News and insights

Blog | What is the difference between a foundation year and a foundation degree?

You may have heard of foundation years and foundation degrees and wondered what the difference really is. In this blog, we look at both to help you decide whether a foundation degree is right for you.

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University helps to celebrate ten years of the Ladder Foundation

The Ladder Foundation welcomed esteemed guests and partners to an event on 5th March 2024 at the Houses of Parliament sponsored by University College Birmingham. The event was a celebration of the foundation’s success over the last ten years, with…

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UCB launches new foundation degree to boost managers' performance

Retail managers at Mitchells & Butlers are boosting their operational skills and career prospects with an online degree run by University College Birmingham.

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University College Birmingham first in the UK for recognition of foundation degree by Tourism Management Institute

One foundation and two undergraduate tourism degrees at University College Birmingham have been recognised by the Tourism Management Institute’s Scheme for Courses in Higher Education.

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New apprenticeship to help close glaring gap in patient services provision

An innovative new foundation degree apprenticeship built around a diverse “circuit” of placements in everything from mental health support for adolescents to working with prisoners has been given the green light to help close the gap in the region's patient…

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Nursing graduate who found his calling during degree wins student of year

A recently-qualified student who was part of the very first cohort of the University’s adult nursing degree at the height of the pandemic has won a top education award for going above and beyond during his studies.

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Blog | OJ vs Coca Cola: a dietitian's response

Confused by conflicting advice on healthy food and drinks? Megan Bridger, Lecturer in Dietetics at University College Birmingham, takes a look at the most recent controversy: is coca-cola a healthier choice than the humble glass of orange juice?

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Blog | Nursing Associate vs Registered Nurse: choosing the right path for you

Not sure which nursing course is for you? This blog will help you to find out which role fits your goals, lifestyle and future plans.

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Bakery students rise to the challenge on new degree course

UCB's first intake of Bakery and Confectionery Technology students have started working in the University's bakeries on a new foundation degree.

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Blog | How to pursue a career in healthcare without a degree

Did you know you don’t always need a degree to work in healthcare?

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Blog | Explainer: What is a top-up degree?

You might have heard the term ‘top-up degree' a lot without knowing quite what it is. How does it differ from a regular degree? Is it the right course for you? This blog will have the answer to all your…

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University College Birmingham in 2024: A year of sustainable growth

It has been a transformative year at University College Birmingham, as we reaffirmed our commitment to building relationships and laying strong foundations for sustainable development.

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Michael West is Young Chef of the Year finalist

Level 3 Professional Cookery student Michael West made the final of the British Culinary Foundation (BCF) Young Chef of the Year 2014.

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University receives British Psychological Society degree accreditation

Psychology degrees at University College Birmingham have received the official seal of approval from the leading professional association in the field.

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Are you the Languages Undergraduate of the Year?

TARGET jobs are searching the best universities in the UK to find an outstanding languages undergraduate of the year.

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Mental health nursing degree launched to meet shortage of frontline workers

University College Birmingham has invested in a raft of cutting-edge technology to support students on its new mental health nursing degree, launched to train a badly-needed workforce of qualified nursing staff to provide support in the region.

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Sports Management degree becomes first in the world to gain DMI accreditation

University College Birmingham's Sports Management degree has become the first course of its kind in the world to be accredited by the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI).

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New Two-Day Degree launched to remove biggest barriers to study

University College Birmingham has launched its Two-Day Degree study model for September 2026, opening doors to higher education for those locked out of university by cost, irregular timetables or work and caring responsibilities.

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Food and nutrition degree receives accreditation from top professional body

University College Birmingham has achieved formal accreditation from the Association for Nutrition (AfN), making its Food and Nutrition BSc (Hons) degree an AfN ‘accredited degree’ programme.

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Sean set to realise artisan bakery dream after FE to degree journey with UCB

Sean Brown, whose UCB journey has seen him rise from a 17-year-old Level 1 student with no plans to pursue a degree to a fully-fledged Bachelor of Science, is on his way to fulfilling his dream of running his own…

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The heat is on to find Young Chef of the Year

On Friday 21 February, the UCB kitchens were hotting up as Wing Yip, the UK's leading Oriental superstore, held the heats for Young Chef of the Year for the second year running.

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Innovative new degree open after Nursing and Midwifery Council approval

An innovative new nursing degree that will see students train in cutting-edge facilities to become registered nurses within a progressive healthcare landscape has been given the green light by the UK’s top body.

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Record year for student satisfaction at UCB

University College Birmingham is celebrating its best ever scores in the National Student Survey.

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Barchester Homes 'Chef of the Year' heat

Barchester Homes used UCB's kitchen facilities to host their competition for 'Chef of the Year' award 2014 as part of their annual care awards.

