Master in International Hospitality Management

  Institution: Taylor’s University

The Master in International Hospitality Management is a master’s degree that specialises in the field of hospitality management. It offers a strong balance between theoretical knowledge and professional exposure through course work, research and internship.

Offered in collaboration with the University of Toulouse, France, this 12-month inter-disciplinary Master’s programme is the first and only French postgraduate degree in hospitality in Asia-Pacific. An academically-rigorous programme with a strong industry orientation, it will equip you with sophisticated, cutting edge management tools and techniques to deal with challenges in the dynamic hospitality and tourism industry.

The programme adopts a global approach in its teaching materials supplemented by local case studies, which ensures that students attain a deeper understanding of international affairs. Graduates will possess a global mindset and professional competitive advantage, as well as be highly sought after as leaders of service-related organisations.

Course Synopsis

• Strategic Marketing
  This course focuses on the ways in which the marketing planning process can be managed effectively and strategically as rapid changes within the marketing environment demands a more strategic rather than a tactical approach. Among some of the most significant of these changes are the “new consumer” who is much more discriminate and less loyal than before, and the “new competitor” who is much more unpredictable and more desperate. These changes have led to a new type of marketing reality and this course looks at ways how the marketing planner can respond to this new marketing reality.
• Research Methodology
  The purpose of this course is to train students in analyzing social phenomena and professional issues in a rigorous and scientific manner. This knowledge requires an understanding of two different components: research design and analytical techniques. The subject encourages development of students’ cognitive capabilities, allowing them to acquire, manage and apply knowledge effectively towards the solution of contemporary global issues. Students are trained to form opinions on the basis of facts and to articulate their findings effectively.
• Strategic Human Resources Development
  The purpose of this course is to examine the role human resource management plays in creating and sustaining competitive advantage. Contemporary issues such as globalization, outsourcing, workforce diversity, mergers and acquisitions, downsizing, and occupational health, safety, and security are explored in terms of their strategic value. This course will allow students to enhance their critical thinking skills to analyze the ways in which an organizations human resource management can influence and integrate with the strategic objectives of the organization to enhance long-term performance.
• Qualitative Data Analysis
  This subject focuses on the basics of statistics and hypothesis testing in the beginning to lay the foundation for quantitative analysis. Then the subject moves on to the techniques essential for managing such as modelling, forecasting, process control and finally decision analysis. This subject focuses on the right methods for different types of problems rather than describing and explaining the method itself. The manipulation of data is done using the software SPSS and Ms-Excel. The subject pays attention to the interpretation of the results in order to enable the outputs to be useful for research recommendations or managerial decisions.
• Anthropology & Sociology of Food
  This subject enables students to apply sociological concepts in the comprehension of eating patterns; examine how eating habits had evolved in modern societies, leading to questions of food crises and obesity; and review major development in gastronomy and cultural cuisine, and its relation to the restaurant and tourism industry.
• Managerial Economics
  The primary approach is to search for value creation or added value through examining market mechanism. Through this, firm as a profit oriented organisation is created to search for, exploit, and protect, opportunities to add value. It covers the basic analytical principles of economics of markets and business, supply and demand, costs, competition and monopoly, and public policy.
• Financial Management for Hospitality Businesses
  To expose and learn the financial products, its risk and return and finance tools used in this globalize or international market. In addition, these financial products knowledge and proper use of finance tools based on the risk and return allows hoteliers make effective decision-making. Students will also learn to identify and exploit opportunities for revenue optimization in different business contexts. They will review the main methodologies that are used in each of these areas, discuss legal issues associated with different pricing strategies, and survey current practices in different sectors.
• Quality Management
  The subject is designed to give the student a comprehensive understanding of quality management concepts, principles and quality management systems. The course introduces fundamentals of quality management as well as implementing a quality management system and applying it in the hospitality industry. The second part of this course equips students with the necessary skills to conduct basic consultancy projects in the hospitality industry.
• Hospitality & Foodservice Engineering
  This subject deals with the organisation and design of hotel and restaurant systems. Students are required to apply different methods and tools to optimize the hotel and restaurant systems and evaluate the financial impact of hotel and restaurant projects. Students will be also taught about engineering in the true meaning of the conception and organization of each departments – allocation of rooms and floor areas to guests, circulation and flows and floor calculation, etc
• International Law for Hospitality
  This course deals with the understanding of the legal principles and rules governing the hospitality industry. Students will be introduced to the legal system and concept of law. The class will cover the understanding and definition of the hospitality and catering legislations. There will also be a focus on understanding the principles and process of tourism development regulations, which involve town planning and tourist area regulations. In addition, students will be guided on the definition and meanings of hospitality and tourism contracts, which involve licensing, franchising and management contract.
• Strategic Management for Hospitality Managers
  Emerging issues such as globalization; branding and re-branding; niche markets; online distribution, marketing and sales; require hospitality managers who can formulate strategies to deal with all of these issues. Hospitality leaders who are effective at strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation are able to create value in a highly competitive marketplace. This course will prepare managers to evaluate the competitive environment, create and assess strategic alternatives, and successfully execute a strategy.
• Hospitality Application Simulation Exercise
  This Hospitality Simulation Game (HMS) is a concept of “educational simulation for executive management”. The HMS has been designed as a cap course. It enables participants to recall and apply various management tools and techniques (i.e.: marketing, finance, human resources management, accounting, budgeting, and intercultural management) in a highly competitive environment whilst acting as managers of hotels; resorts or food and beverage outlets.

Internship

As part of the programme, students will undergo directed field experience in tourism, hospitality, food service or other service-related organisations under supervision of a University Supervisor and a Company Supervisor.

Objectives of the Internship

• To provide the student with an orientation to the field of tourism, hospitality, food service or other service-related organisations
• To provide the student with the opportunity to derive a research theme for his/her dissertation in a professional setting, and later applying his/her findings in the chosen organisation
• To provide the student an opportunity to gain practical management experience under professional supervision, in actual work situations at management level
• To supplement the student’s classroom experiences and allow for adjustment or redirection of knowledge, skills and abilities.
• To equip the student with leadership and supervisory skills
• To assist the student in understanding his/her own capabilities and select areas of specialisation for future course work or for possible employment
• To assist the student with future employment by providing professional experience, job contacts, personal references, and other forms of assistance

The student should gain experience in the following areas:

Management – The student should study and observe, in action, the policies and practices of the company. This would include legal and legislative foundations of the company, board relations, financial practices, such as budgeting and record keeping procedures, funding sources, personnel and supervisory practices, staff evaluations, general staff relations, and techniques of dealing with the public and the company constituency in a courteous and effective manner. Also included would be plans for marketing, especially in the areas of promotion and public relations.

Programming – The student should help plan and implement a broad programme of activities and services characteristic of the company involved. The student should prepare programme/activity plans in a systematic manner and help to carry out various types of programmes. Plans for evaluation of programmes should also be included.

Areas and Facilities – The student should gain theoretical as well as practical experience in physical facility planning and operation where appropriate. This may include experience in long-range planning as well as layout and operation of various types of areas and facilities. Involvement related to maintenance, equipment, and supplies are essential, as well as physical inspections and risk management procedures.

Source: Taylor’s University