AUM American University of Malta

MBA in Tourism and Hospitality Management

Structure of the program for full-time attendance:

Semester 1

• Economics for Managers
• Financial Accounting
• Financial Management
• Writing and Presenting Academic Research

Semester 2

• Operation Management
• Sustainability for Tourism and Hospitality Management
• Human Resources Management /Information Systems in Tourism and Hospitality /Entrepreneurship for Tourism and Hospitality
• Research Methods for Business

Semester 3

• Marketing Strategies and Management for Tourism and Hospitality
• Quality Management in Tourism and Hospitality
• Research Thesis in Tourism and Hospitality

Structure of the program for part-time attendance:

Semester 1

• Economics for Managers
• Financial Accounting

Semester 2

• Financial Management
• Writing and Presenting Academic Research

Semester 3

• Operation Management
• Sustainability for Tourism and Hospitality Management

Semester 4

• Human Resources Management /Information Systems in Tourism and Hospitality /Entrepreneurship for Tourism and Hospitality
• Research Methods for Business

Semester 5

• Marketing Strategies and Management for Tourism and Hospitality
• Quality Management in Tourism and Hospitality

Semester 6

Research Thesis in Tourism and Hospitality Management

Program Learning Outcomes

The learner will be able to:

• Transmit the vision, mission, objectives, strategic direction, and business action plan to all stakeholders
• Interpret research outcomes in applied terms
• Analyse and interpret the business market, strategic, operational, legal,l and financial issues
• Explain the impact of different business and service designs on the  efficiency of services, income, and further development
• Critically discuss methods of business transformation and introduction of innovative approaches and technologies
• Critically discuss the impact of business ethics and culture on employee performance

Learning outcomes for skills obtained at the end of the program

• Apply the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies required to successfully lead a business in the Tourism and Hospitality industry and demonstrate skills in using effective strategic and operational management
• Assume responsibility for designing and implementing marketing strategy consistent with goals, managing quality, costs, and profitability, information technology.
• Responsible for solving complex problems that involve financial issues, business strategy, business and services design, research findings, legal guidelines, and management of employees.
• Have the critical thinking abilities and analytical framework to make difficult business decisions that affect multiple constituencies.
• Ability to use information systems and digital technology as a communication tool.

Knowledge

Graduates will acquire knowledge of the following fields needed to manage a business or non-profit organization:

1. Formulate and appraise a wide range of accounting, economics, and financial practical tools and data.
2. Analyse and interpret comprehensive legal business policies and theoretical frameworks
3. Estimate and justify multi-disciplinary organizational structure and implement tasks and projects
4. Construct and prove the efficiency of marketing strategies.
5. Model consumer behavior and business advertising.
6. Conclude and apply research and statistics methods (i.e., qualitative, and quantitative).
7. Select and interpret different ICT approaches of a digital society-based framework.

Skills

Graduates will develop the following skills used in managing tourism and hospitality businesses and services:

1. Classify, apply, and analyze competitive threats, and differentiate between the complexities of external influences on business activity.
2. Apply appropriate statistical and financial investment techniques and tools to business data to make successful business decisions.
3. Practice performant operation management, including cost management.
4. Measure and predict the impact of macroeconomics’ indicators movements, including but not limited to financial systems, business cycles, labor markets, monetary and fiscal policy
5. implement understanding of the legal issues relevant to business, including contracts, liability, fraud, and dispute resolution.

Competencies

Graduates will develop the following competencies:

1. Determine innovative solutions to complex business problems.
2. Appraise and evaluate activities that affect business outcomes, including but not limited to financial management and reporting, strategy development and implementation, operations, marketing, and employee management.
3. Defend unbiased decisions that are supported by data rather than gut feelings.
4. Comply with professional standards and laws and demonstrate the highest business and professional ethics.
5. Transform business plans that will create value for the organization and its stakeholders.
6. Select and implement digital technology to make business decisions

Notwithstanding the inflation of MBA programs on the international market, it is still true that graduates of quality MBA programs acquire knowledge, skills, and competencies that position them already a step ahead in the career paths of graduates of bachelor programs or of other master’s degrees.

This program does not prepare students by the National Occupation Standards as it is established as MQF Level 7. Therefore, this program is highly specialized in business management, and it is at the forefront of knowledge in the field of Business Administration.

Graduates of a quality MBA program not only enter the workforce with higher salaries than other master’s graduates but also have higher chances of obtaining and holding a high-level management position in their companies. Given the entry requirement of at least three years of working experience, an MBA student finds himself or herself surrounded by professionals who already have established themselves in the working world, and thus enjoy a significant level of networking and connection-making. The MBA experience offers professionals who had the opportunity to establish certain routines in their current positions to take a fresh look at their skill sets and dispositions and to move out of their comfort zone. For all these reasons, AUM considers the MBA as a strategic degree program to offer at the outset, to serve the population working at the professional level in Malta, who are looking for the opportunity to obtain a proficient qualification that will significantly enhance their careers at the national and international level.

Graduate students may apply for the following positions in any field including but not limited to:

• Tourism and Hospitality Manager
• Tourism and Hospitality Startups
• Marketing Manager in Tourism and Hospitality
• Tourism and Hospitality Services Manager
• Tourism and Hospitality Management Consultant
• Tourism Business Development Consultant
• Hotel Management
• Entrepreneur in Tourism and Hospitality
• Event Manager
• Tourism Business Operations Manager
• Real Estate Development for Hospitality

The MBA comprises 3 semesters of full-time coursework plus a fourth semester in which a major independent research project is completed (by MFHE Guidelines for Accreditation of MQF Level 7 Courses:

“Any Master’s degree must include a dissertation, research project or research component/s of equivalent standard to which not less than 20 ECTS are assigned.”)

The courses are sequenced such that later courses leverage material learned in earlier courses.

In general, the pedagogical approach of the Introductory and Major Modules comprises lectures, frequent homework, and exams.

The Advanced Modules incorporate case studies and group projects.

The Research Methods module requires students to develop a proposal for the research project in the last semester. Students must complete a course in Research Methods for Business module in the third semester with a proposal for the fourth-semester independent research project before beginning the project.

The coursework comprises 62 ECTS and the research project is assigned 30 credits, for a total of 92 ECTS.

For the online program, teaching will occur via an online meeting/lecture software to deliver real-time lectures.

A VLE will be used to deliver asynchronous learning which enables students to reach learning content (e.g. PDFs, eBooks, videos, etc..) when it is the most convenient time for them.

Faculty will deliver online video lectures that are identical in content to face-to-face classes. Educational videos will be liked from academic resources licensed through the AUM Library (e.g. Business Source Complete, and other databases). If appropriate, faculty can also utilize selected VODs such as Netflix, or Apple TV to incorporate in lectures.

For academic support, the VLE and SIS systems will be the main channels of communication for student-tutor engagement. Technical support -ticketing system- will be available 24/7 on both platforms.

In addition, work-based learning will also be used as a method of learning. Students will be supported by industry mentors who will facilitate learning at their place of work. Knowledge and underlying principles will be delivered also using traditional methods.

Work-based experience is encouraged, but not mandatory, through educational field trips followed by internships, university-private sector agreements for practical sessions, and short-term part-time work placement. Students are also encouraged to select a company to build their practical competencies and skills, and observation of the real process on-site. Work-based learning opportunities that involve fieldwork will follow the university partnership agreements. Work-based learning can be part of the coursework project or other assessment according to the course instructor.