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UCB Aviation & Airport Management Degree students tour Birmingham Airport

The first intake of UCB's BA and FdA Aviation & Airport Management students took a tour of Birmingham Airport's landside facilities to get an insight into operations in the airline industry.

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UCB student is Oriental Young Chef of the Year

Culinary Arts Management degree student Joseph Vinten is celebrating after winning Wing Yip 'Oriental Young Chef of the Year' competition which took place at UCB.

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Blog | What’s great about having a Warwick accredited degree?

At present, the University of Warwick is accrediting over 30 courses that can be studied full-time and part-time. These cover a wide variety of subjects, including aviation, business, food, marketing, early years, events, finance and sport.

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Dream job awaits UCB bakery trainee – before she's even finished degree

Imagine landing your dream job before you have even finished your degree. For hard-working UCB student Hannah Parry that scenario has become a reality.

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Record year of competition success for UCB's College of Food

UCB’s College of Food is celebrating a record year of achievement in national and international competitions for 2015-16.

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UCB is National Hairdressing Federation College of the Year

UCB has been awarded the prestigious title of College of the Year by the National Hairdressers' Federation Awards 2014 (Central England).

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Jack hits the heights in Young Chef of the Year final

A UCB student is celebrating a top three finish in the prestigious British Culinary Federation Young Chef of the Year 2015 competition.

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UCB trained top chef at "Restaurant of the Year" for 2015

Former UCB student Brad Carter is celebrating after he scooped the title of Readers' Restaurant of the Year from the Waitrose Good Food Guide 2015.

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UCB Mat Shropshall is finalist for Chef of the Year 2014

UCB's Mat Shropshall will be having his skills put to the test as a finalist in the British Culinary Federation's (BCF) Chef of the Year Award 2014 – which is being held in the university kitchens today.

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University of the Year in 2022 national student choice awards

University College Birmingham has won University of the Year in the 2022 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA), the leading higher education awards based solely on student choice.

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Basking in another record year of culinary trophies and medals!

Chef lecturer Mathew Shropshall didn't think things could get much better than last year, when UCB's student bakers, cooks and front-of-house protégés proudly took home a record number of awards from some of the biggest competitions in the UK and…

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Shortlisted for University of the Year in Student Choice Awards

University College Birmingham has been shortlisted for University of the Year in the 2022 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA), the leading higher education awards ceremony based solely on student choice.

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Student Blog | What I wish I'd known before starting my degree

I don’t know about everyone else but when I started university, I was oblivious in pretty much every aspect of my life!

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Sports therapy graduate wins best injury clinic for second year in a row

Sports therapist Stacey Naylor – who set up her own clinic just after graduating from University College Birmingham where she received huge help with her dyslexia to gain her degree – has won a top award for the second year…

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Chef graduates who found love on degree make Britain's 100 best local restaurants

Tropea Italian restaurant has been named among Britain's 100 Best Local Restaurants in the Good Food Guide - and it all started with a love story at University College Birmingham.

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Festive bumper roundup: an award-winning year in hospitality and tourism

We look back on another year of achievement and adventure at the Department of Hospitality and Tourism

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Student Blog | Accommodation tips from a final year student

If you are joining University College Birmingham in September and still haven’t sorted out your accommodation for the year, keep on reading...

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Louis lifts the title at inaugural Student Chef of the Year contest

A brand new competition featuring some of the brightest young chefs in the country has been won by a talented student from University College Birmingham.

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UCB English lecturer wins Teacher of Year at national awards

A UCB lecturer won Teacher of the Year at a set of UK awards celebrating outstanding, pioneering and innovative work in the development of English.

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Emily crowned University College Birmingham Young Chef of the Year 2017

A schoolgirl whose chocolate dessert would "grace any restaurant" has been crowned University College Birmingham's Young Chef of the Year 2017.

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British Judo award caps stellar year for medal-winning Max

A budding British judo star studying at University College Birmingham has capped off a fantastic year of achievement by scooping a national award.

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Student Elliot makes BCF Young Chef of the Year final

FdA Professional Cookery student Elliot Lawn has been named a finalist of the British Culinary Federation Young Chef of the Year competition.

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Tweet a pic about #MyUCB – and win free food for a year!

University College Birmingham and the Handmade Burger Company have team up to offer an amazing prize for one lucky student – free food for a year!

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International winner and Uni of the Year runner-up in student choice awards

University College Birmingham has won the International award and was crowned University of the Year runner-up in the 2023 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA), the leading higher education awards based solely on student choice.

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UCB student wins second at prestigious Young Chef of the Year Peru competition!

Culinary Arts Management student Ryan Sharpe has beaten students and industry professionals from all over the UK to come second in the Young Chef of the Year Peru competition, which was held this month at Westminster College in London.

