HOTO6011 Food, Drink and Culture Module Handbook 2026 | OBU

HOTO 6011 Food, Drink and Culture Module Handbook 

Purpose of this Handbook

The purpose of this Module Handbook is to provide you with specific information that underpins the design, delivery and management of this module. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the contents of this Module Handbook and to talk to your seminar tutor if you have any questions.

This is not the only handbook available to you. Alongside this handbook, you will also have access to the Institutional University Handbook, which will provide you with information that is central to your studies, including policies and regulations, student support and wellbeing and all the services available to you through Student Support.

You will also be given a Programme Handbook which will detail the design, delivery principles and management of your programme. It will also provide you with an overview of your key contacts for your programme of study and list all the modules you will be / might be studying throughout the duration of your award.

Section 1: Module Introduction

How this module contributes to your wider programme experience

This module is one part of a coherent package of modules that all contribute to the achievement of your programme learning outcomes (see your programme handbook for details) and to your student learning journey at Oxford Brookes.

Contribution to Education and Enterprise Strategy

As well as developing subject-specific knowledge, this module contributes to one or more of our core programme design commitments as part of our Education and Enterprise Strategy, specifically,

• Experiential learning – by providing opportunities to participate in field trips where you will have a chance to engage with inspirational practitioners from a range of sectors associated with food, drink, hospitality, tourism and events.
• Employability – by expanding your interest in and deepening your understanding of the social, economic, technological and environmental forces that are changing our relationship with food and drink. This will broaden your imagination, sharpen your analytical skills, and strengthen your capacity to synthesise information, which will make you a more interesting person and someone who can create value for an organisation and its stakeholders.
• Sustainable development goals (SDGs) – by helping you understand the role of food and drink in contributing to health and wellbeing (SDG 3); promoting practice that ensures food security, improved nutrition and sustainable agriculture (SDG 2); and advocating for sustainable production and consumption practices (SDGs 8, 12 and 13).
• Responsible management practice – by increasing your awareness of the factors that shape consumer and organisational decision making and the consequences of those decisions, encouraging you to be responsible managers and business operators. This will help you to make better and more informed decisions in the future.

Association with Other Modules

This module builds on the learning from the following module(s),

• Experience Economy, Global Industry of Tourism, Hospitality and Events, Business in Society, and Methods of Research in Hospitality, Tourism and Events

In addition, this module will prepare you for the following module(s),

• Research Project of Tourism, Hospitality and Events, and Entrepreneurship and Creativity Enterprise in Hospitality and Tourism

Module Leader

Overview of Role

Your Module Leader is responsible for the student experience within this module. They ensure that the teaching and learning approach will enable you to achieve all of the learning outcomes for this module and that all of the learning resources are made available to you. They also have a responsibility to ensure that you understand what is expected of you regarding the assessment package and that there are appropriate adjustments in place if you have any specific learning support entitlements. Your Module Leader will also ensure that the marking of your assessments is fair, consistent and reliable.

Changes Made to This Module in Response to Student and Other Feedback

Students are asked for feedback on their experience of every module at the mid-point of the semester and towards the end of the module. This is your opportunity to discuss with the module team what is working well for you, and more importantly, if there are things that concern you regarding this module.

The feedback you provide at the mid-semester point is used to provide additional guidance, support or clarification. The feedback you provide towards the end of the module is used, in conjunction with other data, to inform future module design and delivery.

Following the analysis of student feedback and module performance data for the last run of this module, there have been no major amendments made to this module.

Section 2: How Your Teaching and Learning is Organised

Module Aim

In this module, students explore complex relationships between food and drink, individuals and societies. They analyse a variety of factors that shape these relationships and examine their consequences for health, the environment, the distinctiveness of cultures, and the cohesiveness of communities. This module encourages students to think more critically and to argue convincingly about the extensive implications of food and drink-related practices for society.

