MSc International Hotel Management

Entry standards

Applicants should usually hold a Bachelors degree (UK Lower Second/2.2 or above) or equivalent qualification from a recognised British or overseas university. However, every applicant is assessed individually on their own merit. Higher level professional qualifications may also be accepted. Relevant work experience could be an additional benefit where applicants have not reached the standard entry requirements, although it is not an admissions requirement for this particular degree programme. 

As a result of their high popularity, we have successfully secured further places for our postgraduate programmes in this area. We are therefore extending our deadline for submission of applications to 31 May 2012. Applications received after this date will only be considered subject to availability of places.

English language requirements

Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).

Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.

MSc International Hotel Management - structure and modules

Module Titles

Compulsory Modules

• Hospitality and Tourism Operating Systems
• Hospitality Services Marketing
• Organisational Behaviour
• Financial Management
• Strategic Management of International Hotel Companies
• Research Methods
• Dissertation

Optional Modules

• Asset Management
• Consumer Behaviour
• Issues Facing Human Resource Management in the International Hospitality Industry
• Revenue Management
• Independent Study

MSc International Hotel Management - entry standards

Entry standards

Applicants should usually hold a Bachelors degree (UK Lower Second/2.2 or above) or equivalent qualification from a recognised British or overseas university. However, every applicant is assessed individually on their own merit. Higher level professional qualifications may also be accepted. Relevant work experience could be an additional benefit where applicants have not reached the standard entry requirements, although it is not an admissions requirement for this particular degree programme. 

As a result of their high popularity, we have successfully secured further places for our postgraduate programmes in this area. We are therefore extending our deadline for submission of applications to 31 May 2012. Applications received after this date will only be considered subject to availability of places.

English language requirements

Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).

Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.

Planned intake

Up to 75

Start date

Programme Leader

• Dr Hesham Al-Sabbahy

MSc International Hotel Management - fees and funding

Fees

International Hotel Management (full time):

UK/EU - £9,190 
Overseas - £14,830

www.surrey.ac.uk/pgfees/2012

Prizes

Savoy Educational Trust Awards 

The School has obtained funding from the Savoy Educational Trust to award scholarships, grants and prizes to outstanding students. Each year the School awards Savoy Educational Trust scholarships to the International Hotel Management students who have achieved the best results and produced the best MSc dissertations. 

The Savoy Educational Trust is a leading independent UK charitable trust. It was established and endowed by four directors of The Savoy Hotel Limited in 1961. Its main aim is the advancement and development of education, training and qualifications within the hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants, food service, leisure and tourism. The Trust aims to adopt good practice at all times and invest in worthwhile projects with other well-known and respected partners. 

At Surrey, Dr Angela Roper is Savoy Educational Trust Senior Lecturer in Hospitality Management. She has 15 years of experience in teaching, learning and research into the strategic management of hospitality and tourism. As an internationally recognised researcher in her field, Angela has carried out considerable work into the internationalisation of hotel groups.

MSc International Hotel Management - professional context

Professional recognition

The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Surrey is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The School is recognised as a key Education and Training Centre by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and has TedQual Certification from the UNWTO.

MSc International Hotel Management - teaching

Staff perspective

Dr Hesham Al-Sabbahy

Year after year, we review our programme to ensure that it is commensurate with the latest advances in hospitality management research and that it responds to the latest issues and trends in the real world.

It is not surprising that independent rankings of UK universities put Surrey as number one in hospitality and tourism in the country. We offer first-class education and award a very reputable degree. Statistics show that Surrey graduates are the most employable among all UK universities, which is not surprising for many reasons.

In our teaching, we use the latest advances in teaching and learning methods and techniques to provide our students with the best learning experience. However, it doesn’t end there. We keep in close contact with the hospitality industry and complement our programme with a series of seminars and guest lectures by some of the most distinguished industry professionals, in addition to many other extra-curricular activities.

I achieved my PhD from Surrey and I have enjoyed working here for years, so I have been on both sides as a student and as a lecturer. I have seen it all and I can comfortably say that for an excellent learning experience that will end with an accredited degree, the University of Surrey is the answer.

We are recognised as the premier business school in the UK for hospitality and tourism, and our aim is to continue to be so and to always provide firstclass education to our students.

MSc International Hotel Management - learning

World-class Resources 

The University of Surrey has one of the world’s most extensive ranges of books, journals and e-resources in hospitality and tourism. The Library’s acquisition policy is to purchase every text published in this field. It is also a designated depository for World Trade Organization (UNWTO) publications. 

Academics past and present from the Hospitality Group have contributed to a vast number of well-read and respected books over the past 40 years and more. For instance, Fred Lawson’s textbooks on facility design have made a lasting contribution to the hospitality field. Professors Peter Jones and Andrew Lockwood have published a number of highly regarded textbooks in the area of operations management, and many of the team have contributed chapters to edited texts. 

Current Hospitality Group academics are involved in a wide range of leading publications as authors, editors and members of editorial boards. The team routinely writes for the Hospitality Review and Professor Jones has a column in Onboard Hospitality.

MSc International Hotel Management - graduate profile

Student Profile: Saurabh Bamane

MSc International Hotel Management

During my undergraduate programme in India, I decided to pursue a Masters programme in hotel management. 

I thought the University of Surrey was the place to go. One of the most important reasons was the highly experienced professors and lecturers. In addition, Surrey was ranked very highly amongst universities in the UK. 

Surrey provides excellent specialist courses. We also had esteemed guest speakers from industry. 

The Surrey campus is beautiful and the School of Management has a state-of-the-art building. The lake on campus was just perfect for studying during the spring. All in all, it must be one of the best universities at which to study. 

