Introduction
The Degree Program in Tourism and Hospitality Management prepares you to provide high-class, innovative services that customers today require. It helps you to build a solid foundation for a successful career.
Studying at the LAB University of Applied Sciences gives you a wide understanding of the tourism and hospitality business. The degree program helps you combine true practical service skills with professional and innovative knowledge of accommodation, restaurant, and hospitality services. Your studies aim to enhance your teamwork, communication, and project management skills, which are all essential in building a successful career in the field of tourism and hospitality.
Knowing and truly understanding hospitality services as a whole is the path to becoming a successful leader and manager. We will help you develop your organizing and problem-solving skills to survive also in the most surprising circumstances. LAB’s education will enable you to work in different organizations or companies as either a leader or an expert developing hospitality services not excluding the possibility of entrepreneurship.
Study methods on LAB courses include lectures, individual and group assignments, and online learning. Our facilities comprise restaurant facilities with the latest equipment and software in the restaurant business. This setting enables project-based learning where you can truly test your know-how by producing service experiences in cooperation with real companies. The main language of the studies is English, but your studies also include getting to know the Finnish language and culture.
Objectives
The Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Tourism and Hospitality Management prepares you to meet and manage today's clients' high demands for high-class and innovative services. You will learn how to design hotels, restaurants, and tourism services, how to manage a business, and how to be a successful leader. Sales and marketing skills are also needed, as well as intercultural communication and versatile language skills.
Study contents
The hotel and restaurant business is a constantly growing worldwide industry, which needs modern, multicultural, customer-oriented experts with good leadership and project management skills.
The courses are carried out using diverse learning methods from lecturers and group works to project-based studies in our own restaurant and in co-operation with local companies. Online learning is also a part of everyday teaching methods.
The education comprises program-specific basic studies, advanced professional studies, elective studies, a Bachelor's thesis, and a placement. Studies are carried out entirely in English and they include compulsory studies or placement abroad.
Structure of studies
The program is divided into common core competence and complementary competence studies. The core competence studies equip you for a range of professional roles. The complementary competence studies allow you to extend your skills and specialize in an area of your interest. The complementary competence studies may consist of studies in your own field, multidisciplinary studies, or other skills supporting professional growth. Your personal tutor will support and assist you throughout your studies.
Core Competence 135 ECTS
Common Core Competence 15 ECTS
Professional Core Competence 75 ECTS
Practical Training 30 ECTS
Thesis 15 ECTS
Complementary Competence 75 ECTS
Professional complementary courses and elective studies 75 ECTS
Qualification
The earned qualification is an undergraduate degree (a bachelor’s degree). After earning the degree, you can apply for work in private sector businesses as well as public sector organizations that require an applicable university degree.
Thesis
The bachelor’s degree program includes a 15-ECTS thesis. This can either be a research-based project or a so-called functional thesis project. The thesis project aims to broaden and deepen your professional expertise and knowledge and provide you with the expertise needed to operate in development tasks in your field. The thesis project improves information retrieval and problem-solving skills.
The thesis can be conducted as a project commissioned by an external organization or as part of a development project. The thesis project can be carried out individually, in pairs, or in a group, including a written report. At its best, the thesis project can serve as a pathway to your future career.
Internationalization
We offer you excellent opportunities to gain valuable international expertise and language skills for your future career. Future workplaces and positions require multicultural skills, language skills, and international understanding. Learning takes place in an international, multicultural environment. Our degree students come from all over the world.
Go international!
You can complete part of your studies at our partner institutions in different countries around the world or do your practical training abroad. Every year, we welcome a large number of students from different countries, so the program is genuinely international.
Co-operation with other parties
Your studies will be closely connected with the development of working-life practices, together with businesses and work communities. Multidisciplinary working-life projects and different learning environments, such as student cooperatives, will strengthen your connections with authentic working-life interactions throughout the program.
Research focus
At the LAB University of Applied Sciences, our goal is to renew the working life and ways of working. Together with our partners, we test new innovations and ways of doing things.
Our focus areas are sustainability, design, innovations, and health.
Career opportunities
The graduates from the degree program will work as experts or middle managers in the hotel, restaurant, and tourism sector. You can be employed on different management, planning, and development duties such as reception managers, restaurant managers, hotel sales managers, area managers in restaurant chains, or destination developers. However, to be an effective manager, practical, operational expertise is essential. This particular aspect is accomplished through the compulsory placement period.
Postgraduate study opportunities
Bachelor's degree gives you eligibility to apply for Master's degree programs.