Module Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate detailed knowledge of key theoretical perspectives on the production and consumption of food and drink, culture and society
• Apply theoretical perspectives to reveal the cultural significance of trends in the production, supply and consumption of food and drink
• Analyse theoretical and applied data relating to a specific research question
• Synthesise a range of ideas to construct a coherent academic argument set in an appropriate applied context
• Use appropriate techniques to convey understanding of the cultural significance of trends in the production, supply and consumption of food and drink

Module Teaching and Learning Strategy

• The module uses interactive lectures and workshops to develop students’ understanding of different theoretical perspectives on the complex relationships between food, drink and culture, including the construction of taste.
• Students are expected to examine and evaluate theoretical perspectives, including their application to practice, through class-based interaction and individual written work.
• Students can extend their knowledge through a range of activities, including guest lectures and interaction with food and drink professionals.

Module Teaching and Learning Resources

Presentation material, readings and exercises will be posted weekly before the workshops. Recordings associated with key topic areas will be made available via Moodle after the weekly workshops.

Reading List and Other Resources

An electronic reading list is available here: http://resourcelists.brookes.ac.uk/lists/0F3724F4- EF7B-281B-AA4A-3F677264C75A.html

There is no single set text for this module. Readings will be made available each week, and all the slides are referenced to encourage you to follow up on sources. However, here is a selection of recommended texts, the majority of which are also available electronically.

Goodman, M. K., & Sage, C. (Eds.). (2016). Food transgressions: Making sense of contemporary food politics. London: Routledge. (338.19/FOO)

Guptill, A. et al. (2023). Food and society: Principles and paradoxes. Cambridge: Polity. (394.12/GUP)

Sloan, D. (Ed.) (2013). Food and drink: The cultural context. Oxford: Goodfellow. (394.12/FOO; E-book also available)

Slocum R., & Saldanha A. (2013). Geographies of race and food. Farnham: Ashgate. (E- book, see the module’s Aspire reading list)

Warde, A. (2016). The practice of eating. Cambridge: Polity. (349.12/WAL)

Williams, S., & Nestle, M. (Eds.) (2016). Big food: Critical perspectives on the global growth of the food and beverage sector. London: Routledge (338.47664/BIG)

Key journals for this module

• Appetite
• British Food Journal
• Food and Foodways
• Food, Culture and Society
• Hospitality and Society

Module Study Plan

Section 3: How Your Assessment and Feedback is Organised

Module Assessment Strategy

This module follows the principles of the University’s Assessment and Feedback policy developed in conjunction with the Student Union, to ensure good practice and transparency in assessment and feedback processes. The Assessment and Feedback policy can be found on your Programme’s Moodle site.

Please note: the Institutional University Handbook which will provide you with information that is central to your studies, including policies and regulations, student support and wellbeing and all the services available to you through Student Support. The core information is also available on Moodle via the drop-down menu under ‘Student Help’.

Key Dates

Please ensure you submit your assignment no later than the deadline set above (these are fixed deadlines, but students may exceptionally secure an extension if last-minute untoward circumstances affect their ability to submit on time). Please see your Programme Handbook for more details. Please note that the use of this extension is monitored, and restrictions are in place for overuse. Exceptional circumstances guidance

If circumstances are preventing you from being able to study and meet the ongoing requirements of this or other modules, then please get in touch with your Academic Adviser or Student Support Co-ordinator for advice.

Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) Arrangements

Recommendations for Reasonable Adjustments are made in accordance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010. These are detailed in Inclusive Support Plans (ISPs) and need to be implemented unless there is a clear rationale for this not being possible, in which case we are accountable as a university for this decision.
Students who have an extension because of an ISP, please contact your Module Leader if you are unclear about your revised deadlines.

If you would like to request a review of your Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) or to have your needs assessed for an ISP, contact the Inclusive Support Service. on inclusivesupport@brookes.ac.uk

The Blue Marking Card adjustment is only available to students who have an Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) specifying this adjustment. New for 2025-26, Moodle dropboxes will ‘know’ who has a blue card and will notify the marker automatically. There is no need for students to add a blue card.

