BMIHMS Students Explain What You Actually Learn in a Bachelor of Business International Hotel and Resort Management

To prepare hotel professionals adequately for their industry roles, any quality bachelor’s degree in hotel management must involve learning that goes far beyond the subjects you study.

That’s why at the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS) at Torrens University Australia all bachelor students experience wholistic, immersive learning; this means not only learning key theories, but also putting theory into practice in our simulated hotel campus and completing real-world work experience through industry placements.

These are some of the unique learning experiences you’ll encounter in a Bachelor of Business (International Hotel and Resort Management) at BMIHMS. Your full education will provide you with: 

• Practical and hands-on training through the simulated hotel 
• A broad range of subjects addressing all hotel functions and departments 
• Enriched learning for hotel leaders and entrepreneurs
• Five-star industry placements at top hotel brands

Practical and hands-on training in the immersive training hotel

By the time you graduate, you’ll have the confidence to walk straight into a job with the skills you need to succeed. 

For the first and second year, bachelor's students live and work in the simulated hotel on the Leura campus before moving to the Sydney campus for the final year. 

The simulated hotel features: 

• Three restaurants and a café, each run by students
• Hotel front office where students use industry-standard software
• Commercial kitchen
• Commercial housekeeping facilities
• All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) provided during terms

While studying, you rotate between different roles and departments, gaining experience across each area and learning about all aspects of operations. You will be a hotel guest, staff member, area manager and student, all at the same time.

“Because the school runs as a simulated hotel, the restaurant where you eat is the same place where you learn food and beverage skills. The beds you sleep in are cleaned and made with the same standards as that of housekeeping. And of course, my favourite, the room you stay in has been checked in with the same software and computers that are used in the hotel industry,” said Bailey Wootton, a Bachelor of Business (International Hotel & Resort Management) student.

This allows for graduates to enter the hotel industry job-ready and confident of the foundational skills they’ve gained through their studies. 

“The practical. hands-on learning was incredibly helpful for when I entered into the industry. When I started my placement and actually worked in the real world, the things I learnt at BMIHMS were exactly what I needed to know for my job,” added Bailey.

Study all areas of hotel management

To be an effective leader in the hotel industry you must develop a broad understanding of how the whole hotel operates, from housekeeping to finance. Some of this can be learned on the job, but many fundamental areas of operations must be studied in depth. 

The diverse range of subjects you will study have been designed to give you this essential, whole-of-business training. 

Core subjects you will study in first year include: 

• Accounting
• Cross Cultural Studies
• The International Hospitality Industry
• Food and Beverage Operations Management
• Sales and Marketing

Core subjects you will study in second year include:

• Business Law
• Economics
• Human Resources Management
• Operations and Environment Management
• Management Accounting
• Rooms Division Management 
• Hotel and Resort Planning and Design

Core subjects you will study in third year include:

• Services Marketing
• Organisational Development and Change
• Revenue Management
• Hotel and Resort Facilities Management

"BMIHMS gave me the practical and theoretical knowledge to work across different departments of a hotel, and to fully grasp an understanding of how they all effectively work together, which has helped me immensely in the industry today," said Brendan Deveign, a Bachelor of Business (International Hotel & Resort Management) graduate.

Enriched learning for hotel leaders and entrepreneurs

Many students come to BMIHMS wanting more than an education; they have dreams and ambitions they someday want to fulfil. Perhaps they want to start their own boutique hotel, work all around the world or become a senior manager for their favourite luxury brand. 

As educators, we’re passionate about helping students develop the leadership and entrepreneurial capacity they will need to be able to realise these ambitions. To do that, we provide enriched learning for industry leaders. This means you receive extra support and guidance from BMIHMS teaching staff, as well as additional training, success coaching and access to professional development services. 

BMIHMS has spent years cultivating excellent industry connections with top hotel brands that grants our students unique access to global hotel leaders, who feature as guest speakers in classrooms, as well as industry placements at dream locations.

In addition, all students are offered their own personal student Success Coach, and have access to the Careers Connect professional development and support service. 

In addition to core hotel management subjects, BMIHMS also offers the following subjects:

• The Leadership Experience
• Ethical Business Management
• Business Management and Entrepreneurship
• Management and Leadership

“The guidance and resources that I received from professors and staff shaped me to become the professional that I am today. Having a combination of practical and theoretical learning developed my confidence and skills to be prepared for the industry. Choosing BMIHMS has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” said Paulina Arreaga, a Bachelor of Business (International Hotel & Resort Management) graduate.

“I found the assessments that required research into real hotel practises invaluable, as it equipped me with knowledge of the best practises in the industry. It helped me feel more confident and prepared me for entering the industry,” said Sze Ting Neoh a Bachelor of Business (International Hotel & Resort Management) student. 

Five-star industry placements

Each year, all Bachelor of Business, International Hotel and Resort Management students have one core industry placement subject they are required to complete, which is equal to a total of 1200 hours over two years. From the very beginning you start learning on-the-job in some of the world’s top hotels, as well as in the classroom. 

Many of these industry placements are paid, allowing students to become more confident and comfortable in the work environment even as they earn money and progress through their degree. 

BMIHMS has spent years cultivating excellent relationships with our premium industry contacts. Because of these special relationships, we are able to offer our students industry placements at some of the world’s best five-star hotel and resort brands. 

These include: 

• Marriott
• Hilton
• Four Seasons
• Hyatt
• Sheraton
• And many others.

"Industry Placement taught us to not be scared of the unknown and that we are capable of anything, even if it's unfamiliar territory," said Brendan.

“My first placement was in Sheraton Grand Mirage, Gold Coast, as a food and beverage attendant. I was able to learn how to work under pressure and build on my problem-solving skills in a real hotel setting. I became a better listener and it helped enhance my language skills,” said Paulina.

Learning how to become a leader in the hotel industry involves far more than learning all the right management theories from a textbook. It requires a wholistic approach that involves theoretical knowledge, practical skills and professional development. This is why BMIHMS continues to lead the way in producing the industry’s most sought-after graduates.