Most people think only of hotels and restaurants when they speak of hospitality. However, in reality, the term pays homage to a broader scope in the definition. A degree in hospitality management opens up a variety of career options for graduates and professionals. The Hospitality industry caters to several fields like tourism, hotels, restaurants, event management, luxury brand management, or any other business-related service management.
These industries are incredibly lucrative, and there’s a lot of work all around the world in management positions. If you earn a hospitality management degree, you’ll be well on your way to a career that may really take you places. The best part of having a hospitality management degree is that it opens up opportunities for you to serve anywhere in the world. You become qualified to join businesses in hospitality services across the globe. Furthermore, if your degree is from an internationally recognised institution, this makes it an icing on the cake.
The academic curricular involved with a hospitality management degree varies, depending on the school you attend. The specialisation you choose and the specific degree you’re going after may vary too. A typical Bachelor of Science degree in hospitality management will require courses such as Mathematical Analysis for Business, Economic Analysis, and English, Written Composition courses.
Hospitality Managers are usually in high demand within and outside the industry. For instance, degree holders can be employed as supervisors, hotel managers, travel agents, and in other associated fields to work. There are also opportunities in the entertainment industry, event and meeting planning companies and conference centres. Also, opportunities abound in areas like casinos, private clubs, holiday management or fractional ownership operations. Other areas where graduates may find work are catering, food research development, restaurant management, teacher/instructor in culinary and much more.
Selecting the right school or university
While this may seem quite interesting and attractive, identifying a reputable institution to consider for the programme comes with its own constraints. In order to increase your chances for international jobs, it is important that the institution considered for this programme is globally recognised. One of the most common international jobs for Nigerians travelling abroad is hospitality services. Those who have bagged a degree in HM from an international institution of high repute will definitely have an edge.
The Hospitality Management (HM) degree offered at Unicaf University is universally accepted. Holders of the degree can work anywhere in the world, as businesses seeking hospitality experts often find no challenges employing foreign talents.
A hospitality programme does not simply concentrate on grooming capacity for the hospitality industry alone. Holders of hospitality management degrees can find work in conflict resolution, communications, customer relations, business administration, marketing, and promotion fields.
The Hospitality management programme is among the few degree programmes which cover formal education and fill the gaps that practical experience alone can provide.
The coursework usually involves internship opportunities for graduates which means that skills earned can be immediately put to use. Working in entry-level position offers opportunities to work with more experienced professionals. This covers everything from event planning to advertising, directing food service. It provides you with an opportunity to put what you learnt in the classroom into the workforce immediately.
Core classes may include subjects such as accounting in the hospitality industry, operations, food production management. Also, it includes training in leadership and management in hospitality settings.
Students of HM study strategic management, information technology, organisational behaviour. They also study basic local and international laws as they apply to the hospitality industry.
What will you have learned as a graduate?
At the end of the study, students will develop an understanding of creativity and changes as essential components of the managerial process. This covers new products and services which you can use in the hospitality industry. New media marketing strategies are analysed and applied to hospitality management organisations and business objectives also. The use of ICT in HM is also a fundamental aspect which students are taught. Graduates of Hospitality Management will acquaint themselves with the emerging trends in HM practices globally.
Furthermore, students will engage in independent research to propose a new product, service, or system innovation or improvement. Available specialisations may include Beverage management, culinary management; hotel/lodging management. Also, areas like restaurant/food service management, event management, travel, and tourism management can be specialised on. Students with a hospitality management degree work to ensure that all of these services integrate seamlessly into the primary offerings.
More specifically, hospitality management students will study extensively the basic leadership and administrative skills required. They will also study areas on accounting, human resources, and customer service. Also, graduates of the degree will learn about business communications, data analysis, business operations, and legal and ethical business practices.
Your career options and outlook
For the more adventurous and business-savvy, a degree in Hospitality Management can set you on your way to becoming a full-fledged entrepreneur. The degree will equip you with a unique set of skills that will enable you to start, and effectively manage a business within the industry. The beautiful thing about this is that, compared to others, the hospitality industry isn’t as saturated. For instance, the hospitality industry in the US is currently searching for approximately 200,000 new executives in hotels, resorts, restaurants, spas, and wineries. In Nigeria, there’s a shortfall in local talents to fill management positions, leaving the opportunities to foreigners and other expatriates. This situation reverberates across Africa and many other developing countries globally, creating opportunities for holders of the degree.
With regards to income, the degree can fetch decent paychecks with median annual earnings beginning at about NGN1,200,000, while those at the top end of the earnings scale could make in the variety of NGN 4,000,000 – NGN8,000,000 a year in Nigeria for example. Additionally, many hospitality management positions provide benefits like medical health insurance, paid holidays and at times reduced rates on accommodations, food, and travel.
Today, many international institutions like Unicaf University provide a degree in hospitality management. Interestingly, students can study for this degree online or blended with on-campus. At the end of their study, their acquired certificate does not state ”online study”. It is the same with students who have studied on-campus. This gives interested students the opportunity to work, earn and still study.
Your path to a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management
Among employees who are already in the market, distant learning has become a great option as it offers them an opportunity to advance their careers without taking a pay cut into a traditional school. Also worthy to note, students studying Hospitality Management at Unicaf University have the option to pay their tuition fee by monthly instalment.
Unicaf University’s Hospitality Management programme offers a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management that will prepare you for a management career in a variety of hospitality ventures. This degree is essential for all those wishing to follow a path in the hospitality and tourism industry. The hospitality industry and associated services is a huge and dynamic sector with excellent prospects and opportunities.
Students can either choose a general emphasis in hospitality, or they may choose more specialised areas. Concentrations are also possible in areas such as Restaurant Management, Hotel Management, Event Management and more.
Applying for the Unicaf University’s BA Hospitality Management
Candidates interested in studying for a BA Hospitality Management can do so by visiting the application page here to express interest. They should make their applications and submit. A student adviser from Unicaf University will contact applicants within 48 hours.
They are also going to qualify for Unicaf’s scholarships. Unicaf offers a partial scholarship to Nigerians seeking international education. More than USD 90 million worth of scholarships already awarded to students across Africa. Also, about 20,000 students across Africa have benefited from Unicaf scholarships.
Josephine Uche Chikwue (Educationist and Writer)
