Course summary

The increasingly professionalised and globalised nature of the hospitality industry means that employers are looking for management and leadership graduates with an academically informed understanding of these sectors as well as the critical skills needed to solve a range of management-related problems. Through a combination of academic rigour with practical engagement with innovative industry partners and applied research, our MSc in Hospitality Leadership will help equip you with the knowledge, strategic vision and competences to take a leading role in your chosen workplace. As part of the Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME), you’ll benefit from our connections to the industry, and have opportunities to gain work experience and build your professional network. This programme draws upon the research expertise, knowledge and experience of the global hospitality industry as well as engagement with a range of diverse practitioners and industry experts. It is industry-inspired and forward-facing to meet industry needs. You’ll benefit from a mixture of theory and practice, helping to gain valuable practical experience by working at our Missenden Abbey Hotel in Great Missenden. Our valuable links to national and multinational organisations can provide opportunities for you to gain further work experience and build your professional network. We’ll help you develop solid business principles, alongside contemporary sector knowledge, and plenty of hands-on experience working in areas related to your field of study. Employer engagement is embedded throughout the programme both in the delivery of the curriculum and participative activities including trips, workshops, guest speaker sessions and work experience. We also involve industry professionals in the assessments, such as a ‘Dragons Den’ assessment for your final Consultancy Project. We combine rigorous academic ideas with problem-solving and practical skills to equip you with industry-based knowledge and competences, helping you to excel in the globalised business environment in which the contemporary hospitality business and the industry operate in. You’ll get to experience the world of entrepreneurship in an engaging and real-life approach. We also help you develop valuable skills employers are looking for, such as developing customer relationships, teamwork, taking initiatives, self-starting, problem solving, and conflict handling. Our students have the chance to network with the many businesses we are proud to work with, including hotels, restaurant companies, contract or licence sectors, independent hospitality or license sectors, event venues and management companies, hospitality recruitment companies, as well as prestigious clubs, sporting venues and arts organisations, further helping to bolster your career prospects. Our practice-based MSc in Hospitality Leadership can help you gain the skills and knowledge you need to bolster your career prospects in this field. We will help you to develop your industry knowledge and professional skills by gaining valuable experience in a fully commercial hotel and other industry partner hotels alongside your studies. As hospitality expands further into emerging markets and the demands for highly skilled and intellectually agile graduates increases, the leading managers and leaders of tomorrow must also be technically-adept in terms of mastering a wide portfolio of skills. Different facets of hospitality as practised within and across countries at different levels of development and within a variety of business and management cultures will be covered. We will help you to grow as a professional, building your confidence and the flexibility you need to thrive in this industry. We’ll also encourage you to take a strategic approach to various sectors of the industries. This will enhance your understanding of the ever-changing business, economic and social demands placed on these complex industries.