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BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management

Why choose this course?

Top 10 UK University for degrees in Hospitality & Culinary Arts in the Guardian 2017 league table.

Highly skilled hospitality managers are in demand across the world right now. Our BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management will help you seize all the opportunities on offer in this exciting and fast-moving industry.

Choose to complete your degree in three years or take a placement year in industry between your second and final years
Prepare for a career at the highest levels of hospitality, a sector which offers rapid career progression
You’ll receive mentoring from industry professionals
You’ll benefit from regular opportunities to work on real life projects in our inspirational Grade II* listed Devonshire Dome which has a fine dining restaurant and bistro, state-of-the-art training kitchen and is a major hospitality venue in its own right
Gain meaningful practical experience in all aspects of the industry – as a member of delivery staff, as a supervisor and as a manager
Study at our Buxton campus, ideally located on the edge of the Peak District National Park with its many hotels, restaurants and visitor attractions
Work on real-world projects at our Devonshire Dome, a popular events venue featuring a fine dining restaurant, bistro and industry standard training kitchens
Draw on our links with some of the leading names in hospitality – such as Claridge’s, Marriott and Gleneagles – for placement opportunities, practical consultancy projects and networking
Benefit from mentoring by industry professionals to enhance your future prospects
Undertake inspirational fieldtrips, enter high-profile competitions and attend major conferences
Take the chance to study abroad thanks to our strong collaborations with universities in other countries
Boost your professional credibility on a course accredited by the Institute of Hospitality
Become a member of hosco, the world’s leading hospitality careers network for students and graduates

Already working in the profession and interested in improving your career prospects? You can also take this course on a flexible part-time basis.

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Fact file

About this course
- Hospitality is now one of the largest and fastest growing sectors in the global economy. Few other industries can offer you such a fast ascent up the career ladder from an early age: many hospitality professionals have reached their first managerial role before the age of 30.
  
  Serving up excellence
  
  With its powerful mix of real-world learning, industry insights, theoretical understanding, academic rigour and a truly international curriculum, our BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management gives you a competitive edge.
  
  As the role of the hospitality manager becomes ever more complex and demanding, we cover all the crucial topics to help you hit the ground running in your career. You will gain skills in leadership, finance, IT and human resources to go with your in-depth knowledge of hospitality operations.
  
  Our course captures the major trends which are transforming the industry today – from a greater emphasis on sustainability to technological advances, from changing customer expectations to new concepts of luxury.
  
  We have an international reputation for excellence. It is little surprise that world-leading hospitality educators like the Swiss Hotel Management School have adopted our degrees.
  
  Study in a real-life hospitality venue
  
  Our hospitality students are thrilled to study at our Buxton campus which offers some of the UK’s best university facilities. You will hone your skills by training and working in the spectacular grade II* listed Devonshire Dome, a lively events venue with catering facilities for up to 900 people.
  
  The campus features a highly rated fine dining restaurant; a popular bistro; seven state-of-the-art training kitchens; and an award-winning commercial spa.We ensure you are fully equipped for your studies in this ideal setting: at the outset of the course, all new students receive a full set of kitchen whites, knives and safety shoes, plus a complete front-of-house uniform.
  
  With its abundance of visitor and cultural attractions, Buxton has much to offer the aspiring hospitality professional. This elegant spa town on the edge of the Peak District National Park boasts not only a fascinating heritage but also a bright future, with new initiatives such as the restoration of the town’s historic Crescent as the area’s first five-star thermal spa and wellness hotel.
  
  Employer partnerships to inspire you
  
  You will engage with leading employers at every stage of the BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management. Our strong industry partnerships put you in prime position to secure internship and placement opportunities during your studies and full-time jobs when you graduate.
  
  Our networks include Marriott Hotels, Gleneagles Hotel, The Lancaster London, Red Carnation Hotels, Compass Group, Loews Hotels and Resorts in Florida, GlenArbor Country Club in New York, Jurys Inn, Zuma Restaurants and smaller businesses located in and around the Peak District.
  
  Prominent industry figures have significant input into the course, ensuring what you learn in the classroom mirrors the world of work. Our annual Industry Networking Day and exciting roster of guest lectures and roundtable discussions also help you make vital contacts. There are even opportunities for one-to-one professional mentoring by senior hospitality managers.
  
  Enviable placement opportunities
  
  Nothing adds more kudos to your CV than work-related experience with hospitality employers. Placements and summer internships offer high quality practical experience where you can advance your skills in customer handling, problem solving, team working, communication, leadership and management.
  
  Our students have boosted their employability with the likes of Claridge’s, Skibo Castle, the Mandarin Hotel Group and Michelin-starred restaurants. Underlining the industry’s global reach, there are increasing opportunities for overseas placements too, including with Disney and Loews Hotels in America.
  
  If you are taking the four-year course, a formal industry placement lasting nine to 12 months is compulsory between your second and final year. You normally work as a paid employee. While placements are not compulsory on the three-year course, we support you to gain invaluable experience during your summer vacation, either in paid or voluntary roles.
  