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Bumper roundup: celebrating another cracking year for our college of food

In 2023, students and alumni won even more awards and even topped a Good Food Guide list, while our Restaurant at Birmingham College of Food made it big on the map of places to eat out in the region. Read…

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Minnie overcomes lockdown challenges to mark first year of mobile catering business

A hospitality student from University College Birmingham has offered tips and encouragement for other budding business owners as her mobile catering firm approaches its first anniversary.

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University’s food stars begin two-year journey to Culinary World Cup

A team made entirely of current and former University College Birmingham students will be flying the flag for England at one of the world's biggest culinary contests.

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College of food trio celebrate wins at UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year awards

Team of students wins three trophies at this year’s UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year Awards.

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Second Uni of the Year crown up for grabs as university bags nine award nominations

University College Birmingham is in the running for an incredible nine accolades at the 2023 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA) – and could be named University of the Year for the second year in a row.

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Aaron McLaughlin wins Wing Yip Oriental Cookery Young Chef of the Year 2017

A talented young chef from the Honourable Society of Lincolns Inn has won the coveted title - Wing Yip Oriental Cookery Young Chef of the Year 2017.

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TV chef Glynn Purnell and SORTEDfood's Ben Ebbrell back search for UCB Young Chef of the Year 2018

Celebrity chef Glynn Purnell and internet cooking star Ben Ebbrell have been unveiled as judges for the final of University College Birmingham's Young Chef of the Year 2018.

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Project Runway: Level 3 students pull off sensational end-of-year fashion show

Level 3 Hospitality with Events and Theatrical Special Effects, Hair and Media Make-up students put on a night to remember this month in an end-of-year creative showcase with a difference.

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University’s “future-ready” health education to drive delivery of 10-year NHS plan

University College Birmingham’s new learning and teaching strategy is set to play a critical role in meeting the ambitions of the new 10-year NHS Plan, launched to transform the health and care workforce over the next decade.

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Graduate named Young Chef of the Year as College of Food quartet star in BCF final

Four young chefs from University College Birmingham have showed their culinary class after going head-to-head in the final of a national cooking competition – with one taking the top prize.

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Mastering the science behind fish fingers and mayo: year 10 students get stuck in at UCB's Food Science Week

Students from six local secondary schools got to grips with the fascinating science behind some of our favourite food with a packed programme of food and science workshops at UCB last week.

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New Year New President

The start of the 2013 academic year also sees the start of new UCB Guild president’s term in office.

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New degree apprenticeship pledges to address nurse recruitment difficulties in Birmingham

A “distinctive” new adult nursing degree apprenticeship at University College Birmingham (UCB) could provide the answer to the rising number of NHS vacancies advertised in the city.

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Aesthetics students to receive “life-saving” skin cancer surveillance training

University College Birmingham has teamed up with a national charity to train undergraduates in how to spot the signs and symptoms of one of the UK’s most common and fastest rising cancers.

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Elouise and Natasha are Dermalogica Students of the Year

Two UCB Beauty students were named Student of the Year by Dermalogica for their outstanding work and commitment in all areas of their studies.

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Rhian's research work opens door to a master's degree

A research scholarship with a top London institution has led to a former UCB student starting a master’s programme.

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Antoine Sitz at the Ritz for dream degree work placement

A French hospitality undergraduate at UCB has completed a dream work placement at one of the world’s most renowned hotels in his home country.

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Gemma is Make-Up Artist of the Year

UCB lecturer Gemma Richmond has been named Make-Up Artist of the Year by the British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology (BABTAC).

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International blogging sensation set for bakery degree at UCB

International blogging sensation Marko Josipovic is all set to make his mark on Birmingham. The Croatian teenager is about to start his BSc (Hons) Bakery and Patisserie Technology at UCB and plans to update the many followers of his site…

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Tom tops table with first class degree in Culinary Arts Management

Former UCB student Tom Price, who was made head chef of a Wiltshire hotel and restaurant just three-and-a-half months after finishing his course, has graduated with a first in Culinary Arts Management BA (Hons).

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Catarina wins stage in South America as Superfoods Peru Young Chef of Year

A Culinary Arts Management undergraduate at UCB has won the chance to work at an award-winning restaurant in South America after being crowned Superfoods Peru Young Chef of the Year.

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Chef lecturer Richard prepares for Chef of the Year finals

Richard Dutton, Chef Lecturer at UCB’s College of Food, has been selected for the final round of the British Culinary Federation (BCF) Chef of the Year award. He will be joined by fellow chefs from some of the most highly…

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Record year for UCB's competition bakers

University College Birmingham posted its best ever performance in the country’s top competition for student bakers. The UCB team scooped a record 11 first prizes at the Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees annual conference at Alton Towers in Staffordshire.

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UCB English lecturer wins Teacher of Year at national awards

A UCB lecturer won Teacher of the Year at a set of UK awards celebrating outstanding, pioneering and innovative work in the development of English.