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Professional Chef at University College Birmingham - UCAS

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2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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University College Birmingham has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Course summary

OVERVIEW If you aspire to work in high quality establishments – such as restaurants and pubs featured in the Michelin Guide, or those awarded AA rosettes – our Professional Chef foundation degree is a great way to gain valuable knowledge and hands-on training that will help you craft your culinary career. Ideal for chefs qualified to Level 3 or those with relevant industry experience, this practical Professional Chef course focuses on culinary skills and will enable you to work with a wide variety of high quality food commodities, as well as developing your food service skills. Working in our industry standard training kitchens under the guidance of our expert chef lecturers, you will also learn about the use of seasonal produce and sustainability, as well as developing transferable skills which will allow you to move between different kitchen styles. Our renowned Birmingham College of Food has outstanding links with the industry, meaning you will have access to a wide range of guest lectures, visits and other activities. You will further enhance your employability through a work placement in a top industry kitchen, while you will also be able to forge the contacts that could help shape your future career. WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

  • Work placement – Gain valuable real-world experience on placements, with past students having worked at Michelin-starred restaurants and top establishments in locations around the globe
  • Enrichment – Engage with the industry through a variety of activities including guest lectures and demonstrations, masterclasses and visits, as well as further employment opportunities
  • Expert tuition – Learn from some of the best chefs and food professionals in the industry while studying in our state-of-the-art kitchen facilities on campus
FACILITIES University College Birmingham is renowned for its outstanding food industry training facilities. As a student on our Culinary Arts Management course, you will have access to our professional standard kitchens which are used regularly for prestigious competitions, as well as our Food Science and Innovation Suite which features the latest food testing and diagnostic technology, state-of-the-art development kitchen facilities and a bespoke sensory evaluation room. In addition, we have an AA Rosette Highly Commended restaurant on campus – Restaurant at Birmingham College of Food – which is open to the public and will arm you with hands-on skills, from serving fast food to silver service. PLACEMENTS You will undertake short work experience placements in the second year of your course, offering a potential stepping stone into a career and providing a valuable boost to your CV. Employers we have worked with include Carters of Moseley, Clayton Hotel (formally Hotel La Tour), Opheem, Sky by the Water and The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel. CAREERS AND PROGRESSION Examples of careers you could pursue following this course:
  • Head chef
  • Sous chef
  • Pastry chef
  • Catering manager
  • Food technologist
  • Product/process development scientist
You could also progress onto the final year of a full BA (Hons) degree, such as our Culinary Arts Management degree course at University College Birmingham.
  • Please refer to our website www.ucb.ac.uk for the latest updates to this course

Modules

YEAR 1

  • Advanced Culinary Skills
  • Specialist Patisserie
  • The Gastronomist
  • The Science of Food
YEAR 2
  • Advanced Culinary Techniques
  • Innovative Patisserie
  • Kitchen Management Techniques
- Profitable Menu Development

Assessment method

Note: Indicative information only. Actual timetables and assessment regimes will be issued at your induction. Please be aware that methods of delivery for this course may be altered due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – for the most up-to-date information, please refer to our website: www.ucb.ac.uk ASSESSMENT Estimated breakdown of assessment for this course:

  • Coursework – 50%
  • Practical assessment – 50%
Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy 2021-2024.

How to apply

31Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
D500
Institution code:
B35
Campus name:
University College Birmingham
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Students who are studying a mixture of qualifications will receive an offer that will be inclusive of all Level 3 qualifications. For example, our standard offer would be - A minimum of 56 UCAS Tariff points, from a combination of your Level 3 Qualifications must obtain a relevant Level 3

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
Cambridge English AdvancedLevel B2BA/BSc - Minimum 170 with no less than 160 in any skill FdA/FdSc - Minimum 160 with no less than 150 in any skill
IELTS (Academic)BA/BSc - Overall score of 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in each component FdA/FdSc - Overall score of 5.5 with no less than 5.0 in each component
Institution's Own TestBA/BSc - Overall score of B2 with no less than B2- in in each component FdA/FdSc - Overall score of B2- with no less than B1+ in in each component

To apply for all undergraduate degrees, if your first language is not English, you will need to sit an approved test in English.

UCB English Language Requirements

http://www.ucb.ac.uk/our-courses/international/english-language-requirements/english-language-requirements-table.aspx

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
65%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
80%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Republic of Ireland £9250 Year 1
EU £13500 Year 1
International £13500 Year 1
England £9250 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 Year 1
Scotland £9250 Year 1
Wales £9250 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

UK: If you are a UK student enrolling on a Foundation Degree or a BA/BSc at University College Birmingham in 2021/22, your fee for this academic year will be £9,250. A half year tuition fee is £4625. This is a yearly fee, and will increase with inflation in subsequent years (in line with the government’s permitted rise). If you are an English student studying your first higher education qualification, you can apply for a tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company. You will not start repaying this loan until you leave the course and are earning over £25,000 a year. If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you should apply to Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland, or SAAS. The loans and grants available to you will differ from those available from Student Finance England. UCB does not charge for 24 or 48 week placements. More information about UK Fees please go to our website here - https://www.ucb.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/undergraduate-fees/ EU and International: More information about International Fees please go to our website here - https://www.ucb.ac.uk/our-courses/international/tuition-fees-and-scholarships.aspx
Professional Chef at University College Birmingham - UCAS