  Unrivalled practical experience
  
  No day is the same on this course. Your learning will be varied, vibrant and meaningful, with plenty of hands-on projects grounded in industry practice.
  
  Our students have delivered successful events at the Dome, including parties for 700 staff from Chatsworth and our own graduation ceremonies. They have also run corporate events in locations like London’s National History Museum.
  
  You could pit your wits against students from top European universities in the annual Passion for Hospitality debate. This event fosters skills of persuasion, negotiation, teamwork and thinking on your feet. Our team took the top prize in what was only the University’s second year of entering the competition.
  
  Build your global perspectives
  
  We encourage you to take full advantage of our Go Places, Go Further scheme where you can spend part of your course studying abroad. Our thriving international partnerships, such as with Stenden University in the Netherlands, allow you to explore hospitality management from different cultural viewpoints. In the past, our students have been as far afield as Germany, Holland, Cyprus and South Korea.
  
  You could even present at international research conferences. Latest opportunities include a chance for students to take part in the Council for Hospitality Management Education conference in Aalborg, Denmark.
  
  Fieldtrips near and far
  
  Fieldtrips are another important way of broadening your outlook. We regularly visit local hotels, restaurants, conference centres and other venues to see their behind-the-scenes operations at first hand.
  
  A UK-based residential trip is covered by your course fees in both the first and second year of your studies. Our students have headed to London and Scotland to visit luxury hotels, spa and golf resorts. They have also attended premier events such as the Food Show in Birmingham.
  
  There are optional visits overseas too: previous groups have experienced the famed hospitality of Florence and Paris. Iceland is the fascinating destination added to our programme for 2017.
  
  Reach high professional standards
  
  Our BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management is mapped against the latest occupational standards for the industry. It is accredited by the Institute of Hospitality, which means your learning is up to date and relevant. You will have access to the Institute’s Educational Membership Scheme.
  
  When you join us, you will also automatically become a member of hosco, with access to around 30,000 graduate roles, internships and work experience opportunities from over 1,500 employers.
What you will cover
- To complete the BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management, you’ll study modules such as:
  
  Stage one
  - Introduction to Higher Education
  - Marketing and Communication
  - Hospitality Concepts
  - Rooms Division Operations
  - Delivering the Guest Experience
  - Food, Beverage and Event Operations
  - Finance and Control in Hospitality Operations
  Stage two
  - Research Skills
  - Business Development and Entrepreneurship
  - Management and Leadership
  - Hotel Revenue Management
  - Supervising the Guest Experience
  - Planning and Leading Hospitality Event Operations
  - Hotel Facilities Design
  Placement year
  
  If you are taking the four-year degree, you will complete your compulsory placement between stages two and three. You can choose to study an additional qualification – the Diploma in Professional Practice – to add an extra dimension to your CV.
  
  Stage three
  - Independent Study (double module)
  - Consumer Behaviour
  - Strategic Management
  - Managing the Guest Experience
  - International Resort Management
  - Event Tourism
  Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

UCAS code:	Three year course: N226 or Four year course: N863
Start date:	September
Course length:	Full-time: three years or four with placement year
Campus:	Buxton Campus
College:	College of Business, Law and Social Sciences

Entry requirements

How to apply
- UK/EU Students
  - Full-time students applying in January should apply directly to the University
  - Full-time students applying in September should apply for this course through UCAS or you can apply directly to the University for an undergraduate course if you’re not applying to any other UK university in the same year.
  International students
  - Students applying in January should apply directly to the University
  - Full-time students applying in September should apply for this course through UCAS or you can apply directly to the University for an undergraduate course if you’re not applying to any other UK university in the same year.
  Information for international applicants
  Applying for an undergraduate degree
Fees and finance
- 2017/18 Fees
  Full-time Part-time
  UK/EU
  £9,250 per year
  N/A
  International
  £11,750 per year
  N/A
  Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.
  2018/19 Fees
  Fees for 2018/19 entry are still being decided, so please check back later in the year for more information.
How you will learn
- The BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management equips you with a solid foundation of applied managerial skills in the context of this fast-moving industry.
  
  You will deepen your subject knowledge through formal lectures, seminars, workshops, guided study, applied practice sessions, practical demonstrations and videos, small group exercises, and case study discussions.
  
  Work-related learning
  
  Your practical professional development will take place in a variety of hospitality operations at the University and beyond. This will encompass guest service to commercial standards, technical skills development, sales skills, health and safety, food safety, business processes, financial targets and budgeting, HRM practices, staff training, and maintenance and management of hospitality facilities.
  
  Other work-related learning experiences on the course will include guest lectures, conferences, industry days, networking events, competitions, challenges and employer-led industry projects.
  
  The industrial placement which forms part of the four-year course is structured, relevant and designed to improve your academic performance as well as boosting your employability. Our dedicated and well connected placement team will help you find just the right position to match your career aspirations and professional interests.
  
