Advanced Diploma in Catering Management

Purpose

The Advanced Diploma in Catering Management has been designed to enhance the technical, practical and managerial knowledge and skills of graduates in the field of catering. In general, the qualification has been designed to develop a deep and systematic understanding of current thinking, practice, theory and methodology in catering management. The qualification also aims to develop the ability of graduates to identify, analyse, critically evaluate and respond appropriately to complex contextual and practice-related challenges in a volatile environment. As the qualification is targeted primarily at those employed in a full-time capacity, it will also require students to address their learning needs in a self-directed manner.

Upon completion of the qualification, graduates should possess the requisite knowledge and skills to perform managerial functions and responsibilities at an operational level in a wide variety of sectors within the catering industry; inter alia, food service providers, events and conferencing, transport catering, and welfare catering. Typical jobs that students should be able to occupy upon completion of the programme include: Food Production supervisor, Catering coordinator, Events co-ordinator, private chef, entrepreneur, Chef de Partie, food outlet manager, and food service manager.

Rationale

According to the Government Gazette No. 40827 (2017: 7), "the South African hospitality and tourism sector is one of the best performing economic sectors in South Africa. It has the potential to increase jobs, foreign exchange earnings in the short, medium and long term, and has a tremendous multiplier effect over other economic sectors." And as this sector in South Africa is forecast to grow even larger, so too will the demand for suitably qualified and trained catering management staff. Based on the afore-mentioned, as well as the significant number of enquiries received by the department of Hospitality and Tourism from Catering Management graduates for a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) 7 qualification, the Faculty of Management Sciences has decided to develop the Advanced Diploma in Catering Management.

The qualification was also developed with a view to offering students learning and career pathways, with opportunities for articulation into other qualifications within and across tertiary institutions, more especially, the Postgraduate Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality, with specialisation in Catering Management, which is currently under development at the Durban University of Technology, with a view to being offered from January 2021.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an RPL policy in place that allows candidates access to higher education by recognising their prior learning (completed qualifications, short courses and work experience). RPL applications for the institution are received by the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). The candidates are required to complete a RPL application document. Accompanying the RPL application must be certified copies of all previous qualifications and a comprehensive portfolio reflecting extensive work-based learning.

Once the institution's RPL coordinator has deemed the RPL application as being complete, the portfolio will be sent to the relevant academic department for evaluation. The department's RPL committee assesses the candidate's portfolio thoroughly against the relevant learning outcomes, and credits/exemption may be granted for some modules in the qualification, and/or admission may be granted into the qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirements are

• National Diploma in Catering Management (360 Credits).

Or

• Diploma in Catering Management (360 Credits).

Or

• An appropriate 360 Credits Diploma.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Modules

• Research Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Project Management, 16 Credits.
• Advanced Services Marketing, 16 Credits.
• Strategic Catering Management, 16 Credits.
• Catering Financial Management 401, 16 Credits.
• Advanced Entrepreneurship, 16 Credits.
• Events Catering, 16 Credits.
• Culinary Science, 16 Credits.

1. Examine and address complex challenges specific to the catering industry.
2. Use appropriate tools to enhance decision-making and improve the performance of a catering division/establishment.
3. Develop creative and resourceful responses to problems and issues in the context of new circumstances, using evidence based and theory driven arguments.
4. Develop professional practice and act ethically with various stakeholders in the catering industry.
5. Demonstrate the ability to access, process and manage information gathering; while independently validating the sources of information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• The impact of food safety issues, food insecurity, and the demand for higher quality foods on a catering establishment are assessed.
• Cost-Volume-Profit principles in menu engineering and the pricing of meals is applied.
• The relationship between the physiological and psychological effects of food intake and food choice is examined.
• Communication principles relevant to event management are applied.
• Innovative solutions for enhancing organisational competitiveness are developed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Management and financial accounting tools are effectively used to aid decision-making.
• Hygiene and safety standards are observed, and a risk assessment is undertaken.
• The feasibility of an event is established, and the correct procedures for bidding for events are described.
• Management tools and techniques appropriate for conceptualising and developing an appropriate schedule and budget for a project are employed.
• An integrated marketing communications strategy for a catering establishment is developed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• The role of genetically modified foods in hunger management is assessed.
• The nature and importance of financial, marketing, legal, human resource, operations, and general management knowledge and skills to successfully launch and operate a new venture are critically discussed.
• Departmental statements for revenue and support centres of a catering enterprise are prepared.
• Identify the various issues involved in a situation, weigh them up and make a rational decision.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Case studies of successful entrepreneurs are examined with a view to establishing the 'secrets' to their success.
• The role of the various authorities involved in the planning and approval processes of event catering operating licences are identified and evaluated.
• An event catering plan as per site and client requirements is prepared.
• The right of employees to be treated fairly and equitably, and in conformance with the relevant labour legislation is explained.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Cash flow statements and cash budgets for catering enterprises are prepared.
• Sources of support for small businesses and entrepreneurs are identified and assessed.
• Research criteria is determined; research proposal and problem statement is developed.

Integrated Assessment

Aligned to institution's Assessment Policy, regarding integrated assessments for the Advanced Diploma in Catering Management:

• The assessments will be aligned with the stated learning outcomes for the qualification.
• Appropriate assessment tools will be used to establish that learners have achieved the stated learning outcomes.
• Assessment will be systematic, regular and formative, and feedback to the students about their progress toward exit level competence will be timeous and constructive.
• The assessment practices will be open, transparent, fair, valid and reliable, and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever.

The assessment of the discipline specific modules will be integrated into the assessments for Project Management; Strategic Catering Management, Advanced Services Marketing; Advanced Entrepreneurship, and Research Methodology. The integrated assessments will make use of a range of formative and summative assessment tools to assess combinations of practical, applied and reflective competencies, and may include: written assignments/projects; written tests, and case studies. For example, case studies in the above-mentioned modules will be contextualised in a catering environment, and the development of a research proposal in the Research Methodology module will be based on a real-world catering 'problem'.