List of Undergraduate Courses in Hospitality to Study Abroad
Hospitality is a broad term encompassing quite a few different categories of career pathways. Broadly, though, the list of undergraduate courses you might be considering in this field can cover food and beverage, events, accommodation, tourism, etc. It is an exciting field and ideal for students who consider themselves people persons and enjoy working in fast-moving, customer-service environments.
In this blog post, we will break down the types of hospitality programs out there to better help you find your right fit. Plus, we will spotlight some excellent universities to study hospitality, as well as tools you can use to find the right option for yourself!
Types of Hospitality Degrees
The hospitality sector spans businesses and operations such as hotels, resorts, cruise ships, restaurants, bars, event venues, and wineries, and more. When looking through the list of undergraduate courses you can consider in the field, you will find many broad hospitality degrees. Some degrees are more specific, focusing on a certain aspect of hospitality – for example, culinary arts or hotel management.
Below is a course subject list of the most common types of hospitality degrees you can consider to study abroad:
Hotel Management
Your experience will involve learning how to efficiently run a hotel or other accommodation and lodging business. Aspects of your learning will include administrative work, employee management, understanding finances, customer service, and so on.
Event Planning & Management
These programs train students with hands-on experience to organize successful events, scaling the project to the client’s requirements. This involves scouting and confirming venues, budgeting and managing finances, finalizing and managing vendors, analyzing event outcomes, etc.
Tourism & Travel Management
If you are keen to study abroad and experience more of the world, tourism & travel management is a great addition to your list of undergraduate courses. You will learn how to plan tours and run a travel agency business, including coordinating flights, accommodation, and the legal rules and regulations of the trade.
Hospitality Management
Broadly, this can involve running a restaurant or hotel business, combining several elements you might learn in a specialist hospitality program. Professional roles in this sector can involve working at luxury spas, cruises, resorts, and airlines. These programs may also include interdisciplinary modules with courses in business, marketing, etc.!
Catering & Culinary Arts
If you want to go into the business of food, be it fine dining or the restaurant or eatery business in general, this could be the right pathway for you. Skill areas you will develop in culinary school can include food and beverage management, food science and nutrition, menu planning, food preparation, and equipment use.
Why Study a Hospitality Program Abroad?
A hospitality program can be very demanding, but also very rewarding for those passionate about this professional career path. Consider the following strengths of including hospitality in the list of undergraduate courses you are planning to study abroad:
Hands-On Industry Experience
By nature, the hospitality industry involves a lot of experiential learning. The list of university courses you will consider will often include long terms of internships and industry placements. The best study abroad destinations for hospitality are also some of the biggest centers of this industry. As a result, a hospitality degree abroad is an excellent opportunity to develop practical skills in the field that will make you a valuable candidate with in-demand experience as soon as you graduate.
Travel Opportunities
If you plan to study abroad to see and experience more of the world, a hospitality degree can sweeten the deal even more. For example, working in tourism or hotel management can open up options to travel across your destination or to other countries for industry experience in different global settings.
Global Outlook and Experience
The hospitality industry often operates with a global outlook, especially in sectors that overlap or align with tourism. At hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruises, etc., you will train up to global standards and experience a borderless work environment. Working in diverse and multicultural environments, be it learning different languages or developing communication skills, means you can work anywhere in the world where your skills are in demand. Not only does this mean you enjoy an international degree experience, but your qualification also has global recognition and relevance!
Career Outlook
Although the hospitality sector took a hit during the pandemic, the demand for the list of undergraduate courses in the field has taken off again. Travel, tourism, and hospitality industries are booming and are set to see even greater growth in the coming years. You can take advantage of this upward trend by graduating with a prestigious degree with the in-demand qualifications the biggest growth sectors in hospitality seek.
Transferrable Skills
Hospitality may be a very specific field with a very specific set of hard skills that you develop. However, this does not lock you into this sector, since you develop valuable soft skills that are also in high demand across practically all sectors! Alongside a specific course subject list that includes modules on customer service and event management, other general programs that build transferrable skills include:
• Leadership
• Communication
• Administrative and clerical skills
• Customer service
• Time management
• Language skills
• Cultural awareness
• Attention to detail
• People management
• Event management
• Marketing
Top Careers for Hospitality Graduates
Here are the best career pathways you can consider for the following list of undergraduate courses in hospitality:
| Hospitality Field | Career Options |
| Hotel Management | • Housekeeping manager • Resort manager • Restaurant manager • Sommelier • Chef • Front office manager |
| Culinary Arts | • Chef • Food critic • Food stylist • Recipe developer • Caterer • Pastry Chef |
| Tourism & Travel Agency Management | • Travel consultant • Concierge • Flight attendant • Tour guide • Travel agent • Spa manager |
| Event Management | • Event planner • Event organizer • Caterer • Venue manager • Wedding planner • Corporate event manager |
Top Universities for Hospitality Abroad
Many of the best hospitality universities in the world are in destinations like Europe, North America, and Australia. This is hardly surprising, considering the large and thriving tourism and hospitality sectors in these destinations! Great universities for hospitality build industry-relevant programs and have strong industry partnerships with hotels, resorts, restaurant chains, etc. To explore the best hospitality programs for you, you can use tools like GRADSearch, a program finder that covers a list of university courses from over 3,000 top global universities!
A few standout universities for hospitality to consider for your list of undergraduate courses to study abroad include:
| University | Destination | QS Subject Ranking for Hospitality & Leisure Management |
| University of Nevada – Las Vegas | USA | #4 |
| Cornell University | USA | #14 |
| University of Surrey | UK | #15 |
| Bournemouth University | UK | =17 |
| Oxford Brookes University | UK | #20 |
| Pennsylvania State University | USA | #21 |
| University of Central Florida | USA | #22 |
| Griffith University | Australia | #24 |
| Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School | Australia | #25 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | USA | #26 |
| The University of Queensland | Australia | #27 |
| Florida State University | USA | =29 |
Entry Requirements to Study a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality
The entry requirements to study a bachelor’s degree in hospitality will depend on the program and the university. You can explore specific programs via the GRADSearch course matcher and research into the requirements of the options that fit your needs. The tool is a handy start-point for your search since you can sort the list of undergraduate courses you are considering by destination, study level, etc. You can then shortlist the programs you are considering further using information like tuition fees!
A typical application for a bachelor’s degree in hospitality will include:
• Academic transcripts
• English language test results
• Relevant work experience
• Letter of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
Rounding Up
Hospitality is a dynamic and exciting field, especially if you love working with people and jumping into new experiences. While this industry can definitely be challenging, it is also very rewarding, with a range of professional opportunities to consider. Think about the career pathways you wish to pursue in this field and align the list of undergraduate courses you are considering to these! The program outcomes of the subjects you choose should set you up for career success in your field as soon as you graduate. Look out for universities that offer valuable experiential learning options that prepare you for your future career!
