Associate Degree of International Hotel and Tourism Management

The Associate Degree of International Hotel and Tourism Management is a two-year qualification at Southern Cross University. It sits at the associate degree level of the Australian Qualifications Framework, so it's shorter than a three-year bachelor degree but more substantial than a diploma. You'll study the way hotels, resorts, tour operators and event businesses actually run, front office, food and beverage, housekeeping, revenue, marketing and the guest experience, and you'll do it with an international outlook, because Australian tourism and hospitality employers operate across Asia-Pacific and beyond.

How the course is structured

Australian universities usually run the academic year across semesters or trimesters, and you enrol in units of study that carry credit points. You need a set number of credit points to graduate, and each unit is worth a fixed amount. Southern Cross University publishes the exact units, credit points and any majors or streams on the official course page, so check there before you apply. The degree is built so you can move into a bachelor's degree later with credit for what you've already completed, which is common for associate degrees in Australia.

What you'll actually study

Expect core units in hospitality operations, tourism systems, food and beverage management, accommodation management, marketing, accounting and people management. Many hospitality and tourism degrees include a work-integrated learning component, an industry placement or internship where you spend time in a real hotel, resort, events company or tourism operator. That placement is often where students work out whether they want to be on the operations floor, in revenue management, or in events and destination marketing. Assessment is usually a mix of exams, reports, group projects and practical tasks.

Who it suits

This course suits school leavers who want a faster route into the industry than a full bachelor degree, people already working in hotels or tourism who want formal qualifications to move into supervisory or management roles, and international students looking for a two-year Australian qualification with a strong practical focus. English requirements for international applicants are set at IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for most undergraduate and coursework postgraduate courses, with higher scores for teaching, nursing, medicine, law and social work. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. While studying, a Student visa generally allows 48 hours of work per fortnight, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register. Confirm all details, units, credit points, placement requirements, English and visa rules, on the official Southern Cross University page and the CRICOS listing.

• Hotel front office supervisor or duty manager
• Food and beverage supervisor or restaurant manager
• Housekeeping supervisor or rooms division coordinator
• Reservations or revenue coordinator
• Event coordinator or conference and banqueting assistant
• Tourism operations officer or destination marketing assistant
• Guest relations or customer experience officer
• Sales and marketing coordinator for hotels, resorts or tour companies

Australian employers in these roles include hotel groups and resorts, serviced apartment operators, restaurants and catering companies, event and conference venues, tour and transport operators, visitor information centres, and destination marketing organisations. The qualification also gives you a pathway into a bachelor's degree with credit if you decide to keep studying.