Hospitality is one of the largest global industries and we believe its focus is to deliver an experience that creates memories. The industry is dynamic and multi-disciplinary, innovative and agile and it is these aspects that we help our students to explore. You will develop an insight into the structure of the hospitality and hotel industry and understand the contributions that these make to the global economy. This course will give you the opportunity to demonstrate a critical awareness and understanding of the main functional areas of hospitality management with a specific focus on the hotel sector and management processes within a variety of different contexts. Developing the necessary technical, interpersonal skills and knowledge to make an effective contribution to a hospitality organisation as a team-leader or middle manager upon graduation. Our aim is to empower you with the confidence and introduce you to leadership and team working skills that build a critical appreciation of the roles hospitality managers undertake in the modern world and lays the foundation for continuing professional development. We provide you with the opportunity to enhance your analytical and evaluative skills, and reflect upon the environmental influences which impact on hospitality organisations.
The programme’s approach to learning and teaching prepares its graduates for the contemporary work environment that is mainly driven by industry engagement, sustainability and the Principles of Responsible Management (PRME) to realise the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), social engagement, and ethical responsibility. The programme delivery embodies the Cardiff Met EDGE and combines academic rigour and the development of practical and people skills. The principles of EDGE revolve around helping you to develop applicable graduate skills in ethicality, digital competence, global perception, and entrepreneurship. The programme will also give you the opportunity to utilise the Hotel Operation, Tactics and Strategy (HOTS) simulation package that will be embedded through core modules. With a flexible learning and teaching approach, you will have greater control over the when and the where of your learning through both on and off-line experiences.
Industry engagement remains a strong focus of our BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management and BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management with Internship degrees both within the curriculum and through work experience. Previously, students have undertaken work placements both internationally and within the UK, we also give you the opportunity to engage with the 3rd sector and are inundated with volunteering opportunities at both local and global events that are hosted in Cardiff. International placements have included Hilton, Marriott, Universal Studios, Disney, Safari lodges in South Africa and a range of resort hotels and country clubs within the USA. However, while the hospitality industry has shown its agility and resilience, it does require new skills in innovation, creativity, and risk management. Therefore, students now can engage within hotels as part of a first-year practical module and then in your final year you can choose to work with an organisation on a live consultancy project for a range of partners such as Marriott International, Red Carnation Hotels, the Exclusive Collection of Hotels and Spas, the Celtic Collection, Sodexo and Compass within the Principality Stadium to name a few.
We firmly believe in teaching you the importance of applying the theory learnt in the classroom into practical application and we do this in a number of ways, including industrial work experience, work-based learning and our own on-site Hospitality Suite. As the capitol city of Wales, Cardiff is a fantastic place to study Hospitality and there is something to suit all sectors of interest whether it be Sporting Stadia or Michelin starred restaurants and everything in between. We draw upon the expertise of industry experts in live webinars, guest lectures and mentoring including; Red Carnation Hotels, Hilton International, Greenwich Country Club (USA), Gleneagles, the Dalata Hotel group, Park Plaza Hotes, the Vale Resort & Spa, The Ivy restaurant group and the Exclusive Hotel Collection. The course team consistently engages with industry to ensure that we are delivering content that gives our students the necessary skills to contribute successfully to the industry. Students can also study a language as part of your degree, which can be carried through to the final year.
Alongside our academic curriculum we offer opportunities to gain internationally recognised professional qualifications such as the WSET wines and Spirits qualifications at all levels and the BII Personal License and we are an accredited centre of the RSPH for food safety qualifications at all levels. We also compete in the annual Passion4Hospitality competition, this year taking two teams, one of which won and the other came third.
We are proud to have an exchange partnership with Central Michigan University to offer our students the opportunity to apply for the Disney Academic Exchange Program which includes the opportunity to be based at Walt Disney World in Florida for 12 months.
Course Content
Foundation Year (Year 0):
Both the BA(Hons)International Hotel and Hospitality Management and BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management with Internship programmes incorporate a foundation year, which is intended for students wishing to enrol onto the three-year honours’ degree, who fall into one of the following categories:
1. Students who have not achieved the required A-level points (or equivalent) score to enter the first year of the degree programme.
2. Mature students who have been out of the formal education system for some time.
Further information about the foundation year can be found by
clicking here.
Degree:
Year One:
- Foundations of Hospitality (20 credits)
- Culinary and Service Operations(20 credits)
- Marketing for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits) *
- People Development within Organisations (20 credits)
- Revenue, Costing and Budgetary Controls (20 credits)
- * Module available through the medium of Welsh
- Compulsory optional modules (pick one of the following) **
- Practical Hotel and Hospitality Operations (20 credits)
- Applied Business Spanish 1 (20 credits)
- Mandarin Chinese in Professional Contexts 1 (20 credits)
- French in Professional Contexts 1 (20 credits)
** Students can choose to do either Practical Hotel and Hospitality Operations or one of the language modules in Year one.
