Program Overview

CULINARY ARTS Management

MA / PGDip

This course is subject to validation and approval

Overview

Managing professional culinary enterprises is an exciting challenge. Blending artistry, technique and creativity with the demands of management and business requires a unique range of abilities. Our Culinary Arts Management postgraduate course will arm you with this advanced skill set, driving you towards a dynamic career in the culinary environment of the hospitality industry.

University College Birmingham is internationally renowned for food and hospitality training, and our course will enhance your knowledge of classical culinary technique and how to adapt it to the modern international culinary environment. Innovation, recipe and food product development will form key components of your study, while you’ll also learn how to meet changing consumer demands and research trends, as well as the challenge of managing culinary operations as profit centres.

Not only will you be supported on campus by our vastly experienced lecturers and our outstanding kitchen and food development facilities, but our master's course also gives you the chance to prove your culinary skills and knowledge in the industry through an optional placement for up to six months, setting the foundations for your career in senior management.

Why should I choose Culinary Arts Management MA / PGDip?

• WORK PLACEMENT (MA only) – Take up our optional three-month or six-month placement on successful completion of the taught part of the course and get your foot in the door within the food and hospitality industry
• EXPERT TUITION – Draw from our lecturers’ wealth of experience and keep up-to-date with the very latest industry developments and academic research
• EXCELLENT FACILITIES – Develop and apply your skills within our industry-standard kitchen and restaurant facilities on campus
• AWARD-WINNING UNIVERSITY – Study at the highest-ranking university in the region according to student choice (Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023)

Our facilities

University College Birmingham is renowned for its outstanding food industry training facilities. As a student on our Culinary Arts Management master’s degree or postgraduate diploma, you will have access to our professional standard kitchens, award-winning restaurant and state-of-the-art food development facilities.

• Our industry standard kitchens provide a real-time working environment for students on our food courses to develop their skills and are used regularly for prestigious competitions, including Michel Roux Jr’s annual scholarship contest
• Designed with the help of the food industry, our Food Science and Innovation Suite features the latest food testing and diagnostic technology alongside state-of-the-art development kitchen facilities
• Open to the public, our AA Rosette Highly Commended restaurant on campus – Restaurant at Birmingham College of Food – will arm you with hands-on skills, from serving fast food to silver service

Course breakdown

Core Modules

• Culinary Artistry - Contemporary Principles
  • In this module, you will learn about the principles of culinary artistry in a contemporary context and real life applications within the wider gastronomic landscape and potential market opportunities.
• Culinary Innovation and Product Development
  • Let your creativity flow in designing and developing new, exciting, and innovative food products, based on a brief from a real life industry scenario - from the initial idea to the market launch.
• Culinary Management Project
  • This module provides you with the opportunity to lead and manage the process of project management to a specific food and beverage environment.
• Managing Across Cultures
  • Today's global hospitality industry requires employees to have an understanding of management and leadership across cultures, so you will explore the issues surrounding this while assessing the move away from local cultures to a more cosmopolitan environment.
• Managing Profitable Food and Beverage Operations
  • You will focus on developing an understanding of the operational aspects of the restaurant and bar sector by evaluating and applying management concepts, models and techniques.
• Masters Research Project
  • This module introduces students to the disciplines and techniques required for critical appraisal of complex data and industry practice; creating research designs and accompanying research techniques; building theoretical frameworks, and the scheduling and execution of a research project.
• Revenue & Performance Analysis
  • In this module, you will develop a critical perspective of the long and short term decisions faced by senior managers.

Optional placement module

• Postgraduate Work Placement
  • The Postgraduate Work Placement module provides you with the opportunities to further develop practical skills, relate theory to practice and to gain a sound base of experience.

Entry requirements

Academic

• MA Culinary Arts Management: A grade classification of 2:2 or above is required in one of the following subject areas: Culinary Arts Management, Hospitality Management, Food Nutrition and Preparation, Food Innovation, Food Technology or Professional Cookery, or international equivalent.
• PGDip Culinary Arts Management: A grade classification of third class is required in one of the subject areas above, or international equivalent.

Work-based

• We also consider applicants who are currently employed and wish to apply to University College Birmingham.
• To apply, you must have 5 years of relevant managerial work experience, demonstrating in-depth knowledge of the sector for the subject matter you are interested in pursuing.

International students

• For academic and English entry requirements for EU and international students, please visit the Country Specific Information page.

Key information

Teaching and assessment

• Teaching: Example of a typical teaching week (up to 12 contact hours)
  • Large group teaching – 10 hours (in lecture rooms/specialist kitchens)
  • Smaller group teaching – 1 hour
  • Tutorials – 1 hour
  • Subject advice sessions – 1-3 hours
• Assessment: Estimated breakdown of assessment for this postgraduate course
  • Coursework – 68%
  • Practical assessment – 22%
  • Written examinations – 10%

Timetable

• We understand that you need to balance study with work, so wherever possible your lessons will be timetabled into 2-3 days a week for full-time and one day a week for part-time study.

Tuition fees for home students

• If you are a home student enrolling on a postgraduate degree course at University College Birmingham in 2024/2025, the tuition fee for full-time study will be £9,350 per year. For part-time study, the fee will be £4,675 per year.
• In 2025/2026, the tuition fee for [Band 4] courses for full-time study will be £12,000 per year. For part-time study, the fee will be £6,000 per year.

Tuition fees for international students

• If you are an international student (or have been fee assessed as an international fee payer) and enrolling on a full-time postgraduate degree course in 2024/2025, the fee for the academic year will be £15,000. If you complete a placement year, there will be an administration fee of £500 for a full year or £250 for a half-year placement.
• In 2025/2026, the tuition fee for [Band 1] courses will be £17,000 for the academic year.

Accreditations, endorsements and partnerships

• University College Birmingham works with a wide range of organisations to ensure you receive the best possible training and qualifications recognised by industry.

Work placements

• Work placements are vital for gaining real-life experience and for building your confidence and skills before you finish your course – and they may even lead to a job when you graduate.
• Our MA Culinary Arts Management course features an optional three-month or six-month placement on successful completion of the taught part of the course, with opportunities in the UK or overseas. You are required to secure your own placement with the support of our experienced HIRED team.

Career opportunities

• The example roles and salaries below are intended as a guide only.
  • Sous chef: Average salary: £30,000 - £40,000
  • Head chef: Average salary: £35,000 - £50,000
  • Catering manager: Average salary: £22,000 - £45,000
  • Product development chef: Average salary: £25,000 - £40,000
  • Restaurant manager: Average salary: £22,000 - £40,000
  • Food business owner/restaurateur: Variable

Meet your lecturers

• Professor Robert Swinnock: Deputy Dean for Quality and Student Experience
• Daniel Evans: Senior Lecturer in Postgraduate and CPD
• Lewis Walker: Head of Department
• Baboucarr Sanneh: Lecturer
• Bernhard Schumacher: Lecturer
• Candace Ocho-Stewart: Lecturer - Birmingham College of Food
• Mike Edwards: Lecturer