What do you learn in a Master of International Hotel Management

Whether you want to move your career ahead or step into the hotel industry for the first time, a Master of International Hotel Management degree is a great option to fast track your career.

However, the term ‘international hotel management’ represents a broad field encompassing lots of different transferable knowledge, skills and competencies.

So, what do you really learn in a Master of International Hotel Management; and are the knowledge and skills really something you need to study or can you learn them on the job?

Practical knowledge and skills training through hotel simulation and placements

People often think that studying a course is the opposite of learning on the job. However, the truth is actually very different. As well as in-class learning, a good master of hotel management course should also include simulated workplace learning and real-world opportunities to gain valuable, structured work experience.

In fact, one of the biggest benefits of getting a master’s degree is the access to paid work placement opportunities that come from a school’s access to industry partners.

These partners also often hire new recruits directly from the pool of graduates. At the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (BMIHMS), for example, every master’s student completes up to 600 hours of industry placement as part of their two year course. These placements count as subjects and often lead to employment.

“The practical knowledge and skills I gained at BMIHMS has given me the confidence to succeed in my career and empowered me to become a future leader in the industry,” said Hairul, a 2021 graduate.

As well as providing students with employment opportunities, the exposure to actual and simulated workplace training you gain with a master of hotel management helps to develop job-ready, industry relevant skills before graduation. At BMIHMS, part of Torrens University Australia, students now get to practise soft skills with the use of a VR simulated hotel in addition to training across all departments within the simulated hotel spaces for applied training.

“From now through to my future career, I will always uphold the world-class standards that BMIHMS have instilled in me. I’ve been equipped with invaluable employability skills that have empowered me to be successful in this industry," says Rose, a 2021 graduate.

The different Hotel Management skills that you will learn

These are some of the innovative ways in which studying hotel management can be combined with on-campus and virtual workplace training.

Essential hotel management skills you get to learn and practise with a Master of International Hotel Management include:

• Different communication and conflict resolution styles
• In-demand soft skills, such as empathy, emotional intelligence and listening
• Problem solving
• Different leadership styles
• Managing a team effectively
• Prioritising, multitasking and effective time-management
• Self-teaching and learning on the job
• Managing stress under time pressure
• Core subjects: theoretical knowledge every hotel manager must have

As well as training in essential workplace skills, such as communication, a Master of International Hotel Management also involves learning some foundational operations and management concepts that are essential to running a successful hotel business today.

Social media marketing strategies, revenue management, hotel divisions and operations, data analysis, guest experience management, innovation and sustainability: these topics are all ‘must-study’ for anyone who wants to be an industry leader today.

“The course syllabus really resounded with me, and I knew it was going to help me to achieve what I wanted, giving me that knowledge I was craving. The course is structured in such a way that it helps you put the guest at the centre of everything,” said Daniel, a 2019 graduate.

If you aspire to be the manager of a large international hotel brand, you need to have a sound understanding of the industry, current changes in consumer behaviour and technology, and how to innovate and guide your business through periods of upheaval. You can learn a lot on the job, but to get across crucial topics like these above, you will need to study.

The subjects in a Hotel Management course

The core subjects you learn in a Master of International Hotel Management at BMIHMS, Torrens University Australia are:

Year one

• Hotels and the Guest Experience
• Managing Food and Beverage Operations
• Management of Rooms Division
• Service Design and Management
• Contemporary Hotel Marketing
• Leadership for Global Hospitality
• Hotel Finance and Revenue

Year two

• Business Research for Hoteliers
• Entrepreneurship for Hospitality Leaders
• Independent Critical Analysis Projects
• Strategic Hotel Management
• Industry Placement

In addition to core subjects, a typical two-year master’s course in hotel management will also allow you to choose from several elective subjects. Electives in the Master of International Hotel Management at BMIHMS include:

• Business Events in a Global Context
• Sustainability and the Environment
• Hoteliers and Global Tourism

Our master’s program also integrates two industry recognised qualifications as part of the course, including: CHIA (Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics) and Level 1 Award in Wines with WSET.

As you can see, the in-class study component of the master course covers areas that are more practical, such as the operations side of the hotel management, as well as the more theoretical, bigger-picture concepts that a good leader also has to be across.

Good international hotel leadership requires being able to see both the smallest detail and the biggest long-term trends that will shape your business. The best education provides training in both, and the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School has 31 years of globally recognized excellence in hotel management education.