Diploma in Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management

Be part of one of the fastest-growing industry segments in the world. Hotels, resorts, restaurants, cruise ships, casinos, entertainment venues, and conference centers are all benefiting from an increasing number of travelers from around the globe. Learn the essential operational skills and management techniques that employers value in this vibrant business. Explore the diverse career paths that are available to you, as you unleash your passion for customer service excellence and profitable hospitality business operations. The world of accommodation, food, and beverage, travel and tourism is yours to discover.

The program focuses on the management of hotel, restaurant and tourism enterprises and is designed to provide you with a thorough foundation of the professional skills required to begin a career in these sectors. Given the hands-on nature of the hospitality industry, all courses are designed to provide you with active learning opportunities including labs for food and beverage preparation and service and front desk operations, along with numerous case studies and simulation exercises. Built on three key themes – profitable business management, exemplary customer service and an appreciation of sustainable hospitality management practices – each course will take you on an exploration of the various business aspects of the hospitality service industry, including:

• Catering
• Customer service
• Event planning
• Financial and human resource management
• Foodservice
• Hotel operations
• Marketing
• Restaurant operations
• Entrepreneurship

Teamwork, effective decision-making, critical thinking, and leadership skills are explored in Year 1 and also emphasized throughout the second year of the program. You will also participate in a capstone course in Semester 4 designed to provide you with an opportunity to apply the skills you have acquired throughout the program as you operate a full-service hotel through a robust simulation program.

To develop a better affiliation with industry and further your skills, you will be invited to apply to the co-op option during your first semester. Qualified students will complete a four-month, paid work term in the summer between the second and third semesters of the program. Students can also choose to complete an 80-hour field placement to gain work experience during their fourth semester.

The Hospitality - Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management program is offered at the Whitby campus, home of the college’s new W. Galen Weston Centre for Food. This incredible new learning environment provides access to state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and meeting spaces all designed to offer you the best possible learning experience.

Students in this program will benefit from working and learning in Bistro ’67, a full-service, green-certified teaching and learning restaurant operated by staff and students.

Co-operative education (co-op) (available – September Intake Only)

The best way to succeed in your field is to immerse yourself in it! Co-op is an excellent way to build your professional network, explore career paths and apply in-class teachings to real work situations. Co-op is a model of education that integrates academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to our students’ academic and personal goals. Similar to an academic course, work terms are a mandatory component of this form of experiential learning.

Students starting in the Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management Diploma program in September will be invited to apply to the co-op option during their first academic semester. Entrance to the co-op option is limited and the processes for securing a work term are competitive. Students who qualify for co-op will be eligible to complete a four-month, paid work term between the second and third semesters of their program.

Supports are available through the Co-op office to assist students with securing their work terms. In addition, the Co-op office is in contact with co-op students and their employers during the work terms to help with any questions. Upon completing the work term, co-op students return to campus to complete their final two academic semesters of the program before graduating.

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)

Costs

Courses

Semester 1

• Communications For Business I (COMM 2204)
• Computers For Hospitality (COMP 1210)
• Customer Service (CSRV 2200)
• Culinary Theory I (CULI 1200)
• Culinary & Baking Techniques (CULI 1201)
• Food Safety And Sanitation (FOOD 1200)
• Culinary Nutrition (NUTR 2200)
• Introduction To Tourism & Hospitality (TOUR 1201)

Semester 2

• Accounting For Hospitality (ACCT 1208)
• Beverage Operations (BEV 2200)
• Career Planning (CAPL 4200)
• Hotel Operations (HOOP 2200)
• Menu Planning (MENU 2200)
• Hospitality Marketing (MKTG 4210)

Semester 3

• Catering And Event Planning (CEP 3200)
• Food Service Operations (FOOP 2200)
• Field Placement Workshop (FWKW 3200)
• General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
• Hospitality Finance (HOSF 3200)
• Managing Teams & Leadership (HOSM 3200)
• Human Resource Management For Hospitality (HRM 4205)

Semester 4

• Entrepreneurship (ENTR 4203)
• Field Placement-Hmgt (FWK 3200)
• General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
• General Elective Credit (GNED 1000)
• Hospitality Capstone Project (HCAP 4200)
• Risk & Security Management For Hospitality (HRSK 4201)

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change.

Career Options

What you could be:

• Guest service representative
• Restaurant manager
• Concierge
• Front office supervisor
• Hotel manager
• Sales manager
• Banquet maitre’d
• Night auditor
• Housekeeping supervisor
• Food and beverage supervisor

Where you could work:

• Hotel
• Restaurant
• Conference center
• Resort
• Golf course
• Event or sporting venue
• Cruise ship
• Recreational services
• Gaming organization or casino
• Long term care facilities

Experiential Learning

Field placement

Students completing a field placement will participate in an 80-hour, unpaid work experience in the fourth semester. This will provide the opportunity to integrate theory with practice under the supervision of an industry professional. Students work at hotels, restaurants, catering companies, food service operations, golf courses, tourism operations or other locations, applying their skills from the classroom on the job.

On-campus activities

From student-focused special events to employment in the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food’s restaurant and catering operations to special projects, there are countless opportunities for students to further their learning beyond the labs.