Program Overview

Programme: Bachelor of Consumer Science specialising in Food Management

The BConSci degree affords students the opportunity to enrol for a degree in Food Management with the option to specialise in either food retail or hospitality management.

Programme Information

Food retail management covers the entire food supply chain in one programmefrom farm to fork. The food retail programme focuses on incorporating not only the fundamentals of food preparation, food service management, nutrition, food safety and hygiene, but also recipe development and standardisation, consumer aspects of foods and sustainable food retail logistics. Emphasis is placed on future retail trends, such as omni-channel retailing, blockchain and the creation of immersive customer experiences. The programme also includes various marketing and business modules. In order to fit into the dynamic world of retailing, candidates need to be inquisitive, confident team players with good numerical and organisational skills and a degree of commercial awareness.

Hospitality management seeks to prepare students for employment with leading food companies, master chefs working in top kitchens and other experts in the food and hospitality industry. Graduates will not only learn to create exceptional dishes, but will also be involved in culinary art, food product development, recipe development, food styling, large-scale food production, restaurant management and events management. Various marketing and business modules are also included in the programme. To fit into the vibrant, innovative and creative hospitality world, candidates must be team players who are curious by nature and service oriented, and have a passion for food and the hospitality industry. If you have boundless patience, perseverance and creativity, this degree is perfect for you.

Admission Requirements

• Achievement level: NSC/IEB
• English Home Language or English First Additional Language: 5
• Mathematics: 4
• APS: 28 Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS. Applicants currently in Grade 12 must apply with their final Grade 11 (or equivalent) results. Applicants who have completed Grade 12 must apply with their final NSC or equivalent qualification results. Please note that meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission.

Programme Structure

The programme is structured over four years, with the following minimum credits required for each year:

• Year 1: 133 credits
• Year 2: 138 credits
• Year 3: 145 credits
• Year 4: 81 core credits, 66 or 64 elective credits

Core Modules

The following are some of the core modules included in the programme:

• BEM 120: Marketing management 120
• EKN 110: Economics 110
• EKN 120: Economics 120
• FRK 111: Financial accounting 111
• FRK 122: Financial accounting 122
• FSG 110: Physiology 110
• FSG 120: Physiology 120
• INF 183: Informatics 183
• OBG 111: Design principles 111
• OBS 114: Business management 114
• OBS 124: Business management 124
• STK 110: Statistics 110
• VDS 111: Basic food preparation 111
• VDS 121: Basic food preparation 121

Elective Modules

The following are some of the elective modules included in the programme:

• FST 412: Sensory evaluation 412
• VDS 400: Quantity food production: Restaurant and event management 400
• VDS 401: Experimental foods 401
• VDS 417: Consumer aspects of food 417
• VDS 427: Food retailing and visual merchandising of food 427
• VHM 410: Hospitality management 410

Practical/Clinical/Internship Information

• OPI 400: Experiential training in industry 400
• Students specialising in Food Retail Management must complete a total of 480 hours experiential training in the industry.
• Students specialising in Hospitality Management must complete a total of 600 hours experiential training in the industry.

Pass with Distinction

A student obtains their degree with distinction if a weighted average of at least 75% is obtained in the following modules:

• BEM 314: Marketing research 314
• BEM 321: Marketing Management 321
• VDB 420: Food service management 420
• VDS 354: Food safety and hygiene 354
• VDS 413: Recipe development and standardisation 413
• VBR 400: Food research project 400
• VDS 427: Food retailing and visual merchandising of food 427 (or VDS 400: Quantity food production: Restaurant and event management 400)