  Research-based enquiry
  
  You will engage with industry, the local community and teaching staff to produce valuable findings for the benefit of the sector. Examples include a consultancy project with Derby Theatre to help it extend its food and beverage offer and an initiative with Warner Hotels focused on online HR systems.
  
  In your final year, you will plan, design, deliver and communicate a sustained independent study on a theme of your choice.
  
  A vibrant and supportive community
  
  Based in the iconic setting of the Devonshire Dome, you will discover an exhilarating and dynamic learning environment. Because we also specialise in culinary arts, events management, spa management and tourism management, there are countless opportunities for you to see the way the different professions dovetail with one another.
  
  You will study alongside students and teaching staff from across the world in a supportive and sociable community where you will build your confidence as you decide on your career direction. Final-year students often mentor our new students, sharing their experiences.
  
  Tutors
  
  Our passionate tutors have worked in some of the top hotels and kitchens in the world and they teach in small groups so you won’t get lost in the crowd.
  
  Programme Leader - Dr Faith Samkange
  
  Faith combines teacher education, leadership, research and hospitality management with a wide range of international experience in her professional and academic portfolio. She has worked in Switzerland, Canada, Africa and United Kingdom. Her passion for research has seen her work with research foundations such as the Rockefeller Foundation. Faith’s major area of research is Digital Technologies, their application, implementation utilisation in the hospitality industry and in hospitality management education. Faith is also keen on leadership, gender empowerment and economic development issues.
  
  Assessment
  
  You’ll be assessed in a number of ways including:
  - Individual written assignments: essays and reports
  - Practical assessments
  - Group or individual oral presentations
  - Posters
  - Industry case studies
  - Examinations
  - A sustained piece of independent study
  Teaching hours
  
  Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will be communicated after enrolment on your course.
Careers and employability
- As a BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management graduate, you will stand out as a versatile, confident and forward-looking professional. Throughout the course, we introduce you to the many different strands of this hugely varied industry, helping you to explore career opportunities you might never have considered before.
  
  The unique real-world learning we deliver means that you will be highly employable, ready to drive the future of the industry. You could progress to roles such as food and beverage or event supervisor, front office or housekeeping supervisor, assistant restaurant manager, graduate trainee hotel manager, sales executive, licensed retail manager or contract catering specialist.
  
  Major hospitality employers regularly look to our students when recruiting to prestigious graduate training programmes. Often our students have secured jobs before they even graduate from the course.
  
  Our graduates are now succeeding in management roles in settings such as international hotel chains, five-star luxury resorts, consultancy firms and the retail industry. Some have drawn on the entrepreneurial skills they gained during their studies to launch their own hospitality enterprises, including a gastropub and craft brewery, an off-site catering venture and a celebration cake making business.
  
  Take your learning to the next level
  
  You can consider progressing to postgraduate studies in related subjects, including our own MSc International Hospitality Management which prepares you not only for senior management but also for roles in academia and research. Some of our graduates gain industry experience before returning to study at postgraduate level as part of their career development.
  
  Ongoing careers support
  
  We’re committed to improving your employability at every stage of your studies. Our teaching staff join forces with the Careers and Employment Service to deliver workshops on subjects such as networking, CV writing and effective use of social media.
  
  This support continues once you’ve graduated too: you are entitled to further help and guidance for up to three years after leaving the University. This includes signposting towards internships which you can undertake on completion of your degree and which often lead to job offers.
  
  You can also take full advantage of the hosco careers network to discover opportunities and share good practice with other professionals.
What our students say
- “I have achieved more than I ever thought was imaginable at Derby. The lecturers test your practical and mental abilities to the maximum, there is never a ‘dull’ lecturer and everyone is enlightening and inspiring … learning has never been more fun. For me, the difference came when I went on placement at The Berkeley in London. To say the experience was an eye-opener is an understatement.” Andy Heyes, BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management
  
  “I learned a lot more about how to exceed customers’ expectations on my placement at Gleneagles.” Rob Hall, BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management graduate, who went on placement with the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel. He is now advancing his career as Duty Manager at The Lincoln Hotel.
  
  “The industry of today is all about experience – that’s what they want, but you still need your qualifications to back it all up. I can’t believe how much I changed in just 18 months.” Gareth Williams, BA (Hons) International Hospitality Management student, who went on work placement to the GlenArbor Golf Club in New York.
  
  “The most important thing the University gave me was passion, drive and confidence. By the end of my three years, I had developed as a person and I left with the ability to manage and understand people on a deeper level, which helps me in my management role every day.” Victoria Colman, BA (Hons) International Management graduate, who went on to join the Marriott Hotels graduate training programme. She has since worked as Guest Relations Executive and Acting Assistant Executive Housekeeper at the Marriott Hotel in Marble Arch, London.
Key Information Sets
- Full time

September 2017 typical entry requirements
UCAS points	104 (up to 16 from AS-levels)
Specific requirements at A-level	N/A
Specific requirements at GCSE	Five GCSEs at Grade C or above, including Maths and English
Interview / Audition	N/A
Portfolio	N/A