Diploma of Hospitality Management

The Diploma of Hospitality Management is a one-year qualification that prepares you for supervisory and operational roles in hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes and event venues. You study how a hospitality business actually runs: rostering and staff management, food and beverage service, front office operations, budgeting and cost control, stock and purchasing, legal compliance, and workplace health and safety. Assessment is practical as well as written, so you spend time in training kitchens, simulated service environments and real venues rather than only in a classroom.

How the qualification is structured

Australian diplomas sit at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. A diploma is typically one year of full-time study, or part-time equivalent, and is made up of units of competency rather than the semester-based units of study and credit points you would see in a bachelor degree. Each unit is assessed on its own, and you need to be competent in every required unit to graduate. Delivery at Imagine Education Australia may run across semesters or trimesters, and some providers offer rolling intakes, so check the official page for the current structure and start dates. Many students who finish a diploma use it as a pathway into a bachelor degree with credit for prior study, though the amount of credit granted depends on the receiving institution.

Skills you build

You learn to lead a shift, manage a team through a busy service, handle customer complaints, control food and labour costs, order and store stock safely, and keep records that satisfy regulators. You also practise the commercial side: reading a profit and loss statement, setting prices, and planning rosters against wage budgets. Communication matters as much as technical skill, because hospitality is a people business and you will deal with staff, suppliers, guests and inspectors.

Who it suits

This diploma suits people already working in hospitality who want to move into supervision or management, career changers who want a practical qualification quickly, and school leavers who prefer hands-on learning to a three-year degree. It also works as a stepping stone for international students who want Australian training before moving into further study. If you are an international applicant, you will need to meet the English requirement published for the course, and you should confirm the exact IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or equivalent score on the official page. While studying in Australia on a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, subject to the Department of Home Affairs rules in force at the time. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 110579H.

• Duty manager or shift supervisor in hotels, resorts, pubs, clubs and restaurants
• Food and beverage supervisor overseeing service teams in restaurants, cafes and function venues
• Front office supervisor managing reservations, check-in and guest relations in accommodation
• Banquet or events coordinator running conferences, weddings and corporate functions
• Restaurant or cafe manager handling rosters, budgets, stock and compliance
• Housekeeping supervisor coordinating room attendants and quality standards
• Bar or gaming supervisor in licensed venues, subject to state licensing requirements

These roles are found across Australia's accommodation, food service, events and tourism industries, from city hotels and large hospitality groups to regional venues, wineries and catering companies. Some management positions, particularly in gaming and liquor-licensed venues, require additional state or territory approvals on top of the diploma.