launches. Edge Hotel School students have been offered job opportunities with their level 6 project clients having demonstrated their capacity to deliver highly professional solutions and positive outcomes.
-
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.
