Hospitality Management (BA (Hons)

Working in the hospitality industry is all about giving people a truly memorable experience. Running a great restaurant, maintaining a beautiful hotel, or putting on the best club nights makes for a rewarding and challenging career.

Our BA Hospitality Management degree will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to thrive in a growth industry that employs approximately 1.9 million people in the UK alone.

UEL is conveniently located a short walk away from London City Airport and some of the capital's most famous venues - including the Excel Centre and O2 Arena - and learning in London gives you access to some of the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions in the world. Take a look at our own guide to East London to see what's nearby!

The course is designed to give you a great head-start in your career; it is accredited by the Institute of Hospitality and you'll enjoy placements and guest lectures held with industry leaders across the capital.

Our extended foundation course is perfect if you want a degree in hospitality management but don’t have the standard entry requirements. We prepare you for your degree during the foundation year, bringing you up to speed with academic skills and a firm grounding in the subject. You can then go on to study for a full undergraduate degree.

What You'll Learn

The course covers a wide range of topics that are essential for a career in hospitality management, as well as broader themes in business management that will root your understanding of hospitality in the wider business environment, helping you to remain flexible in the job market and contribute more to your employer.

Course Structure

The first year is focused on building your key skills in hospitality management while cementing the basics of good business, such as people management and marketing. 

In the second year, you will study core modules that cover different practical aspects of hospitality management, including service delivery, finance, leadership, and food and beverage management.

You will also have the chance to choose from a number of optional modules that allow you to focus on themes such as e-business, destination marketing, social media, or events. You will also have the option of undertaking a work-based project that takes the form of a real internship at one of our industry links.

The third year is the overseas placement year for International Hospitality students or the final year for those taking the core BA programme. This year you will focus on an individual Research Project, Consultancy Project, or Enterprise Project (for Hospitality Entrepreneurship students), giving you the chance to apply your skills to a practical project of your choice. You will also study core modules covering innovation and enterprise, conferences and events, and food culture with further optional modules to choose from.

How You'll Learn

We pride ourselves on giving students a fantastic experience and great support from day one. We're an inclusive university with a close-knit community of students and our teaching reflects that.

Teaching is delivered through a diverse range of methods, not only to develop your different skills but also to enrich the learning experience. As well as traditional seminars and lectures, you'll have the chance to go on field trips across London, learn from guest speakers, and gain useful, practical experience.

Ultimately, hospitality management should be fun and give you the chance to express your creative ideas in a professional environment – we want your student experience to be as great as your future customers will be.

When you begin this course you'll join a cosmopolitan community of students in small classes to learn the fundamentals of the subject through a mixture of lectures, seminars, and workshops. In addition to formal teaching time, you'll be expected to put in independent study to enhance your learning, supported by our online digital materials, handbooks, notes, and other resources.

London is one of the greatest hospitality and culture hotspots in the world and we have connections with many major organisations in the industry across the capital. We're privileged to share the region with major players including: 

• The Excel Centre – London's major events and conference venue

• The O2 Arena

• The Olympic Park

• Westfield Stratford

• Stratford Youth Zone

Our students also have access to many of the thousands of recognisable names throughout the capital and our links with industry stretch across the world. When you're not observing professionals in action, we'll be bringing them to you with a programme of regular guest speakers who will keep you informed and inspire you for the career that lies ahead of you.