Year Two:
The second year builds on your existing knowledge base and progress into more specialist areas of tourism management.
Compulsory:
- Hotel Operations, Tactics and Decision Making (20 credits)
- Hospitable Events in the Third Sector (20 credits)
- Research Design in Practice (20 credits) *
- * Module available through the medium of Welsh
- Compulsory optional modules (pick at least one)
- Consumer Behaviour for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits)
- People Management for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits)
- Business Start-Up and Entrepreneurship (20 credits)
Options*:
- Summer Work Placement (20 credits)
- Technologies for Tourism, Hospitality and Events (20 credits)
- Applied Business Spanish 2 (20 credits) **
- Mandarin Chinese in Professional Contexts 2 (20 credits) **
- French in Professional Contexts 2 (20 credits) **
* Module available through the medium of Welsh
** Students can only choose a language option if picked up in Year one
Year Three:
The third year enables students to tailor their degree based on their interests and career aspirations.
Compulsory:
- Critical Hospitality (20 credits)
- Sustainable Hotel and Hospitality Management in a Changing World (20 credits)
- Strategic Leadership and Change Management (20 credits
- Dissertation (40 credits) *,Enterprise Project (40 credits) *, Consultancy Project (40 credits) OR Independent Research Project (20 credits)
Options*:
- Resort and Stadia Management (20 credits)
- Gastronomic Tourism (20 credits)
- Marketing Communications in the Digital Age (20 credits)
- Employee Resourcing and Volunteer Management (20 credits)
- Destinations and Events (20 credits)
- Leadership and Professional Development with Mentoring (20 credits)
- Spanish in Professional Contexts 3 **
- Mandarin Chinese in Professional Contexts 3 **
- French in Professional Contexts 3 **
* Module available through the medium of Welsh
** Students can only choose a language option if picked up in Year one
*Please note that optional modules run subject to demand and availability.
Learning & Teaching
Lectures are a major part of the teaching strategy for the programme, these will be supplemented with tutorials, seminars and field trips at each level to expand upon and consolidate material covered in lectures. Visiting speakers and guest lecturers are also used by the specific module team at all three levels. In addition to timetabled delivery, students are expected to spend additional time reading, preparing for classes, engaging in group or virtual projects, researching, and completing assessments. All your chosen modules can be accessed via Moodle. As a student you will also have access to Library services, Met Search, and resources from the Institute of Hospitality. On any one 20 credit module, you will receive up to 48 hours contact time and will be expected to undertake 152 hours of independent self-study time.
A student-centred approach to learning and teaching is encouraged through the use of specific teaching strategies, case studies, projects, tutorials, practical exercises, supplemented by the use of appropriate support materials, guest talks from industry experts, videos and computer software. Active engagement with the subject material enhances learning and many of the learning strategies used attempt to promote this.
Hospitality students have a practical facility designed specifically for their use. The hospitality suite is on site and is a flexible space where all students will have the opportunity to work in groups to manage and design a hospitality event.
We approach our teaching in a blended manner and there will be both face to face sessions, problem-based learning sessions and virtual sessions linking to the use of technology both recorded and live.
Seminars and workshops involve students unpacking previously prepared work in groups sessions exploring and discussing it in a more detail. This strategy is used to extend specific theoretical or practical concepts as well as introducing problem solving exercises. Seminars are used in most modules and provide students with valuable experience in presentational skills, problem solving as well as providing staff with a method or assessing student-centred learning.
Practical workshops are used extensively in a number of modules throughout the programme. In these situations, students are able to practice and refine their skills in a supportive environment where they can get feedback from a member of academic staff. Workshops are a great way for the students to apply the theory in a practical setting. A key component of the learning experience is the intention to invite Industry experts, academic and in practice, to provide insights into their research work or business activity. Such experts might be invited as guest speakers or requested to provide a more interactive workshop experience where appropriate.
All our students have the opportunity and are encouraged to do the BA(Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management with Internship degree where you will spend a year in industry as part of the course. Recent students have spent this time with organisations such as Walt Disney World, Red Carnation Hotels, Greenwich Country Club, Gleneagles, the Swalec Stadium along with various international hotel chains such as Marriott and Hilton.
Our industry links mean that opportunities for gaining experience also go far beyond our official work placement modules and we actively encourage our students to undertake paid and volunteer work throughout the duration of their studies.
Each student on both the BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management and BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality with Internship Management programmes will have their own allocated personal tutor who remains the same throughout the duration of your studies. You will meet with your personal tutor during induction week and at several designated touch points during the year. The Personal Tutor Scheme aims to promote success and achievement, supporting all students to realise their potential through development of Graduate Attributes (as outlined in the University’s Graduate Attribute Framework) in conjunction with their academic studies and extracurricular activities. Central to the success of this approach will be supporting effective, meaningful, and empowering student and tutor partnerships.
