Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management

The Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management is a two-year Australian qualification that prepares you to run the show in hotels, resorts, restaurants, events and tourism businesses. It sits at the diploma/advanced diploma level of the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it is practical, industry-facing and built around the skills employers actually ask for. You will study food and beverage operations, front office and accommodation management, marketing, human resources, financial control, and how to lead a team through a busy service period. The course also covers compliance, workplace health and safety, and the business side of hospitality, rostering, budgeting, stock control and customer experience.

How the course is structured

Australian vocational qualifications like this one are delivered through units of competency, not traditional academic subjects. Each unit has a set number of credit points, and you need to complete all required units to graduate. Delivery is usually on a semester or trimester basis, so you might study four to six units at a time. Assessment is a mix of practical tasks, written assignments, projects and supervised work in training kitchens, restaurants or simulated front desk environments. Some providers also offer a capstone unit where you pull everything together, for example, developing a business plan for a hospitality venture or managing a real event from start to finish.

Work-integrated learning and placement

Hospitality is a hands-on field, so work-integrated learning is a core part of the Advanced Diploma. Many colleges arrange a professional placement or internship in a hotel, restaurant, catering company or events business, where you apply what you have learned on the floor. This placement counts toward your qualification and gives you Australian work experience to put on your resume. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, which is a good way to pick up casual shifts in the industry while you study.

Who this course suits

This qualification suits people who want to move into supervisory or management roles in hospitality, or who already work in the industry and want formal recognition of their skills. It is also a good fit if you are changing careers and want a practical, job-ready qualification rather than a long academic degree. There are no strict prerequisite subjects for most advanced diplomas, but you will need to meet English requirements. International applicants usually need IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall or an equivalent accepted by the college, such as TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa, so check both. After graduating, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period. Tuition fees are published on the CRICOS register under course code 111777E, and you should confirm all details, including intake dates, unit lists and placement arrangements, on the official page.

• Hospitality supervisor or team leader, overseeing daily operations in hotels, resorts, restaurants, cafes and bars.
• Front office manager, managing reservations, check-in/check-out, guest services and staff rosters.
• Food and beverage manager, running restaurant or bar service, stock control, supplier relationships and budgets.
• Events coordinator, planning and delivering conferences, weddings and corporate functions in venues or event companies.
• Restaurant or cafe manager, taking responsibility for profitability, compliance, staff training and customer experience.
• Accommodation manager, looking after housekeeping, maintenance and guest satisfaction in hotels or serviced apartments.
• Tourism operations supervisor, leading tours, transfers or visitor experiences in tourism businesses.
• Small business owner, starting or running your own hospitality venture, from a food truck to a boutique hotel.

Australian industries that hire these roles include hotels and resorts, restaurants and catering, pubs and bars, event management companies, tourism operators, and aged care or hospital catering services. The qualification is recognised across Australia and can also be a pathway into further study, such as a bachelor degree in hospitality, business or tourism, with credit for your completed units.