Currently, I am working for Costa Coffee in Saudi Arabia. The brand is rapidly expanding across the Middle East and it is an exciting time to be working for the company. My Masters programme is helping me to apply the strategies required to develop business in my area.

Student Profile: Bruno Delvaille

MSc International Hotel Management

I chose to do an MSc in order to improve my ability in managing and leading a team at a managerial level. Surrey was a natural choice considering the reputation and experience of both the teaching team and the University itself. In addition, the accreditations obtained by the School of Management for their MSc reinforced my decision.

What I have enjoyed most about the programme so far is probably the creation of a hotel concept to be presented for a student competition at the IHIF (International Hotel Investment Forum) in Berlin. This is one of the major events in the industry each year and it was a priceless experience to meet such a number of recognised executives. I also really enjoyed the Revenue Management Simulation (RevSim) which enabled me to apply the concepts of that particular area.

Going forward I would initially like to take on a managerial role which has lots of opportunities for development, preferably within an international company so I have the opportunity to travel. I’m particularly interested in working in F&B departments (Food and Beverages) and one day would like to open one or more restaurants.

Life on campus is exciting. I get to spend time meeting new people from all parts of the world. There are lots of facilities on campus and the University offers accommodation on and off-campus, which is very convenient. Plus there is the brand new Surrey Sports Park which is amazing and very well equipped for all sorts of activities.

MSc International Hotel Management - more

At the Cutting Edge of Research 

The Hospitality and Food Management Subject Group (HFMSG) conducts research into management policies, procedures and processes that lead to enhanced performance, both for large and small companies competing in all sectors of the hospitality and food industry. 

HFMSG seeks to understand consumer behaviour in our target industries and thereby identify successful strategies, core capabilities and best practices that lead to competitive advantage. 

Research to date has focused on key concepts such as productivity, quality, service, benchmarking, value and consumer behaviour. This contributes to the understanding of these concepts through both the development of underpinning theory and empirical studies of the real world, using a wide variety of appropriate research methods and tools. 

Details of the group’s research reports, occasional paper series, other publications in peer-reviewed or trade journals and presentations given to national and international conferences are available on the Surrey Business School’s website. Members of the Group have also published a number of seminal textbooks and standard works in the field of hospitality. 

Research to Boost Productivity 

The first-ever research centre to respond to the challenge of so-called poor productivity in the hospitality sector – one of the UK’s largest industries – has been established by the University of Surrey. 

The Centre for Hospitality Industry Productivity Research (CHIPR) plans to undertake research projects at all levels and across all industry sectors including hotels, restaurants, pubs and the contract food service. 

“Despite its huge turnover, the hospitality industry has had consistently low levels of productivity according to a number of studies,” said Professor Peter Jones, who heads the Centre. “A recent McKinsey study reported the UK hotel industry to have 50 per cent of the USA’s productivity levels.” 

The UK hospitality industry currently employs over two million people in over 300,000 outlets. The turnover is well over £40 billion and hospitality is the country’s largest invisible export.

A Centre of Excellence for the Hospitality Industry 

There are plenty of good reasons to choose the University of Surrey for your specialist postgraduate degree.

• The Surrey Business School at the University of Surrey is an internationally recognised centre for management research and teaching, accredited by AACSB and AMBA. The recent Research Assessment Exercise confirmed us as the premier business school in the UK for hospitality and tourism 
• The University of Surrey has one of the best graduate employment records in the UK 
• The School has excellent links with industry and routinely invites industry hospitality speakers to talk to students, such as: John Stauss, Vice President, Four Seasons; Jonathan Langston, CEO TRI Hospitality Consulting; and Michael Hirst, former CEO Hilton Hotels
• Surrey academics in the hospitality field have been internationally recognised with awards for teaching, scholarship and research. As acknowledged experts in their field, they are asked to comment in the media on hospitality stories. Professor Peter Jones has appeared on the BBC, CBS and CNN and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal
• Forty years’ experience in teaching and researching hospitality means we have an extensive network of alumni working in the industry all over the world, including, to name a few: Robert Earl, co-founder of Planet Hollywood; Karen Earp, GM of the Four Seasons in Bermuda; Kit Chapman, founder of the Brazz restaurant chain; and Alan Parker, CEO, Whitbread PLC

University of Surrey Food and Wine Society 

Founded over 22 years ago, the society aims to provide those Surrey Business School students with a specific interest in food and wine a chance to learn about and experience the practical side of the hospitality industry. 

Primarily, this is conducted through organising events both on and off campus with the help of dedicated Faculty staff and our ever-generous Board of Friends, made up of leaders in the hospitality industry. In 1985, Paul Milsom, an undergraduate studying Hotel and Catering Management, read an article by Kit Chapman in The Caterer and Hotelkeeper, in which he criticised his university for the lack of a Food and Wine Society for students. This prompted Paul to write to Kit and suggest that he would set up the society if Kit would give his help and support to the cause. This he readily did and so the society was created. 

Every year the society arranges a variety of fascinating and exciting visits to some of the most fantastic venues across the UK, and even ventures abroad; it experiences the heart of this great industry, namely fine food, fine wine and outstanding hospitality. 

In 2007, Kit decided to retire as president of the society after his 21-year tenure but it was with great pleasure that the society welcomed back Paul Milsom to assume the role of president. Since taking on the role, Paul has added a number of his own industry contacts to the ever-growing Board of Friends, and has taken a very active role in the operation of the society, maintaining a proud history, whilst building on successes and developing further into the twenty-first century. 

For more information visit the Food and Wine Society website. 

MSc International Hotel Management - apply

• MSc International Hotel Management Full-time - starting September 2012