The Personal Tutors work closely with the Programme Directors, Year Tutors and Student Services to ensure that your needs are effectively met and that your time at Cardiff Met is both a pleasant and successful experience.
The teaching and research expertise of the academic staff from the department of Tourism, Hospitality and Events cover a range of different themes and areas relating to hospitality management. The hospitality team has a great deal of hospitality industry experience and a passion for hospitality.
Assessment
Cardiff School of Management’s assessment strategy for each module on both the BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management and BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management with Internship programmes varies to ensure the most appropriate method is used to achieve learning outcomes.
A range of assessment methods are utilised across all levels, including essays, reports, presentations, case studies, team building assessment days, portfolios, and poster presentations.
Our assessments are also designed to develop and promote transferrable skills and be of practical use when working within the hospitality industry. This involves team working, problem solving, presentation skills, digital skills, communication and working under pressure.
Students will receive a wide range of feedback on their work via both formative and summative assessment, verbally and in written format.
Employability & Careers
Hospitality is a vital sector of the UK economy, and as an industry it has proven itself in the recent past to be both innovating, agile and resilient in the face of disease and natural disasters. Consequently, there is a strong need for specialist managers in the areas of operations, revenue management, innovation, digital skills, sustainability, and risk management. The skills acquired enable graduates to develop into senior managers in a relatively short period of time in a wide range of areas including employment in hotels, restaurants, clubs, bars, licensed retail management, conference and event management, human resources and marketing within hospitality; plus hospitality sections within the armed services, contract, health service and welfare catering.
As such the hospitality industry offers a diverse range of career opportunities where graduates will be well placed to secure managerial positions in the private, public, and voluntary sectors of the industry.
The BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management and BA (Hons) International Hotel and Hospitality Management with Internship programmes have been designed to provide graduates with the range of skills and knowledge required for management positions in one of the largest employment sectors both globally and in the UK. The BA (Hons) programmes are accredited by the Institute of Hospitality. Successful graduates are eligible for licentiate membership of the Institute of Hospitality.
We have a dedicated employability lead within the Department who brings in employers offering placement schemes to students and assists students seeking internships and placements. We also have a Careers consultant for the School of Management as part of the wider Careers Service, which is open to both existing students and recent graduates. This team combined provide a range of careers events including careers fairs and forums and support including employability talks and workshops. Cardiff School of Management is also home to the Centre for Entrepreneurship Cardiff Metropolitan University's dedicated department for supporting and encouraging entrepreneurship amongst students and graduates.
Further study options include several certification courses such as BIIAB Personal License Holders Award and Level 2 Food Safety. Also, students have an opportunity to complete a M.Sc. in Hospitality and Tourism Management or M.Sc. in Event Management, with opportunities for progression onto doctoral programmes, such as MPhil, PhD, DMan and Prof Doc, all here at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Entry Requirements & How to Apply
Five GCSE passes including English Language and Mathematics or Mathematics - Numeracy at grade C /grade 4 or above, plus 112 points from at least two A levels (or equivalent)
Typical offers may include:
- 96-112 points from at least two A levels to include grades CC; Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as the third subject
- RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma/Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma DMM
- 96-112 points from at least two Scottish Advanced Highers to include grades DD. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers
- 96-112 points from the Irish Leaving Certificate at Highers to include 2 x H2 grades. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4
- 96-112 points from the Access to Higher Education Diploma
If you do not meet the above entry requirements, we also offer a Foundation Programme which allows progression to Year 1.
If you are studying combinations of the above, or if your qualification isn't listed, please either contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search for entry requirements. Further information on our entry requirements, including qualifications from the EU can be found by clicking
here.
Candidates who do not possess normal minimum entry qualification may be interviewed and considered individually on the basis of their prior learning or working background.
International Applicants
Students whose first language is not English will need to provide evidence of fluency to at least an IELTS 6.0 standard or equivalent. For full details about how to apply and English Language qualifications please visit the
International pages on the website.
Selection Procedure:
Selection is usually on the basis of a completed UCAS application and where relevant, an interview.
How to Apply:
Applications for this course should be made online to UCAS at www.ucas.com. For further information please visit our How to Apply pages at www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/howtoapply.
Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer into year 2 & 3
If you are interested in transferring credit from another institution to study at Cardiff met for a course which accepts entry for year 2 and/or 3, you can find further information on this and information on how to apply on the
RPL page. Please contact
Admissions for any queries that you have on RPL.
Mature students
A mature applicant is anyone over the age of 21 who didn't go to university after school or college. Cardiff Met welcomes applications from mature applicants and further advice and information can be found
here.
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