Curious about studying Hospitality Management - FdAat University of Essex? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Foundation Degree in Arts - FdA
Colchester Campus
Full Time
Oct 2026
2 Year
A world of opportunities is waiting for you. Graduates of this programme could go onto careers in the UK or overseas in hotels, restaurants, spas, cruise ships, airlines, events and visitor attractions. The course includes an integrated work experience placement in Wivenhoe House, a 4* country house hotel on Essex’s Colchester campus. With a student experience unlike any other, it may come as no surprise that 95% of our graduates are in full-time employment or further education (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024). After completing the FdA you will have the opportunity, subject to satisfactory performance, to continue with your studies and finish with a BA degree. This course is not suitable if you need a Student Visa to study in the UK. At Essex you will gain the knowledge and industry connections to launch your career in hospitality management. You will develop your hospitality skills and business management understanding to open up a world of opportunities in this growing industry. You will study topics including: - Change management and hospitality business innovation - Gastronomy and food trends - Finance and macro-economics - Event planning and venue management - Human resources management - Digital marketing The Edge Hotel School experience is unlike any other student experience, where you will have the best of both worlds. Not only will you graduate from a well-renowned university - you will develop your industry knowledge and professional skills by gaining valuable experience in Wivenhoe House, a fully-commercial 4* hotel alongside your studies.
This module introduces you to the regulatory frameworks for corporate bodies in the UK and sets the key financial documents into context (such as profit and loss, cash flow and balance sheets). Financial ratios and comparative measures are described and analysed in the context of micro-economics both internally and industry wide.
This module will enable you to analyse the macro, micro and internal business environments in which international hospitality and events businesses operate. A comprehensive understanding of the environments that an organisation operates in will enable you to interpret situations and allow you to make decisions that add value for stakeholders. The focus of the module is on the external and internal influences on organisations and the effect these have on business practices and internal aspects of organisational life. Contemporary business issues will be studied as they arise.
This module will introduce you to the importance and centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within hospitality and event businesses. You will understand the different types of customer and factors that will influence their behaviour and expectations. The module will identify the components of effective customer relationships enabling you to develop the knowledge required to effectively deliver customer excellence.
The module aims to develop your understanding of gastronomy as well as current trends in food and beverage and how culture, societal expectations and consumer demands influence the food and beverage offerings of events, restaurants, hotels and other food establishments. It will provide you with an understanding and insight into food and beverage commodities, how they are created and used as well as the processes used in the sourcing, purchasing, production and service of food and beverage within the events and hospitality industry.
This module will introduce you to the concept and importance of the centrality of the customer experience as fundamental to all activity within a hotel business. The module will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on and take part in delivering customer excellence within the various functions of the hotel operation.
This module will enable you to acquire the understanding and knowledge of the operational characteristics of a high quality hotel business enabling the business to achieve its objectives. You will understand and use basic KPIs and costing skills and utilise relevant technology to enhance business performance.
This module will introduce you to Conference and Events, which is a major supporting revenue stream for venue space hire, food and beverage sales, and accommodation demand within a hotel. The module will provide you with an understanding of the planning, organisation, delivery and evaluation of events, including taking a client brief, conducting a venue show-round, administration procedures, budgeting and risk management.
This module will equip you with a range of management and leadership skills to support your career development in the hospitality and event industries. You will identify how reflective practice enhances the effectiveness of managers, and assess your own skills set, identifying areas for development. You will show appreciation of the types of management skills that are transferable from academia to the work of hospitality and event managers, building on from the skills outlined within the Continual Professional Development module studied at level 5, for example team working, delegation and self-management.
This module offers a broad overview of sustainability concepts as they apply to the tourism, hospitality, and events sectors, with consideration of social, economic and environmental perspectives. The module requires you to experientially engage with debates by devising, presenting and carrying out a meaningful project, which relates to sustainable practices in the tourism, hospitality and events sectors. It promotes key sustainability competences by encouraging you to critically reflect on your project and its impact on stakeholders. These projects may take a wide range of forms and pursue diverse goals, encouraging you to address real-world sustainability needs within these sectors. The module will cover an array of topics and activities across the sessions. Each session includes essential and recommended readings to support your preparation and extend your learning. Please note that the schedule may be updated during the module to ensure it continues to meet the learning objectives. This module is built around a group project that focuses on identifying and addressing a specific social, economic, and/or environmental issue. Working collaboratively, you are required to design, implement, and complete a small-scale sustainable project.
This module will develop your understanding of the underlying themes and forces acting on an organisation relating to its digital business, and in particular e-marketing. This is an evolving and growing aspect of modern marketing and you will research different strategies used throughout all industries to gain customers and improve brand recognition. You will learn about revenue management and the use of data to inform decision makers when maximising revenue in hospitality and events.
The purpose of this module is for you to consolidate your professional and personal learning and to focus on the development of techniques and strategies for self-management of your continuous professional development. You will develop critical self-reflection skills as well as provide an understanding of the role and relevance of research for managers in decision making. The module will also provide opportunity to develop a range of skills to prepare you for career advancement and employment opportunities.
This module continues your development from the level 4 Hospitality Operations by providing you with the opportunity to develop the knowledge of supervising teams as well as aspects of operational management. You will develop further the knowledge and application required for the successful planning and organising of your team for the delivery of products and services to customers in all aspects of hotel management operations. You will understand the value of data to inform managers on trends, performance and analysis. You will review the use of technology applied to the running of a hospitality business.
This module will enable you to analyse current contemporary issues that impact on management, staff, operations and customers within the international hospitality industry. Contemporary management practice will be studied within changing organisational, consumer and environmental contexts to enhance your understanding of factors that impact on competitive positioning within the industry.
This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills gained in Hotel Operations and Customer Experience by providing you, within a supervisory capacity, the opportunity to develop the skills required to deliver customer excellence. You will develop a greater understanding of the tangible and intangible components of the customer experience and reflect on how the components need to be in place operationally to exceed customer expectations.
CC Grades/points required
Not currently available, please Contact University for up to date information.
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