Culinary Arts

Bachelor of Business

Culinary student presenting food
Culinary student presenting food
Type of Programme
Full-time
Number of Places
32
Duration
3 Years
Course Code
MT 555
Entry Requirements
223 CAO Points in 2023 and meet minimum entry requirements as listed below
Application Deadline
See CAO for details
Location(s)
MTU Bishopstown Campus, Cork
Course NFQ Level
Level 7

Catherine O’Mahony

T: +353 (0)21 433 5842

Email: (email)

Overview

The culinary arts make a significant contribution to the worldwide hospitality and tourism industries. The key aim is to develop a well-educated graduate with the ability to learn and adapt to meet new challenges in both their education and professional development. We have a strong emphasis on student centred learning, using methods which include formal lectures, tutorials, visiting lecturers, site visits, and both individual and team project work.

Students study modules such as Culinary Arts Principles, Larder and International Cuisine, Food Safety, Creativity, IT, Management, Kitchen Design, Wine Appreciation, Operations and Business subjects. The work placement is an intrinsic part of the programme in terms of developing the students understanding of the organisation and its procedures, as it gives experience in a real-life setting. It is supported by a staff member, who works with a workplace mentor, to ensure that each student achieves their maximum potential.

The Tourism and Hospitality building is one of the foremost in the country and includes modern production kitchens, IT laboratories, a demonstration theatre, training restaurants, training bar and fully equipped classrooms.

In the past, students under the guidance of an experienced academic staff member, have won prestigious titles such as the “Knorr Chef of the Year”, TV3’s “Head Chef”, and the “Dunhill Cuisine Award for Best Commercial Food Product”. With their tutors’ guidance, students also regularly compete in competitions such as AEHT, CATEX, and Eurotoque and have successfully won prizes in all of these competitions.

What will I study?

First year at a glance

  • Culinary Operations, Larder and International Cuisine
  • The importance of food safety principles
  • Introduction to Information Technology (IT)
  • Learn about kitchen design and sustainability
  • A knowledge of business calculations in the hospitality sector
  • Develop the skills to manage catering and culinary businesses
  • Build the skills and knowledge to manage the ‘front of house’ side of restaurants
  • Learning about food and the food developed in various cultures
  • Industry placement

Modules

What is a Module?

A module is a standalone unit of learning and assessment and is completed within one semester. A full-time student will normally study six modules in each semester; part-time and ACCS (Accumulation of Credits and Certification of Subjects) students will have flexibility as to the number of modules taken.

The button below provides a link to all of the University's approved modules for this programme.

View Modules

Entry Requirements

Entry 2024

For admission to a programme, standard applicants must

  • score the necessary CAO points and
  • meet the minimum entry requirements

Leaving Certificate in five subjects i.e. O6/H7 in five subjects. The five subjects must include Mathematics and either English or Irish grade O6/H7.

 

For Non-EU International Entry Requirements please visit https://www.mtu.ie/international/non-eu/.

Career options

Employment Opportunities

Graduates work in a range of diverse organisations of the food sector, ranging from senior chefs in 5 star hotels, gourmet restaurants, stylish bistros to catering and events companies and food product companies, along with food education. Many graduates go on to establish their own business. A culinary arts degree provides a wide array of opportunities to work in other countries in both culinary and food related fields.

  • Hotels and restaurants
  • Food marketing and product development
  • Pastry and confectionary
  • Training and education
  • Food writing and styling
  • Culinary manager in the industrial sector

Progression

Further Studies

Suitably qualified graduates are eligible to apply for entry to the one year add-on:

  • Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Culinary Entrepreneurship or
  • Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Hospitality Management

Honours degree holders who achieve the specified level of academic performance are eligible to apply for a postgraduate course of study, both at MTU and at other third level colleges in Ireland and abroad.

Graduate Testimonial

Aisling Moore

Chef/Proprietor, Goldie

I studied both Culinary Studies and a Bachelor of Culinary Arts at MTU. My studies in the Department of Tourism & Hospitality provided me with the fundamentals of professional cookery, the particulars of running a hospitality business and a fantastic network of colleagues.  I apply many of these skills every day at my restaurant Goldie.

  • McKenna’s Guide Chef of the Year
  • Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Winner
  • Examiner 100 Women of 2023
Graduate profile photo of Aisling Moore BBus in Culinary Arts

Graduate Testimonial

Christina Leopold

Addicted to Dates - Vegan Food Blogger, Food Photographer & Author

Completing the Bachelor of Business in Culinary Arts at MTU helped open my eyes to the many possibilities that lie within the food sector. I learned business and practical skills that helped me enter the food industry with an open mind and helped equip me with the knowledge to pursue my entrepreneurial goals. Having worked in several areas of the food and hospitality industry, I’m now happy to be able to combine many skills that I learned in the course as a full-time content creator, recipe developer, food photographer, and author.

Graduate profile photo of Christina Leopold BBus in Culinary Arts
Group of Culinary students walking on campus

Preventing food waste and promoting sustainability

Department of Tourism and Hospitality

Watch the video

Question Time

Culinary Arts provides a broad range of learning which combines the skills of business management with the skills of culinary activity. This provides an ideal combination of skills for the successful operation of many food related business enterprises.

 

Culinary Studies is a course more specifically designed for those who aspire to be chefs and it therefore focuses on the key skills required by chefs at all kitchen levels, in larger or smaller operations.

There is a mandatory work placement over the entire summer at the end of year 1.

Quite a number of graduates have opened their own businesses such as restaurants or food service companies or have gone on to develop and produce a food product for retail sales.

Follow Us