Inclusive Support Plan (ISP) extensions of up to 3 weeks are applicable for some students on all assignments in this module. If you have an Inclusive Support Plan, you can check the full details of the adjustments, including whether you have coursework extensions, in Student Self Service.

Academic Integrity

This module has a strong focus on teaching academic integrity, which will be integral to all of your studies and throughout your assignments. Academic integrity means doing your own work and giving credit to others for their work. It involves following good practice in all of your assignments and avoiding academic conduct problems such as plagiarism and other forms of cheating.

Academic Integrity Course

Before doing any assignments, you should complete the Brookes academic integrity course, designed for you to understand academic integrity and what it means in your approach to assessment.

Centre for Academic Development provides 1-1 support for students with understanding academic integrity issues in their work, such as when problems with plagiarism have been identified. The A-Z of online study resources is strongly recommended for guidance about academic integrity and all areas of your studies.

Library Guidance

Library guidance on citing references and plagiarism.

Oxford Brookes uses CiteThemRight for automatic guidance on how to reference sources.

Referencing and Understanding Plagiarism

Williams, K., & Davis, M. (2017). Referencing and understanding plagiarism (2nd ed). London: Palgrave Macmillan. (library e-book).

This book provides guidance about referencing any source in any system, and guidance about understanding good practice and avoiding plagiarism.

Student Investigation and Resolution Team (SIRT)

The SIRT team are responsible for academic conduct investigations at Oxford Brookes. Check the information about the regulations and procedures for investigations.

Academic Conduct Regulations

It is important to be aware of the regulations about academic conduct breaches to follow in order to avoid problems with academic integrity.

Proofreading

Check the University Policy on proofreading and the Centre for Academic Development's advice on editing and proofreading.

Backing Up Work

Generally, IT-related problems are not considered valid grounds for exceptional circumstances. This is because students are expected to back up their work regularly via their Google Drive, so that they can continue accessing their files on other devices. If you experience IT issues, you are expected to take prompt action to remedy these, for example, by raising a ticket with the IT Service Desk, taking your technology for repair or contacting your faculty if you need support with faculty-provided software.

If your own device is faulty, over 1,000 open-access PCs are available for use on campus, or you may borrow a laptop for up to four hours from one of the self-service cabinets on campus.

Coursework Brief

Summary information

Assessment Instructions

To demonstrate that the module learning outcomes detailed above have been achieved, you are required to prepare and submit the following.

Assignment Task

Produce an applied case-study, focusing on one social group’s relationship with food and/or drink, which adopts a clear theoretical perspective and provides an analysis of:

the key influences on the formation of this relationship (for example, issues surrounding culture, religious or ethical beliefs, ethnicity, class, gender or ecology); and the consequences of this relationship.

Defining the Group

The social group can be distinguished in many ways, for example by place (e.g. Java, Devon, Burgundy, Istanbul or the East-end of London), gender (e.g. male/female), age (e.g. teenagers, over 65s), ethnicity and culture (e.g. Vietnamese Hmong, the Sami of Norway), beliefs and values (e.g. Muslims, vegetarians), occupation/activity (e.g. nurses, tourists), family/life status (e.g. single mothers), or a combination of these.

We can be flexible regarding the social group, for example, you could choose a specific occupational community, an ethnic group living in a specific geographical location, or people in a particular organisational environment, e.g. prisons, care homes or even hospitals. It is important to identify a social group that you a) are interested in exploring, and b) can research using published material. Come and discuss your ideas with your tutor.

Examples of topics could be as varied as: ‘Members of London’s Bangladeshi community’s eating habits’; ‘Foodways of a Jewish diaspora’; ‘Drinking behaviours of office workers’; ‘Wine producers of the Champagne region’; or ‘Eating among working-class residents of Newham’. You need to decide the scope and focus of your case study!

