Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management

The Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management is a two-year qualification that prepares you to run the show in hotels, restaurants, events and food service operations. You'll learn how to manage a kitchen brigade, control stock and costs, roster staff, handle legal and safety requirements, and deliver service that keeps customers coming back. The course mixes practical kitchen and service training with management subjects like financial control, marketing, human resources and operational planning. At King's School of Culinary Arts, you're learning in a specialist culinary environment, so the hospitality management side sits alongside real cooking and food production skills.

How the qualification is structured

Australian vocational qualifications are built from units of competency, each with a set credit value. A full-time load is typically around 20 hours of study per week, and the two-year duration reflects the volume of learning required. Delivery may run across semesters or trimesters, depending on the timetable. Assessment is competency-based: you need to demonstrate that you can perform the tasks to the standard expected in industry, not just pass a written exam. Many units include practical service periods, simulated workplace tasks or a commercial kitchen environment. Some providers also arrange a work placement component in a hotel, restaurant or event venue, which gives you supervised hours in a real operation. You should check the official course page for the exact unit list and any placement requirements.

What you'll actually study and do

Core areas usually cover managing diversity in the workplace, ensuring a safe workplace, managing finances, leading and managing people, developing and implementing marketing strategies, managing operational plans, and monitoring work operations. You'll also look at food and beverage service, accommodation services, event coordination, and how to handle customer complaints and difficult situations. Because this is a culinary school, expect a strong emphasis on food safety, menu costing, kitchen operations and the relationship between the kitchen and the front of house. By the end, you should be able to write a roster, read a profit and loss statement, run a shift, and train new staff.

Who it suits and what it leads to

This course suits people who want a management career in hospitality rather than just a trade qualification. It's a good fit if you've worked in a café, hotel or restaurant and want to move into a supervisory or duty manager role. It also works for career changers who want a structured path into the industry. The qualification is recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework at diploma level, which sits between a certificate IV and a bachelor degree. If you're an international student on a Student visa, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, 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. English requirements for entry are typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, or an accepted equivalent. Always confirm the exact entry requirements, tuition and start dates on the official CRICOS register and the provider's own page.

• Restaurant or café manager
• Duty manager in a hotel or resort
• Food and beverage supervisor
• Event or functions coordinator
• Kitchen manager or head chef (with relevant trade experience)
• Front office supervisor
• Banquet operations coordinator
• Hospitality business owner or operator

These roles are found across Australia in hotels, resorts, restaurants, pubs, clubs, catering companies, event venues, aged care and hospital food services, and tourism operators.