Hello everyone!
This week I wanted to write a little introduction to the first year of my course. If you are reading this, I assume you are thinking of enrolling on the Bakery degree and want to find out what it’s like.
First of all, I would recommend you visit this site for basic information like entry requirements and how to apply.
Below is all of the modules you can study in year one, a description of what they entail and my personal opinions studying them. (Please note – the course has changed since I did these modules and so some experiences may differ now. This is just my opinion and does not represent everyone’s experience.)
Year 1:
Artisan Bread – Production and Appraisal
What UCB say:
“The production of Artisan bread products, developing the hands on production skills and analysing the technical aspects of producing a number of different fermentation and dough development styles within the sector.”
What I thought:
I did this module in my first term at uni and I really liked it. The bread we made was delicious and I would often find myself walking back to the maltings in the evening after a long practical, completely devouring an entire focaccia. I was nervous about the practical side of the module but my lecturer, Richard, was very good at helping everyone get to the same level. It was a great start to my time at UCB.
Bakery and Confectionery Science
What UCB say:
“This module will provide students with an introduction to bakery science in terms of both cereal science and finished products. Principles of the core food molecules (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) and specific processes such as fermentation and raising agents will be described using bread, cakes, biscuits and pastry as examples.”
What I thought:
I loved the topics this module covered. I had learned a lot of the material previously in my Food Technology A-level, but it didn’t matter because it was a good refresher. I love learning the science behind how stuff works and why different reactions in bakery happen. It’s then exciting to go into practicals – for example baking our wedding cakes, and understanding the science behind why it rises in the oven. We had a written exam paper at the end of the module and it wasn’t at all as hard or daunting as I was expecting.
Food Safety and Hygiene
What UCB say:
“This module provides students with an introduction to the main food hygiene theories and practices, in particular, current food hygiene legislation requires food businesses to develop and implement a food safety management system based around HACCP, students will learn how to devise and implement such a system. There will be a series of practical sessions to demonstrate the theory.”
What I thought:
I found this module interesting but a little harder than I was expecting. It was one of my first uni assignments and it ended up being one of my lower grades. However, I believe this was because I didn’t fully take advantage of all of the help and resources available at the time (future blog post to come on this topic) and if I went back and did them now, I’d be much better prepared.
Specialist Confectionery
What UCB say:
“You will be encouraged to develop your specialist confectionery skills whilst gaining a deeper understanding of how ingredients work together in order to form specific products. A main focus of this module will be the examination of specialist ingredients such as flour, sugar confectionery and chocolate.”
What I thought:
This was possibly my favourite module of year one- I learnt so many new skills. I had never attempted chocolate work before and seeing my final outcome was possibly the proudest I have ever been of myself. It was hard work, but I loved the freedom we were given when choosing our theme/decorations for our chocolate wedding cake.
Introduction to Patisserie
What UCB say:
“You will develop skills required to produce a range of patisserie products. The specialist areas include pastry, fillings, sponges, mousses, glazes and desserts. This module also provides the opportunity to explore history and origin of patisserie products and how they become contemporary classics.”
I didn’t do this module as when I was in year one, the course was bakery and confectionery technology. Instead, I did both of the optional modules below.
Options:
Diet and Nutrition
What UCB say:
“You will learn about human nutrition including energy balance as well as individual nutrients, deficiency and toxicity issues. Health-related problems associated with diet will be examined. You will also consider special diets with regards to allergens and intolerances, medical conditions and the dietary impacts of religious, cultural and moral beliefs.”
What I thought:
I found this module really fascinating! I learnt some really interesting stuff about different types of diets and the research that actually surrounds them (my favourite area being the debate surrounding protein- is Atkins right or is actually really harmful?!). I had Helen as a lecturer and she was so lovely and always willing to help. I met up with her several times when writing my assignments and she was always willing to give me valuable feedback.
Managing for Profit
What UCB say:
“You will be provided with a basic understanding of factors that can affect profit in the food and bakery industries. This module integrates three core areas: finance, organisational behaviour and marketing, highlighting key theories and models as well as giving you the opportunity to work on current industry scenarios.”
What I thought:
As someone who disliked maths at school, I was surprised to find that the finance part of the module was my favourite bit. I also really liked the assignments we were given as they were managing and marketing focused, but using bakery related case studies which meant they were very relevant to what I am interested in.
I hope you’ve found this little break down of the course helpful! I may do another one about my second year, but in the meantime, please feel free to comment/email any questions you may have.
Until next time,
Ellie x