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Events, Hospitality and Tourism Management

Events, Hospitality and Tourism Management

You're a people person that enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and creating memories of a lifetime for your customers. You want to see the world and build a successful career at the same time.

Apply now in Clearing

An EHS student providing oversight of an event set up

Undergraduate degrees

Start your journey into the vibrant world of tourism, hospitality and events management with us at the Edge Hotel School. You'll study within the luxurious settings of a four-star hotel - Wivenhoe Park Hotel, and gain the expertise to orchestrate seamless guest experiences, mastering the art of planning and executing memorable events.

Why study Hospitality and Events Management?

The tourism, hospitality, and events industry is a global sector with limitless opportunities. Have you ever thought about working in upscale hotels all over the world? Perhaps you’ve considered becoming a director at a theme park or even starting your own business as a sommelier or wedding planner.

Studying hospitality and events management at the degree level complements these aspirations by offering a comprehensive education and a diverse skill set, equipping you with organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills. This degree provides practical knowledge directly applicable to the industry, global perspectives, and networking opportunities.

It opens doors to higher-level positions, enhances credibility, and fosters personal development. Whether you aspire to work face-to-face with customers or prefer working behind the scenes, the hospitality and events industry, with its dynamic nature, offers creative freedom and the potential for a fulfilling and diverse career.

Why study with Essex?

Study with the Edge Hotel School, the first university in the UK with a fully operational 4-star hotel on campus – the Wivenhoe Park Hotel. Upon joining us, you'll gain valuable work experience alongside your studies, preparing you for a seamless transition into the workforce upon graduation.

We have robust industry connections, giving you the opportunity to collaborate with businesses consultancy projects (Tourism, Hotel Management and Hospitality Management) or event project (Events Management with Hospitality and Events Management), offering first-hand exposure to businesses that can shape your future career.

Not only will you study within a 4-star hotel environment, you'll actively participate in running conferences, events, dining services, reception, reservations, and room bookings through rotational study, providing a comprehensive understanding of hotel operations.

You'll benefit from exceptional career support with modules covering various disciplines like Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, and Entrepreneurship. Graduates acquire versatile knowledge and skills, opening doors to diverse and rewarding roles in Hospitality and Events Management. The Edge Hotel School's Annual Careers Fair facilitates networking opportunities, connecting students with representatives from across the UK.

Our students have also pursued additional self-organised work experience placements with renowned establishments like Shangri-La The Shard, Red Carnation Hotels, and Marriott, leveraging the School's industry connections.

Why study here?

Gain experience at a fully operational luxury hotel alongside your studies.
Interact with companies and business leaders across the industry, building connections to support you after graduation.
Explore stunning 5* hotel and event spaces during field-trips and your consultancy projects, giving you a glimpse of life in the events and hospitality industries.

Edge Hotel School enjoy trips to numerous external organisations, including luxury hotels, corporate event spaces and popular landmarks.

Our students benefit from field trips to industry partners across the spectrum of events and hospitality including luxury hotels, corporate event spaces and popular landmarks.

A student sits on a bench outside a hotel chatting to her colleague

Wivenhoe House provides the stunning backdrop to the integrated practical experience across all of our courses

Courses available

Undergraduate degrees

The unique design of the degrees with the Edge Hotel School mean you will graduate with years of work experience, connections with leaders all across the hospitality, events and tourism industries and a continued support network from the school and the university as you enter the working world. All of our 3 year undergraduate degrees also offer the opportunity to take a year abroad.

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Course options:

Study Abroad

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Course options:

Study abroad

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Course options:

Study Abroad

Final Year Entry

If you already have a related level 5 qualification and are looking to specialise in the hospitality and events industry, or would like to level up your professional career, we offer the option to join the final academic year of the relevant degrees; you will then graduate with a full BA degree.

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Foundation courses

Our Foundation courses cover the first 2 years of our BA degrees. You will have the same opportunities as those on the BA courses including the work placements at Wivenhoe House Hotel. After completing the FdA courses you will have the opportunity, subject to satisfactory performance, to continue with your studies and finish with a BA degree.

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Study mode:

Full-Time

Colchester Campus

Career prospects

At the Edge Hotel School, operate an industry engaged learning model. From the beginning of your degree, you will be working various rotations within Wivenhoe House Hotel, giving you experience in various sections of the hotel and events management that will boost your employability options after graduating. Not only are you able to work in a real hotel and on genuine events, serving real customers and facing real challenges, but our courses have also been designed to offer you as much exposure to the industry and its current practices as possible.

With our annual EHS careers fair with representatives from across the UK, the Annual Student’s Conference with a networking event in London in the evening, visiting guest lecturers and field trips to relevant companies. Find out more about careers and employability from the Edge Hotel School.

Masters and PhD degrees in Hospitality and Events Management

It takes more than knowledge to succeed – it takes experience, strategy and understanding. Edge Hotel School is the first hotel school of its kind in the UK, with learning and student experience bolstered by the use of its own fully-commercial luxury country house hotel, Wivenhoe House. Our Masters programme, led by Edge Hotel School and delivered in collaboration with Essex Business School, gives its students a deeper understanding and experience of the international hospitality industry alongside the strategies of successful management. We also have the opportunity for you to study a research degree with us, earning your PhD.

In a sector that is growing in cultural and geographical diversity, this Masters will equip you with the essential skills to manage teams across cultures, build international business strategies and understand the ever-advancing requirements needed to succeed in a management career anywhere in the world.

Why study here?

Learn from an exciting combination of renowned experts in management and experienced hospitality and events professionals.
Create a wide ranging network of professional contacts to create exciting opportunities and bolster your career prospects.
Develop a global understanding of one of the world's most exciting and innovative industries.

Meet the Edge Hotel School

Meet the School Masters degrees within the School Careers and employability Our industry partnership Scholarships and funding

With consultancy projects as part of the curriculum, this gives a unique opportunity to work on projects with industry titans, helping you gain not only knowledge, but networking skills too. We are also encouraged to attend and help at industry events such as the Independent Hotel Show and the Master Innholders Leadership Conference. The consultancy project with Exclusive Collection ended up being my first hotel “home and family” for the following 5 years of my career!

Oliver Harris BA Hotel Management, 2016

A student walking on campus at the University of Essex.

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