Top Hotel Management Courses and How To Choose Them

India’s tourism industry has been a thriving one for the last few decades. In the last five to six years there has been a massive inflow of tourists. This has to do with the growing reputation of India as a renowned global destination for tourism.

Travel and Tourism industry does not just rely on the visitors from abroad; there are millions of Indians traveling to various destinations within the country for work and pleasure.

According to official estimates, 30 million Indians have traveled within the country in the last few years.

(Also Read - A Career In Tourism Can Take You Places)

With the growing numbers, the hospitality industry had no choice but to grow along and this is the reason for the spur in the growth of hospitality sector. The demand is only likely to rise in the future.

The big names in the hospitality sector have started to expand to the Tier-II cities and towns. An expansion in any industry obviously requires enormous manpower. Yes, there is currently a massive need for workforce in all branches of the hospitality sector.

An Introduction to Hotel Management Courses

The most renowned and successful hotel management degrees in India are designed to explore the various characteristics of the hospitality industry, the primary hotel departments and expose students to the functionality of these departments. In general, the courses cover the food and beverage department, accommodation segment, customer relationship, housekeeping and the likes.

The eligibility criteria for each of the types of courses are different. If you are passionate, motivated and a confident individual you are likely to grow consistently in this sector.

There are several institutes all over the country, in cities and small towns that offer hotel management courses. There are institutes that are dedicated to unique hospitality courses, and sometimes the classes are a part of a mainstream college or university.

Not just the institutes even star hotel groups like ITC, Taj, and Oberoi, offer hotel management courses. The categories of hotel management courses are:

• Diploma Programs
• Certification Courses
• Undergraduate courses
• PG Diploma courses
• Post-graduate courses

Diploma and Certification Programs

Several hotel management institutes across the country offer certificate and diploma courses in different streams of hotel management. The certificate courses last less than two months. The duration of diploma courses is for more than a year. In some institutes, diploma courses continue for close to two or three years.

Details of the course

A diploma program is a combination of hotel management course with hands-on hospitality classes designed for a shorter duration. Students will be exposed to the functioning of reception, room division, and restaurant operations.

The classes in general cover front-of-the-house operations and back-of-the-house operations. Front-of-the-house exposes the students to the functioning of :

• Banquets
• Catering
• Cleaning services
• Maintenance of food hygiene
• Beverage and operations of the bar
• Customer relationship and service

Back-of-the-house operations expose the student to the organizational part of the sector like:

• Accounting and Finance
• Marketing Management
• Human Resources Management
• Organizational behavior

Certificate Programs 

Hospitality Management Certificate programs offer a short-term specialization on any of the above-listed fields. You can also find other specialties that are not included here. Particular examples are baking, cake decoration, etc.

Fee

Since there are several institutes all over the country, the fee may vary depending on the institute and the areas of specialization they offer. You can contact the institutions of your interest to know details on the price and admission process.

Career Prospects 

The diploma courses prepare students for the various positions within the hospital industry. Certain prospects include room management, marketing department, banquet coordination, front office and human resources.

Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate (UG) courses are the most popular choice for students aspiring for a career in hotel management sector. If you are an aspirant, you should have cleared the Higher Secondary Examinations from a recognized board with the minimum aggregate marks.

Details of the Course 

The most popular courses in India at the undergraduate level are:

• B.Sc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration
• Bachelor of Hotel Management (BMT)
• BA (Hons) in Hotel Management
• BA in Hotel Management
• BBA in hospitality, travel, and tourism
• BA (Hons) in Culinary Arts
• Bachelor of Hotel Management and Catering Technology

Though the intricacies of the course study vary, the standard segments covered in the course include:

Hierarchies of Department and Kitchen

• Basic Principles of Cooking and Food Production
• General Operations
• Service Keeping
• Catering, Food, and Beverages
• Food and Beverage Operations
• Strategic Management
• Food and Beverage Services
• Human resource and Marketing Management
• Housekeeping Management and Room Maintenance

Fee

Undergraduate courses in hotel management are pretty standard and offered in several colleges and institutes across the country. The fee may vary depending on the institute and the kind of course you choose.

Career prospects

Undergraduates in hotel management can be employed across various departments in hotels, motels resorts, and conference centers. Some popular career options include catering manager, assistant hotel manager, resort manager, hotel manager and many other designations.

PG Diploma and Post Graduate Courses 

To set you apart in a competitive world and to further improve your skills, a master’s degree program or a diploma program after your graduation is essential. While the PG Diploma courses take a year, Master’s degree courses last for two years.

Details of the course

The course gives exposure to candidates on the intricacies of managing top positions in the hospitality industry. Applicants must have completed their Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or institution to be eligible for this course.

The post graduation courses are designed to further improve the skills of students in areas of financial planning, marketing, operations, and business development. Also, students are trained in other soft skills such as problem-solving, project management, and leadership.

The most popular postgraduate courses are:

• MA in Hospitality Management
• MBA in Hotel Management
• MS in Hospitality Management
• MA in Hospitality Leadership
• PG Diploma in Hotel Management
• PG Diploma in International Hotel Management
• PG Diploma in Accommodation, Operations, and Management

Many courses give an option to choose from specializations such as tourism management, event management, luxury hospitality, hospitality marketing, hospitality finance and many other areas.

Fee

The fee may vary depending on the institute and the kind of course and specialization you choose.

Career options

Postgraduates in hotel management can take-up senior management positions in hotels, resorts, and restaurants. They can head one of the departments in the hotel such as Accommodations, food, and beverage, general administration, etc.

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