Diploma in International Hospitality Operations Management Co-op Toronto School of Management

This two-year Co-op Diploma will prepare students for an exciting career in a variety of roles in Hospitality Operations Management. Students will gain the knowledge and business skills required to be progressive leaders within the fast-paced global hospitality industry, with an emphasis on Canadian tourism.

The program’s comprehensive curriculum brings the industry into the classroom and connects it with students through guest speakers, field trips, and industry engagement. Graduates of this program will be fully prepared to step into key roles within both the front and back of a hotel and make an impact on the guest experience.

Duration

• Full-time Academic: 36 weeks of in-class instruction and 36 weeks co-op
• Total Program Length: 97 weeks (2 years) including scheduled breaks (25 weeks)

Program Modules

You will have at least 720 guided learning hours followed by 720 practicum hours with an established business.

The work placement experience will help you apply the theories you learn to practical business situations. We will help you secure your work placement by sending you for interviews.

At the end of this program, students are expected to develop a range of specific and generic skills and knowledge, covering the following fields:

1. Introduction to Hospitality & Tourism

The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of the nature of hospitality and its products from a local and international perspective. You will get a holistic understanding of the industry, including the impacts of hospitality on destination economies, communities, and fragile environments. You will be expected to take a critical perspective on the effects of hospitality on your own country and consider how hospitality can have a strategic developmental function.

2. Hospitality Career Readiness

This module will help you develop and enhance your written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, time management skills, and presentation techniques, to ensure success in any business environment. You will also learn to use Microsoft Office to help you operate more efficiently and be more productive.

3. Front Office Operations

This module introduces the systems and procedures required for front desk office operations. It also emphasizes the importance of high standards in the provision of customer service. You will develop knowledge and skills regarding reception procedures and understand the key legislation that relates to reception procedures. Finally, you will evaluate the suitability of different procedures for a range of hotel outlets.

4. Food and Beverage Operations

The aim of the Food and Beverage Operations module is to provide an understanding of the operational aspects behind this and how to cater to an international clientele in a range of establishments, in order to encourage an appreciation of the origins of food and beverage and to understand the various factors involved in meeting customer needs.

5. Food Sanitation, Safety, and Health

This module aims to make an important contribution to the supervisory aspects of food hygiene and safety. Supervisors with food safety and health and safety responsibilities must ensure that all staff operates in a safe, hygienic, and efficient manner. The overall aims of this module are to ensure you are familiar with key aspects of current legislation, good practice, and health, safety, and food safety issues.

6. Customer Service

The aim of this module is to provide a better understanding of what customer service is and how this can provide a quality product or service that satisfies the needs/wants of a customer. It also emphasizes effective communication skills in customer relations and services and you will learn how to deal with various customer-related situations.

7. Organizational Behaviour in Hospitality Industry

This is an introduction to the basic concepts and topics in organizational behavior (OB). This module focuses on OB at three levels: individual, interpersonal, and collective. At the individual level, you will cover decision-making, motivation, and personality; at the interpersonal level, you will cover power, influence, and negotiations.

8. Hospitality Accounting

This module is designed to give you basic knowledge of the cyber world. This module will enable you to understand the principles of cyberattacks, the darknet, hackers’ motivations, and various advanced technologies.

9. Business Environment

The aim of this unit is to provide an understanding of different organizations, the influence of stakeholders, and the relationship between businesses and the local, national, and global environments. In this unit, you will consider how different market structures shape the pricing and output decisions of businesses, as well as other aspects of their behavior.

10. Project Management

This course introduces concepts in a team-based environment and helps develop essential communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills that are necessary for effective project management.

11. Introduction to Marketing and Branding

This module is designed to provide you with the skills to build a customer profile and analyze the digital market. The module will enable you to understand the principles of digital advertising, the key elements of branding, and competitive analysis.

12. Information Management

The aim of this unit is to show how communications, knowledge, and information can be improved within an organization by making better use of IT systems.

13. Work Placement (Co-op)

After students successfully complete the academic requirements of the module, they are required to complete 720 hours of program-relevant work placement in a professional setting. Although skills required for the job will vary depending on the Work Placement site, the key responsibilities include being supervised by a placement supervisor at all times, observing all workplace and school safety and security procedures, dressing appropriately, interacting professionally with staff at work-placement, learning about the work environment, and participating in the daily routine as required by the employer. Work Placement is part of this program, where the theoretical components of the program are incorporated into practical learning situations and encourage students to apply their skills to facilitate business operations. The career service department will support students in securing a placement. After completion of their practicum students submit their placement report and an evaluation form completed by the supervisor to be successfully considered a graduate.

At the end of this program, students are expected to develop a range of specific and generic skills, covering the following fields:

• Define and describe the knowledge of the nature of hospitality and hospitality products from both local and international perspectives.
• Apply the fundamental systems and procedures required to run a hospitality or hotel operation, such as Front Desk, Food & Beverage, Accounting, and Marketing.
• Evaluate global hospitality guest profiles and expectations.
• Apply the knowledge of organizational behavior at individual, interpersonal, and collective levels.
• Evaluate local and global trends and issues related to the hospitality industry.
• Incorporate fundamental marketing concepts, terms, and ideas into the operations of the business.
• Discuss the value add and the potential of Information Technology.

• Food Services Supervisor
• Travel Clerk Supervisor
• Lodging House Managing Supervisor
• Reservations Supervisor
• Customer Service Clerk Supervisor
• Information Clerk Supervisor