Diploma of Hospitality Management

The Diploma of Hospitality Management is a one-year qualification for people who want to work in hotels, restaurants, events, tourism operations or food and beverage management. You learn how to run a hospitality business: rostering and staffing, budgeting and cost control, food safety and hygiene, stock and purchasing, customer service standards, and the legal side of serving alcohol and managing premises.

How the course is structured

Australian diplomas are made up of units of study, each worth credit points. This one is delivered over one year, usually as two semesters or three trimesters depending on intake. You will study a mix of core units and electives, with assessment based on practical tasks, projects and work placement rather than long written exams. The course includes a work placement component, so you spend time in a real venue, a hotel, restaurant, club or event space, putting what you learn into practice under supervision. The qualification sits at AQF level 5, which means it is practical and job-focused, and it can lead into a bachelor degree with credit for the units you have completed.

What you actually learn

You will learn to manage a team, handle customer complaints, plan menus, control costs, and keep a venue compliant with health and safety rules. You also cover revenue management, marketing, and how to plan and run functions and events. Communication and leadership skills are built into the units, because hospitality is a people business. By the end, you should be able to step into a supervisor or duty manager role and keep a shift running smoothly.

Who this suits

This diploma suits people already working in hospitality who want to move into management, and also school leavers or career changers who want a fast, practical qualification. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while you study and stay on after graduation on the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, provided you meet the requirements. English requirements are IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall or an accepted equivalent; the Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register. Always confirm the current units, placement hours and entry requirements on the official page before you apply.

• Duty manager or shift supervisor in hotels, resorts, pubs, clubs and restaurants
• Food and beverage manager overseeing service, stock and staff
• Front office supervisor in accommodation providers
• Events coordinator for conferences, weddings and functions
• Restaurant manager running daily operations and budgets
• Tourism operations supervisor in tour companies and attractions

These roles are found across Australia's hospitality and tourism industry, hotels and resorts, licensed clubs, cafes and restaurants, catering companies, event venues, and tour operators. The diploma also gives you credit toward a bachelor degree in hospitality or business if you want to keep studying.