What Do You Learn in Hospitality Management? 

Are you considering a career in the hospitality industry? If you envision yourself working in a hotel, resort, or lodge and are interested in managing staff and the customer experience, hospitality may be a good fit for you. With the proper training in this industry, you could oversee a team that includes front desk staff, housekeeping staff, kitchen employees, and more. You could be directly responsible for ensuring guests enjoy their visit to your establishment. This includes ensuring they’re greeted in a friendly fashion, that check-in and check-out are smooth and incident free, and that their room is clean and welcoming. But what skills will you need, and how will a degree prepare you for this dynamic and rewarding career?

What skills are needed to be successful in the hospitality sector?

In the hospitality industry, it takes various skills to succeed. For instance, you’ll need exceptional skills in customer service, skills in business, the ability to manage people, and the ability to work as part of a team. You’ll need stellar communication skills, too. You’ll be interacting daily with the guests who frequent your business, as well as with your staff and crew, so friendliness and an outgoing disposition will be helpful.

Some of the traits required can be learned in school. However, many are soft, transferable skills that you’ll polish with work experience and on-the-job training, such as the ability to actively listen to others, earn and command respect, and empathize with the needs of your staff and guests. It will be helpful to be organized and well-disciplined, as well.

A degree in hospitality from Bryant & Stratton College can be a great first step toward this fulfilling career. There are several options to choose from, and one is sure to be a good fit for you.

What coursework is required to earn a degree in Hospitality Management?

In the hospitality sector, it will be your role to listen to and fulfill the needs of customers and staff while keeping the needs of the business a priority. A degree in hospitality management from Bryant & Stratton College can help you get there. In the course of earning your associate degree, you’ll take a variety of interesting classes that include:

• Business Principles
• Marketing Principles
• Ethical Hospitality Management
• Computing Skills
• Research and Writing for the Workplace
• Intro to Hospitality Management
• Hospitality Principles
• Technology in the Hospitality Management Industry
• Conventions & Events Management

As a result, you’ll gain a firm understanding of what it takes to succeed in restaurant and hotel management, travel and accommodations, and marketing and public relations. You might use your new skills to gain work as a travel agent or a manager of recreation services. This dynamic career choice may open doors for you in various areas.

If you consider yourself a “people-person,” a career in hospitality management or the hospitality sector could be highly rewarding.

What will you learn as a student of hospitality?

If you think back to your last vacation and your experience at the hotel or resort where you stayed, you may better understand the scope of hospitality. It’s much more than ensuring the proper rooms are reserved for the right patrons. For example, what would have made your experience as a guest better? Could you have used more towels in the bathroom? Did the air conditioner keep the room cool enough? Were there amenities, such as a continental breakfast or valet service? Was the staff friendly and attentive to your needs? Was the carpet free from unsightly stains and odors?

These elements all factor into how a guest views their overall experience. And to be successful at managing it all, you’ll need training and knowledge in every aspect of the industry. This means you’ll need leadership skills that help you gain the respect and admiration of your crew. You’ll need skills in team building and teamwork so that you can be a good role model for your staff. You’ll need training in finance and budgeting, marketing, and customer service. You can learn some of these necessities through the coursework required to earn your hospitality degree. But other elements need to be practiced outside the classroom, such as the ability to problem-solve and prioritize — two skills that will prove invaluable. You will also need patience and the ability to steer staff members in the right direction and then step back and allow them to find their way.

What, exactly, can you do with a degree in hospitality management?

With your associate degree in hospitality management, there are a lot of exciting and rewarding job opportunities that may open up for you, including the following:

Lodging Manager

A lodging manager is in charge of an establishment that provides accommodation. This could cover many areas, such as:

• Hotels
• Motels
• Campgrounds
• Ski Lodges
• Resorts
• Bed and breakfasts
• Inns

In this role, you’ll oversee the day-to-day operations of the business. You’ll ensure your staff is well-trained, friendly, and presentable. You’ll ensure rooms are clean and sanitary. You might work with an event specialist to host weddings or conferences at your establishment, and you’ll likely be responsible for hiring a groundskeeping and maintenance crew. If your business features a kitchen or dining room, you may also oversee managing the kitchen and wait staff.

Food Services Manager

Food service managers work in various environments, including:

• Restaurants
• Cafeterias
• Bakeries
• Coffee Houses
• Public or Private Schools
• Resorts

As a food services manager, food and beverage director, or restaurant manager, you’ll need training in food safety and handling. Your degree in hospitality management will help prepare you for this role. As someone who oversees the daily processes of a kitchen or catering service, you may be responsible for hiring and training employees, ensuring adherence to food safety guidelines, establishing portion sizes, ordering supplies, and much more.

Concierge

As a concierge, you’ll play a vital role in the success of your place of business. This is the professional who interacts directly with the clientele. This means you’ll be responsible for attending to guests’ needs, responding to complaints, and ensuring they have a great overall experience. Many businesses employ concierges, including:

• Hotels
• Resorts
• Hospitals
• Real estate offices
• Apartment buildings
• Office buildings

In this role, you may greet guests, answer phones, respond to emails, order supplies, manage complaints, carry luggage, and make dinner reservations. Generally, you’ll provide that extra personal attention that makes guests want to return time and again.

Earn your degree in hospitality at Bryant & Stratton College

If this sounds like a career you would love to try, we invite you to learn more about the Associate of Applied Science in Hospitality Management, the Associate of Applied Science in Restaurant and Hotel Management, or the Hospitality Assistant Diploma programs at Bryant & Stratton College. With the right skills and training, you’ll be prepared to succeed in many jobs within the hospitality industry.

Bryant & Stratton College is a private, non-profit institution that accepts students from all walks of life. We welcome nontraditional students returning to earn their degrees after other life responsibilities have intervened. Providing both in-person and online learning opportunities, we strive to make higher education available to everyone, regardless of schedule.

Begin your journey to a fulfilling and exciting career today by contacting the admissions office at Bryant & Stratton College. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our hospitality programs and how we can help prepare you for the career of your dreams.