Degree Programme in Tourism and Hospitality Management
Objectives
After graduating with a degree in hospitality management, you will be a hospitality professional.
During your studies, you become familiar with the industry's operating environments and future prospects, the requirements of a changing industry, and service culture skills. The degree will enable you to deepen your skills in the planning, implementation, and development of tourism and food services, with an emphasis on customer-oriented productisation and event organisation.
The business studies cover marketing, sales, and financial management in the tourism and hospitality sector, helping you to succeed in the industry. Leadership and management studies prepare you to work effectively and responsibly in a managerial role, taking into account the importance of a functioning work community and wellbeing at work.
A special feature of the degree programme is our own in-depth studies focusing on food and nature tourism. As a student, you will gain an in-depth understanding of food and nature tourism service conceptualisation, gastronomy, sustainable tourism, and product design and implementation. This unique package will prepare you to meet the ever-increasing demand for food and nature tourism — also from the perspective of international growth.
Degree programme description
The Degree Programme in Tourism and Hospitality Management provides students with responsible tourism and food service skills, taking into account the development prospects and specificities of the environment, business skills, and supervisor skills.
The programme allows you to understand and connect with customer needs, produce and develop profitable, customer-oriented products and services, and sell and market services in a multi-channel way.
You learn to use the technology and digital skills required in the field. We offer a wide range of language studies and opportunities for internationalisation through exchange or internships.
Upon graduation, you are ready to meet the challenges of the tourism and hospitality industry and to work effectively in a variety of roles, whether in food tourism gastronomy or sustainable development in nature tourism.
The degree programme (210 ECTS credits) comprises 165 ECTS credits of core competence studies and 45 ECTS credits of complementary competence studies.
- Core competence studies (165 ECTS credits) consist of the following:
o Common studies 30 ECTS credits
o Tourism and hospitality environments and their future 20 ECTS credits
o Tourism and food service skills 25 ECTS credits
o Business skills in tourism and hospitality 25 ECTS credits
o Management and leadership 20 ECTS credits
o Practical training 30 ECTS credits
o Thesis 15 ECTS credits
In complementary competence studies, you can deepen and broaden your knowledge according to your own interests.
Complementary competence studies consist of the following topics:
- Food as an attraction in tourism 15 ECTS credits
- Nature as an attraction in tourism 15 ECTS credits
- Other optional studies 15 ECTS credits
You can also choose courses from Xamk’s other degree programmes and common studies, such as innovation and entrepreneurship studies and language studies. You can build a personalised learning track for yourself in your studies. You can also include courses in areas such as digitalisation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and languages.
The degree programme will progress in stages.
Implementation of studies
At Xamk, you can complete a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management both as blended studies and fully online.
Online studies mean that teaching takes place mainly in online learning environments. Online learning offers flexibility for students, as they can participate remotely or listen to recordings of lectures afterwards. It is, therefore, possible to study while working and even from abroad.
Please note, however, that remote learning may involve being present at a certain time and that individual exams for language courses must be taken in an Exam room. Courses and assignments are completed within the time allocated to them. The studies involve a variety of learning methods, ranging from independent or small group learning tasks to exams, work-based projects, and projects. Practical training takes place in the workplace.
Online learning is particularly suitable for those already working in the tourism and hospitality sector and those changing fields.
Career opportunities
• Marketing Manager
• Project Manager
• Restaurant Manager
• Sales Promoter
• Service Manager
• Team Manager
RDI and cooperation with world of work
Xamk's Tourism and Hospitality Management degree programme is well connected to the industry. Practical training and on-the-job learning are essential for your studies.
The studies include 15 ECTS credits of practical training as a tourism and hospitality employee and 15 ECTS credits of practical training as a tourism and hospitality expert. Part of the practical training periods can also be carried out on Xamk campuses in different learning environments, in projects in different fields of education, or as a trainee.
At South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, teaching and research and development activities are closely linked.
During your studies, you gain contacts and networks that will be useful for your studies and practical training periods. These contacts may also help you find your future job.
You have the opportunity to participate in research and development activities by linking your studies, practical training, or bachelor’s thesis to the RDI projects of the UAS and its partners.
Research and development activities related to tourism and hospitality are carried out in Xamk’s various research units and groups.
Learning environments
The main learning environment for your studies is the online learning environment Learn. In addition to Learn, Xamk’s RestoLab offers virtual, gaming, and VR-enabled learning environment solutions for food and travel services, allowing you to flexibly learn the skills you need in the industry.
Xamk's extensive business network and research and development activities also offer a wide range of learning and training environments for tourism and hospitality education.