This degree, jointly delivered by Birkbeck and Le Cordon Bleu London, provides a firm foundation in culinary techniques and management studies that are not only applicable to food businesses but also across other service industries.
Students will gain experience of a real food business work environment through an internship component whilst also developing their academic, practical and interpersonal skills. The programme enables students to develop their research and presentation skills together with their ability to design, develop and implement systems that assist in the successful operation of a food business.
Graduates will be equipped to enter a variety of management careers in the food industry, including retail, product development, restaurants, hotels and marketing.
Birkbeck is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in teaching, research and consultancy in the broad field of management. Our academic staff are active researchers as well as enthusiastic teachers, and regularly publish cutting-edge articles in the world's leading journals.
For postgraduate degrees please visit the Master of Science in Culinary Innovation Management programme page and the Master of Science in Hospitality Innovation Management programme page.
Foundation Year
If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree.
In the Foundation Year, students take four core modules which total 120 credits. These are all taught at Birkbeck, University of London. Upon successful completion of these modules, students move to the three-year, full-time BBA Culinary Industry Management programme which is taught at both Le Cordon Bleu and Birkbeck.
Entry requirements: 96-112 UCAS tariff points (+64 points for Foundation Year). Applicants will be expected to have grade C in GCSE-level English and Mathematics. If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with no less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. All students must be aged 18 years or over.
Please note that students will have to purchase uniform and knife kit for the practical lessons at additional cost.
*The 2025-26 home fee was £9,535, this fee may be subject to an inflationary increase in 2026-27, depending upon UK government announcements on the tuition fee loan cap.
You take compulsory modules in each year, plus 30 credits worth of options in years two and three. You also complete a work-based project in year three.
Year one
Year two
Year three
At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.
Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.
In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.
Methods of teaching on this course
Teaching is through lectures, class and small-group discussions, student-led seminars, presentations and group exercises, individual assignments and supervised independent research. These take place at both Birkbeck and Le Cordon Bleu London.
You will also have access to a virtual learning environment where all information and materials relating to the course and modules are made available.
Teaching hours
Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm) at Birkbeck and between 6.30pm and 9.30pm at Le Cordon Bleu. Some Birkbeck modules also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.
On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars or workshops. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).
Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.
Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.
On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.
Methods of Assessment
Examinations, including practical examinations for the culinary modules, and coursework in the form of essays, case studies, presentations, group-work tasks and in-class tests plus a final research project.
Status: Fully Approved
Awarding body: University of London
Graduates will be able to pursue careers in areas such as:
• New product and recipe development
• Concept development
• Food production management
• Food and beverage management
• Training
• They may also wish to set up their own business.
Graduates of this programme have gone on to become:
To apply for this course, please visit the Birkbeck course page. All applications must go through UCAS.
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