Professional Chef FdA
University College Birmingham
Key Course Facts
Course Description
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?
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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
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Enrichment – Engage with the industry through a variety of activities including guest lectures and demonstrations, masterclasses and visits, as well as further employment opportunities
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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:
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Head chef
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Sous chef
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Pastry chef
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Catering manager
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Food technologist
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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
Student Reviews
Below you can see course specific reviews for 20 graduates of Professional Chef FdA at University College Birmingham for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Food and Beverage Studies.
Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.
All Food and Beverage Studies courses of University College Birmingham
Salary
Salary of Graduates of Professional Chef FdA at University College Birmingham
Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Professional Chef FdA at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.
| 15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median salary | £23000 | £23500 | £21000 |
| 25-75 percentile range | £20000 - £25000 | £21000 - £25500 | £15000 - £31000 |
All Food and Beverage Studies courses of University College Birmingham
Salary of all UK Graduates of Food and Beverage Studies
| 15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median salary | £23304 | £25445 | £29652 |
| 25-75 percentile range | £19696 - £25891 | £19313 - £31609 | £21902 - £36644 |
All Food and Beverage Studies courses of UK
What You Will Learn
Programme content: As a student of Professional Chef, FdA you will study the following course modules.
Year 1
Year 2
Jobs & Career Perspectives
15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.
All Food and Beverage Studies courses of University College Birmingham
Current jobs
Job in line with future plans
Utilise skills from studies
Work is meaningful
Required skill level of job after 15 months
% Skilled jobs
Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)
Example below based on all graduates of Professional Chef FdA at University College Birmingham
| 80% | Skilled trades occupations |
| 5% | Administrative occupations |
Entry Requirements / Admissions
Minimum Required UCAS Tariff
A relevant level 3 qualification in Chef Catering, Professional Chef/Cookery or Food Preparation and Cooking (NVQ, VRQ, VTCT etc.)
UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for this course
All Food and Beverage Studies courses of University College Birmingham
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
| test | Grade | Additional Details |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge English Advanced | BA/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 Test | BA/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 |
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still be able to join Professional Chef, FdA.
Costs
Tuition Fees Professional Chef FdA
| EU | £12500 | year 1 |
|---|---|---|
| International | £12500 | year 1 |
| England UK | £9250 | year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250 | year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | year 1 |
Additional fee information
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
Average student cost of living in the UK
| Rent | £518 |
| Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) | £50 |
| Supermarket shopping | £81 |
| Clothing | £35 |
| Eating out | £33 |
| Alcohol | £27 |
| Takeaways / food deliveries | £30 |
| Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) | £24 |
| Holidays and weekend trips | £78 |
| Transport within city | £17 |
| Self-care / sports | £20 |
| Stationary / books | £13 |
| Mobile phone / internet | £13 |
| Cable TV / streaming | £7 |
| Insurance | £51 |
| Other | £95 |
| Average student cost of living | £1092 |
London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.
How to apply
Application deadline:
January 1, 2024
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.
Possible Entry Points:
- year 1 (Default entry point)
University Rankings
Positions of University College Birmingham in top UK and global rankings.
See all university rankings of University College Birmingham
About University College Birmingham
University College Birmingham (UCB) is a university located in Birmingham, England, which specialises in vocational courses for both the higher education and further education sectors. The majority of UCB’s undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are officially accredited by the University of Birmingham, one of the highest ranked academic institutions in the world.
Where is this programme taught
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