Diploma of Hospitality Management

The Diploma of Hospitality Management at the Sydney School of Business and Technology is a one-and-a-half-year qualification that prepares you for supervisory and front-line management roles in hotels, restaurants, events and food service. It covers the practical and business sides of hospitality: food and beverage operations, housekeeping, front office, rostering and staff supervision, customer service, workplace safety, budgeting and financial reporting, and marketing. You also learn the compliance side of the industry, responsible service of alcohol, food safety, and the legal obligations that come with running a venue in Australia.

Australian diplomas are nested qualifications on the AQF. This one sits below a bachelor degree and is normally delivered over three or four study periods across 1.5 years. You complete units of study, each with a credit point value, and you need to pass all required units to graduate. Assessment is competency-based: you show you can perform tasks to industry standard, not just answer exam questions. Many diplomas include a practical placement or simulated service environment, so you spend time in a commercial kitchen, a training restaurant or on placement with an operator.

What you gain is a mix of hands-on skills and people management. You learn to write rosters that meet wage budgets, handle guest complaints, manage stock and suppliers, lead a shift, and keep a venue compliant with liquor and food safety laws. You also build the communication and problem-solving habits that hospitality employers look for. The course suits people who want to move into supervisory roles, career changers who want a fast route into the industry, and students who plan to continue to a bachelor degree with credit for their diploma studies.

English requirements for international applicants are set at IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for most coursework programs, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the school’s own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. While you study, your visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight, which many hospitality students use to gain paid industry experience. After graduating, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 111005E. Confirm current fees, intake dates and English requirements on the official page before you apply.

• Duty manager or shift supervisor, hotels, pubs, clubs, restaurants and function centres across Australia.
• Food and beverage supervisor, coordinating service, staff and stock in restaurants, cafes and catering operations.
• Front office supervisor, managing check-in, reservations and guest relations in hotels and resorts.
• Housekeeping supervisor, leading room attendants and maintaining quality standards in accommodation properties.
• Events or functions coordinator, planning and running conferences, weddings and corporate events.
• Restaurant or cafe manager, running day-to-day operations, budgets, rostering and compliance.
• Bar or beverage manager, managing stock, suppliers, licensing and responsible service of alcohol.
• Owner-operator or small business manager, running your own hospitality venue or catering business.