FdA Hospitality Management - Day Release

Students will consider how resources are organised and managed within the sector, using technology and building financial and analytical skills to support commercial decisionmaking and planning. In addition, employer-driven events and contacts offer significant professional development opportunities as well as having a demonstrable impact on students’ future hospitality careers.

The programme’s emphasis is on equipping students with the ability, skills and knowledge to successfully develop their hospitality skills to create opportunities for career progression or to start their own business.

The Foundation Degree is designed to enable students to progress to the BA (Hons) Hospitality and Tourism Management Top Up at Westminster Kingsway University.

This intensive version of our FdA Hospitality Management is taught as an intensive two year course for one day per week.

Our teachers are currently planning for the safest ways to deliver this course for September. We have been delivering all of our courses online since the outbreak of Coronavirus in March 2020, and we are fully equipped to continue this for as long as is necessary. 

We are planning to deliver the course in a mixed format - blending online lessons with face-to-face teaching – as and when we feel that, on the basis of Government advice and our own risk assessments, it is safe to do so. We’ll continue to review our plans and keep you updated on changes as your course progresses.

For this course, our plans for a flexible, mixed format mean that:

Our plans for a flexible, mixed format mean that:

• all theoretical course content will be delivered online, led by our expert lecturers (for some modules this will be 100% of the teaching, learning and assessment during the first semester) 
• where practical activities may not be possible, for example participation in residential field trips and competitions, alternatives will be provided to ensure you develop the equivalent repertoire of skills – special arrangements will also be made for students in circumstances that don’t allow them to attend onsite
• group work will continue in online form, allowing you to collaborate with your peers, support each other and produce work together using relevant digital platforms
• tutorials and one to ones will be delivered online, providing you with a high level of support and the opportunity to work with your tutor 
• you will have access to relevant library services and the digital resources and platforms you need to participate successfully in your course, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Google Hangout Meets and Zoom
• an initial face-to-face meeting to enable you to meet your peers and teaching staff will take place onsite in a carefully controlled environment to keep you safe 
• direct access to a range of support systems will also be available to help you with any personal difficulties. 

The delivery of your course will be as follows:

• Year 1: Live lectures, interactive/live seminars, workshop sessions, other scheduled teaching time – 55%; Face-to-face sessions – 30%; Pre-recorded lectures – 10%; Self-paced learning time – 5%
• Year 2: Live lectures, interactive/live seminars, workshop sessions, other scheduled teaching time – 65%; Face-to-face sessions – 20%; Pre-recorded lectures – 10%; Self-paced learning time – 5%

Students are required to study six mandatory 20-credit modules in Year 1 and six 20-credit modules in Year 2 (4 mandatory modules and 2 modules chosen from a range of options) - totalling 240 credits. Students are required to pass all Year 1 modules before progressing to Year 2. All Year 2 modules must be achieved to pass the qualification.

Year 1 (Level 4) mandatory modules:

• Study Skills & Personal Development
• Business Environment and the Law
• Marketing Management
• Introduction to Human Resources
• Introduction to Finance
• Hospitality Operations Management (specialist module)

Year 2 (Level 5) mandatory modules

• Management in Organisations
• Project Management
• Developing Professional Practice
• Gastronomy and Wine (specialist module)

Year 2 (Level 5) optional modules of which 2 will be chosen:

• Small Business Management
• Event Management and Event Design
• Visitor Attraction Management
• Visual Merchandising and Psychology
• Financial Management
• Sustainable Development

Students are encouraged to attend a Residential Field Trip to a European destination during the programme. They are encouraged to embrace this as a networking and cultural enrichment activity. These trips are not compulsory and are offered at a heavily discounted price (approx. £50) due to the considerable value they add to the learning experience.

Students are also encouraged to enter national and international competitions and guest speakers are regularly invited to share industry best practice as part of individual modules.

Module availability may be subject to change. The timetable will be available in August 2020

If you are 20 or younger at the start of the course, you will need:

• At least one GCE A Level pass or
• An appropriate full Level 3 qualification, such as Advanced GNVQ/AVCE, NVQ, National Diplomas, Baccalaureate or Irish Leaving Certificate with passes in five subjects at higher level, passes in Open University courses or a Merit profile for a recognised Access course
• Supporting passes at GCSE including English and Maths at grade 4 (grade C) or above
• IELTS score of 6.0 with no skill below 5.5, or equivalent English qualification for International students

If you are 21 or older at the start of the course, you do not have to satisfy the same certificated qualifications entry criteria as college and school leavers. You will be able to discuss your application during an interview and will normally be expected to have:

• At least 3 years’ industry experience in a related field of study (Business, Tourism, Hospitality, Events) at supervisory or middle management levels
• IELTS score of 6.0 with no skill below 5.5, or equivalent English qualification for International students
• Equivalent GCSEs in English and Maths at grade 4 (grade C) or above
• Completed a diagnostic assessment at point of interview

If you have have significant professional or other qualifications and appropriate work experience you may be considered and are encouraged to apply, as are those wishing to formalise their experience, or update skills, knowledge and understanding. In addition, evidence of personal skills and qualities through your personal statement and references will be considered.

Due to the intensive nature of the day release study mode, work-based learning is a key component. Applicants will be expected to continue to be employed in an appropriate work setting for the duration of the Foundation Degree.

Assessment methods may include:

• Written reports/essays
• Practical demonstrations
• Creation of financial documents
• Work-based projects
• Academic posters, displays, leaflets
• Presentations
• Working logbooks, reflective journals
• Presentations with assessor questioning
• Time-constrained assessments

This programme is quality assured by Middlesex University London and you will receive a Middlesex University London award upon successful completion.

Tuition Fees

£4,690 per year

Additional Costs

In addition to the annual tuition fees, there may be additional costs associated with your programme including:

• A subsidised European field trip (3 days/2 nights) in years 1 and 2 at approximately £50 per student. Students will be liable for their own daily living expenses including food and beverages, and travel expenses to and from the departure and arrival point
• Ad hoc day trips/excursions e.g. visits to employers or exhibitions. Students may incur additional travel costs and on some occasions, entrance fees

Upon successful completion of this course, you can:

• Develop a career by applying your skills to a place of employment
• Start your own business
• Successful students are able to progress onto Westminster Kingsway College's Top Up degrees in Hospitality and Tourism or Business Strategy and Enterprise Management. Alternatively, they can progress to other HE institutions subject to their entry requirements