Successful Candidates Will:

• provide a detailed discussion of the context for the case study and the social group being examined, with particular emphasis on how issues such as culture, ethnicity, class, gender or ecology are relevant to understanding this social group;
• consider the historical and/or contemporary issues affecting the social group’s relationship with the production and/or consumption of food and/or drink;
• discuss critically the consequences of particular factors and relationships (which could be social, cultural, health, environmental, economic, etc., and may be positive, negative or neutral);
• use a clear, well-researched and understood theoretical perspective (e.g. class, gender, ethnicity, ecology, culture, etc.) to analyse the social group and its relationship with food and/or drink;
• demonstrate a clear understanding of the relationship between the theoretical perspective and social practices;
• incorporate a wide range of references from academic and non-academic sources;
• structure the argument clearly, making effective use of headings/subheadings where appropriate;
• use the Harvard referencing system; and
• where appropriate, use a range of figures, diagrams and other illustrations to support the argument.

Indicative guide to the sections, content and our evaluation criteria

General assessor questions relevant for the entire work:

• Is the style and grammar appropriate for the level?
• Is the work logically structured, and are the different sections connected to form a coherent whole?
• Are full and correct Harvard references used throughout to support points?
• Is there a complete list of references presented (in the correct Harvard format) at the end of the work?
• Does the student rely excessively on quotes and arguments taken from existing works without evidence of critical appraisal?
• Can the student synthesise ideas and present them using their own words to show a strong grasp of abstract concepts, particularly as they are applied to understanding “real-life” practice?

Presenting Coursework for Assessment

Your assignment when submitted, should not include your name – we use a system of anonymous marking to reduce the risk of any unconscious bias.

The authentic and essential requirements for this piece of assessed work are:

• Assignments must be word-processed in 12 font Arial and double-spaced.
• All pages must be numbered.
• It must be black text on a white background.
• The assignment must be presented with a front cover showing the module number, module title and the word count. You should include your student number on the cover page or the submitted file name, but the work must NOT show your name anywhere.
• The specified word count refers to the main body and does not include the reference list at the back or appendices.
• Students are required to complete assignments in compliance with the specified word count. You will need to think carefully about how best to present your case within the permitted number of words, using, for example, as appropriate, a mix of text, images, figures and tables, supplemented by appendices, if necessary.

Assignment Length

The case study should be 3000 (+/- 10%) words in length and constitutes 100% of the marks for this module. Additional supporting material may be included in appendices, which are not included in the word count.

To pass this module, you must obtain an overall mark of 40%.

Whilst we acknowledge that learners will prepare and produce assessments in different ways and at different paces, it usually takes at least 63 hours of independent work to prepare a high-quality case study.

Submission Instructions

Your work must be uploaded to the ‘Case Study Submission’ box in Moodle by 13.00 (UK Time) on Friday, 24th of April, 2026.

Separate dropboxes will be available for draft submissions and for students who receive an extension because of ISPs or mitigating circumstances.

How Your Work will be Marked

Once the submission date has passed, your module tutors will begin to mark your work. There are several phases to this, which ensure fairness is maintained across the whole team, including a pre-marking calibration meeting, marking and post-marking internal moderation of grades. Following internal moderation, a sample of work is reviewed by the External Examiner for the programme to ensure that the standards applied are comparable to those at other institutions. To read how your work is moderated, please go to your programme handbook for details.

Feedback

Feedback on your work will be provided in a range of ways at various times throughout this module, and different feedback will serve slightly different purposes. Feedback is designed to support your learning and help you to improve subsequent work, so you need to engage and get the most out of the feedback provided.

Please note that feedback is provided throughout the module, not just on formally assessed tasks. It will be provided on your work and contribution in class, on the formal assessment tasks and, in some circumstances, during student office hours.

If you would like further information about feedback, or how to use it, please talk to your academic tutor on this module or your Academic Adviser or Programme Lead.

Please see Moodle for details of the assessment draft plan feedback arrangements, and extra support workshops. Formal feedback on your final case studies will be provided via Moodle.

Assessment Criteria Rubric