Study Hospitality: A sure-fire way to elevate your potential

12 Dec 2017

If you’re looking to study hospitality, you’ll soon understand that this profession is built on a two-way street: exceptional customer satisfaction results and employee gratification. If the consumer is content, you are likely to receive a similar sense of fulfilment. Of course, the topic itself covers a diverse range of roles; including event planning, hotel administration, transportation and tourism management. But what it all comes down to is how well you master the skill of service…

This highly-sought after subject flows into many facets of everyday life. When you grab your morning coffee, the smile you receive from staff is a form of hospitality. When you’re in a mad rush at the airport and frantically searching for your lost ticket, the hospitable employees are there to calm you down. When you look closely at your daily routine, you can see that this industry is everywhere.

A career centred around hospitality is paired with a key understanding of customer welfare. As cliché as it may sound, you must place yourself in their shoes and treat the public and your co-workers with equal respect. A positive attitude and an engaging approach places you on a promising path to a fruitful future.

This is a degree that flings the doors of opportunity wide open. Obtaining a qualification in this field doesn’t just apply to client-based positions – that’s why so many students choose this trade: because your potential is undoubtedly limitless.

As the Institute of Hospitality (IOH) mentions in their blog, “in terms of employee numbers and revenue, our sector is one of the largest in the world”. They also add that “management standards are an important technical resource that reinforces hospitality management as a true profession.” That’s why organisational theory and business practice are core elements to any hospitality and tourism degree.

If you’re seriously considering a career in hospitality and tourism, get ready for a challenging and ambitious learning venture. Patience is key, not just with your audience but with the degree itself. Allow yourself the space and time to grow professionally and always ask for assistance if you feel unsure. There are many tourism principles and development projects associated with this degree that will boost your talent, and to get the most out of your future profession, studying the craft will surely boost your confidence, elevating you to a prominent position. With a credible qualification like this behind you, you’ll feel ready to take on the competitive jobs market.

Here’s a selection of outstanding universities connected to the world of hospitality and tourism…

DALARNA UNIVERSITY – SWEDEN

Situated in ‘the heart of’ Sweden, Dalarna University offers prime course packages in both the Bachelor and Master format. By harnessing the true essence of hospitality, the institution has formulated the International Tourism Management programme. Remarkably, this is Sweden’s only BA-level tourism degree taught entirely in English.

Dalarna delivers applied practical knowledge and a thriving international community in order to support its dedicated students. You’ll reap the benefits of a cutting-edge curriculum and cross-cultural syllabus, leaving Dalarna equipped with a sought-after global advantage. There’s even potential to learn about the current market trends in tourism and dynamic techniques – topics students love to delve into in the expansive on-campus libraries.

Fuelled by an ever-growing industry, the school has also produced a Master programme in Tourism Destination Development. By adding this degree to their collection of courses, Dalarna students can now participate in exclusive excursions and study abroad programs to prepare you for the international tourism industry. With the vision to “create pathways to knowledge for a good society”, this school can’t wait to guide you through a transformative learning journey.

LES ROCHES INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT – MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

With its worldwide hubs of hospitality, Les Roches is right in the centre of the hotel management movement. Choose from exotic study locations like Marbella, Chicago and Jin Jiang in China, and thrive off a mission to rapidly evolve the tourism industry.

Les Roches takes great pride in its global employment rate of 89 percent – and the International Hospitality Management programme proves to be a popular choice among applicants. As Les Roches campuses are spread across the world, the university attracts a diverse range of learners from a range of backgrounds, allowing you to interact, discuss topics and share ideas with peers.

Recently, Les Roches has launched its Future of Hospitality Entrepreneurship programme, blending five key components that shape the world today. The school hopes to highlight the direct link between digital services and the hotel guest’s experience – that’s why Les Roches is one of the top tourism contributors.

HOTELSCHOOL THE HAGUE – NETHERLANDS

Hotelschool The Hague (HTH) was founded in 1929 and is one of the remaining independent single sector schools in the Netherlands. Overseeing the school’s performance are long-term Board of Directors members and the Board of Trustees. Keeping close to their traditional ways, HTH bases its values primarily around the word ‘hospitality’. For instance, the H stands for honest and the S stands for sustainable.

In fact, the research group the House of Hospitality has been making headlines in Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) by implementing a new training and support programme. This is an innovative platform that the school has created to expand hospitality services in the city.

If you were to study here, you’d become part of a bigger network as well as being involved with your student community. On their information page, the NSE ranking factsheet is available for potential learners to see where HTH stands with the National Student Survey. They scored high for general atmosphere and many would recommend their chosen course to a friend.

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY – UK

Times Higher Education (THE) recently ranked the University of Surrey within the Top 300 in the 2018 World University Rankings. With this accomplishment behind them, many students are attracted to their specialised School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM).

As a leading teaching and research centre, there are a range of resources available for trainees who are desperate to get stuck into the hospitality trade. They’ve even got a new library and learning centre for you to read up on research texts and informative travel manuals. Or, if you’d rather, there are electronic resources available, too.

If you’re looking to take on a degree here, you may be interested in the university’s MSc in Strategic Tourism Management. This scheme sews together a full-time study structure with optional modules like digital marketing and human resource management. Skills like these are ideal to take with you into the global travel sector.

DUBLIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY – UK

The Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) directs students towards a space of distinctive teaching and stimulating research environments. This technological university conducts research through two main institutes: Focas, and the Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI). So, if you’re fascinated by the digital age and the impact it has on innovation and development, these organisations are likely to be of great interest to you.

The BA qualification in Hospitality Management is currently in-demand. Through an industry-based curriculum, you will meet experienced lecturers and skill tutors who possess an in-depth knowledge of this selected field. The institute insists on using a range of academic learning styles so learners are well-equipped for the working world.

As technology is a key tool for education, DIT investigates effective ways to use digital devices on top of ways to incorporate them into lesson plans. With state-of-the art lecture theatres and superb facilities, you’ll feel at home with DIY’s hospitality programmes.

*Some of the of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International