Presentation

In the last few years, hotel companies have undergone an intense process of development, globalization and vertical concentration. This has caused training deficits for professionals, who need to have abilities and competencies to help them implement a highly professional approach to hotel management. This is specially important given the economic relevance of the hotel sector in the world economy.

The MBA in Hotel Management is born from the desire to fill this existing gap in management and executives in the marketing and finance departments of hotel chains. It is a programme geared towards the hotel industry. This training is done at university level and with the quality of faculty that is the hallmark of UAB.

Strategic management and value creation influence decisions about going public, revenue management, brand management, sales, budget management, etc., and they progressively evolve towards adopting he strategies of marketing and finance departments.

The MBA in Hotel Management provides the necessary tools to be able to take on a leadership role in developing corporate strategies in finance and marketing departments. It is clearly oriented towards practical knowledge and exchange of experiences, and thus support a highly interactive teaching offer.

On the other hand, Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world. Its knowledge is an appreciated skill for the hotel sector professionals. For this reason, one of the aims of the MBA in Hotel Management is that students should be able to communicate in Spanish at the end of their studies. Although the program lectures are full in English, some basic knowledge of Spanish will be necessary for the internships to do at the end of the program. Optionally, some lectures will be offered in Spanish if students are agree. Spanish courses are be offered at UAB for the foreign students interested.

Objectives

• To provide knowledge, skills and specific techniques, which enable the course participants to manage hotel groups in an innovative, strategic and efficient way.

• To offer an integrated training in short and long term company general management in the framework of the current transformation of hotel groups. In this sense, the management systems in each functional area will be analysed and they will be integrated into strategic corporate management. Once this objective is reached, the participants will be versatile enough to enable them to lead any department or new project originating their chain.

Potential participants

Graduates and university diploma holders currently working in hospitality management interested in receiving high level specialised education that will enable them to become involved in senior management of large corporations and hotel chains.

Methodology

The classes will be imparted in English (90%) and Spanish (10%) and the materials will consist of publications in different languages, mainly English and Spanish.

This postgraduate programme makes use of blended learning, in which classroom-based techniques are combined with online distance learning.

• Classroom-based sessions: Most of the course is imparted in the classroom and theoretical content will be combined with practical analysis. The theoretical sessions are held at the beginning of each subject and the practical component comprises case studies and role playing for decision-making.

• Virtual Teaching Platform. Part of the contents is delivered via our virtual teaching with exclusive use for course participants. Distance learning guarantees permanent attention and communication among students, coordinators and lecturers, providing in-service training throughout the academic year. The platform will not only provide the participants with announcements, timetables, emails and thematic forums but also with supplementary documentation and practical examples.

• Field trips: Several field trips to hotels and hotel chains will be organised so as to verify and contrast all the knowledge acquired.

• Practicum in hotel chains: The realisation of a trial period is compulsory. However, the EUTDH will facilitate a practicum in hotel chain central offices to those participants who apply for one.

Obviously, one of the main actives of this programme is the wealth of experience provided by the participants. For this reason, the teaching staff will stimulate active participation and will encourage debate since student attitude and participation are crucial in order to favour the exchange of opinions and contrast on pertinent issues.

Careers plans in hotel chains

The MBA in Hotel Management program has vacancies in career advancement schemes in Spanish hotel chains for some of its participants. To benefit from these vacancies, potential course participants must satisfy the pre-established requirements in each case.

Qualifications

The program offers participants the chance to gradually obtain several qualifications:

• MBA in Hotel Management awarded by the UAB for those participants who complete the whole program ( all the modules), the period of stages and do a master thesis.

• Attendance certificates awarded by the UAB Postgraduate School for those participants who take one or more specialised modules from the program.

*Notice: People who haven't got any University diploma o degree but with enough accredited experience in the Tourism and Hotel Management industry, they only will able to obtain an attendance certificat awarded by the UAB Postgraduate School.