Hospitality Programmes; an Overview
To own, operate and manage a successful bar or restaurant, as with many other professional endeavours and roles, a level of formal education is often required, and even when not needed, it is an asset and helpful. A degree in hospitality can provide the much-needed education, skills and training required to successfully, manage a bar, restaurant or a pub. This industry is vast, and ever-growing, currently employing over 60 million people all over the world, many in the UK alone.
To get into a hospitality programme at an accredited institution, there will be several entry requirements. Some of the typical conditions include international baccalaureate requirements of 32 points, A-level requirements of ABB and 6.0, (no lower than 5.5) in terms of IELTS.
These programmes are not merely theoretical; they are designed with input from industry experts, theory, research, marketing, human resources, and other interdisciplinary and cross-functional training. There are opportunities to learn about how hospitality operations are run, as well as how to be a great manager and leader.
The programmes vary in their type of courses, but the classes are only part of the education, as many of these programmes include a significant amount of hands-on learning and situations which allow students to apply their knowledge.
Courses are diverse in nature and include things like:
- Food Science; there are courses in food science, chemistry, nutrition and other elements of the actual food which goes into managing, owning and operating a successful restaurant.
- Economics; micro and macroeconomics are essential in understanding market trends, how the market and industry works.
- Finance; there are accounting and finance courses incorporated into the curriculum to ensure that knowledge on how to manage books, accounting principles and the cash flow which is required to keep any business, especially a bar or pub. The money that comes into and out of a bar or pub is essential and unique, as it is not an industry that sells an item or has guaranteed clients or income.
- Psychology; learning about psychology and the social element of society helps students learn about the way the customers think and act, and also is a great way also to understand how to manage staff
- Human Resources; the most important asset or resource in any organisation is the people who work there. Without a great, motivated and collaborative team, people will not leave happy. Courses in how to manage people resources are essential in every aspect of hospitality, from conflict resolution to payroll.
- Marketing; learning how to build a brand and market the things you sell is a crucial part of any business, and often the customers in restaurants are some of the harshest critics in any industry.