The Hotel & Resort Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate program is designed for students intending to pursue a career in the hotel and resort industry for supervisory and management roles. Students can expect to be immersed in an innovative curriculum, formed from industry expertise and managerial skills.
The content is related to the pillars of the hospitality industry, including: entrepreneurial thinking, accounting and finance, marketing and sales, food and beverage, accommodations and human resources. Courses will assist students with the knowledge and ability to transition directly into the industry at the knowledge and ability to transition directly into the industry at the conclusion of the program, with a strong understanding of the internal relationships between departments and the various business functions that drive performance in the hotel and resort industry.
This program requires students to purchase mandatory courseware. This fee will be applied to the student account in the third term.
Fall 2023 Delivery Format
Term 1 classes will be delivered in person and students will be required to be on campus for the duration of the term. The 2023 Fall term begins on September 6. However, to allow for travel delays, classes will be remote until September 16. Students must be on campus to join in-person classes starting September 18, 2023.
See Course List
Admission Requirements
A university degree
The admissions process is competitive and meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission.
Lambton College reserves the right to alter information including admission requirements and to cancel at any time a program or course; to change the location and/or term in which a program or course is offered; to change the program curriculum as necessary
to meet current competencies or changes in the job market; to change the pathways third-party certification bodies; or to withdraw an offer of admission both prior to and after its acceptance by an applicant or student because of insufficient applications
or registrations or over-acceptance of offers of admission. In the event Lambton College exercises such a right, Lambton College’s sole liability will be the return of monies paid by the applicant or student to Lambton College.
English Language Requirements
Applicants must demonstrate language proficiency by submitting one of the following scores:
- IELTS of 6.5
- TOEFL iBT 79
- Passed Lambton Institute of English placement test
Please Note: IELTS is the only proficiency score accepted by the Study Direct Stream (SDS) program. Additional country-specific requirements may also be applicable.
Meeting the minimum English requirements does not guarantee admission. Students with higher English proficiency scores will receive priority in the admission assessment process.
Technology Requirements
In order to keep pace with the requirements of each and every course in your program, it is mandatory to own a reliable laptop to complete tests and assignments.
Course List
MKT-1143: Marketing Fundamentals
This introductory marketing course provides students with a comprehensive overview of the principles, concepts, and practices of marketing. Marketing plays a critical role in today's business landscape, helping organizations effectively connect with their target audiences, create value, and drive business success. This course explores the fundamental theories and techniques of marketing while also emphasizing the role of sustainability in creating long-term value for businesses, society, and the environment. Students are introduced to various marketing components, including consumer and business buying behaviour, customer segmentation, marketing research, product development, pricing, distribution, and integrated marketing communications.
COM-3013: Professional Communications
This course is designed for international students with diplomas or degrees. It focuses on polishing communications skills acquired through one's academic career and workplace experience. Through various business writing and speaking scenarios, students learn Canadian business practices and communication styles. Close attention is paid to proper incorporation of the intellectual property of others to ensure academic integrity. Students will practice organized and dynamic speaking and will strive for polished business documents.
HAR-3043: Introduction to Hotels and Resorts
Travel and tourism is a valuable part of an industrialized nation's lifestyle and economy. Tourism continues to thrive as a top global sector (employing millions of Canadians and generating tens of billions of dollars in revenue each year). This course introduces the learner to the industry as a whole and examines the interrelationships of each sector. A discussion of how the tourism industry operates within the context of the Canadian marketplace is essential to learners. Topics covered include classification systems, career opportunities, demographics, planning, development, marketing, transportation, accommodations, food and beverage, travel and tourism services, event management and challenges and trends.
HAR-1013: Financial Analysis and Budgeting
Manage and operate successful hospitality and tourism enterprises by gaining a solid understanding of financial management. Preparation and interpretation of financial statements and key performance indicators are some of the skills developed to maximize profitability of operations.
HCL-3203: Human Resources
Gain the skills necessary to execute each stage of the employment process with a focus on attracting, developing, and retaining customer-focused tourism professionals. An exploration of Canadian employment law and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will serve as a pathway to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
HAR-1501: Industry Certifications
Earn TrainCan Inc's nationally recognized safe food handling and WHMIS certifications, Smart Serve Ontario's safe beverage service certification, provincial AODA customer service training and the OHSA Worker Awareness certificate. A modular approach to industry specific training requirements ensure the foundation has been set for working in industry during the co-operative work term and upon graduation.
HIN-3303: Human Interaction
HIN 3303 offers the learner a practical lesson in working with others in all of life's situations, including family, friends, school and the workplace. It is imperative that we have acceptable and effective interaction skills. Students will study and exercise various workplace practices to ensure that they can be valuable contributors to their workplace environment. Teamwork and many other group dynamics will be studied and practiced.
HAR-1403: Food and Beverage Operations
Develop the skills, knowledge and abilities required for professional food and beverage service. Restaurant operations, service standards, mixology, tableside food preparation, and dietary requirements are explored in theoretical discussions and practical application.
BUS-1883: Business Analytics
Strong computer skills are essential to finding Canadian employment in management and administration. This Business Analytics course introduces the use of data-driven techniques to identify and solve business problems. Students will learn key concepts of data analysis, from data collection and preparation to the application of predictive analytics models. Students develop skills in time management, self-discipline, and having an eye for detail by strengthening their ability to read and follow written instructions. Business Analytics is a course delivered using practical applications in the computer lab; through case studies and hands-on activities, students will learn to use Excel functionality more effectively in analyzing, interpreting, and visualizing data. Students will gain an understanding of the importance of data in today's business environment and will develop the skills necessary to identify, analyze, and utilize data for making better industry-specific decisions through case analysis.
HAR-3084: Hotel and Resort Finance and Revenue Management
Managing capital and implementing a system of control for key inputs and outputs is vital to successful hospitality operations. This course is designed to assist students in understanding the complexities of controlling resources within the hospitality operation. Emphasis is placed on developing and measuring standards, budgeting, planning and forecasting for control within a food and beverage business. Other topics include cost-volume-profit analysis, inventory control and valuation, revenue and cash control and the use of technology in the management and analysis of cost data.
HAR-3093: Lodging Management
Students consider entrepreneurial and corporate perspectives of lodging management and operations. Departmental contributions to the overall product are considered in the context of balancing customer service and financial accountability. Discussions include the impact on operations of Industry trends, security, and legal issues.
HAR-4073: Tourism Trends and Strategy
Go beyond traditional tourism to explore current special interest tourism product development within a responsible and sustainable planning context. Emphasis is placed on the positive and negative impacts of tourism on cultures, societies, economies, and environments.
JSS-1001: Job Search and Success
This course is designed to give the student an understanding of how to conduct a job search and how to succeed in the work place. This includes self-reflection, effectively designing a cover letter and resume, online job searches utilizing social media, behavioural based interviewing as well as marketing oneself effectively in a job interview. Job safety, successful work strategies and harassment and discrimination plan of action is also discussed.
MKT-4003: Customer Relationship Management
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) enables companies to manage relationships with customers and prospects, tracking, analyzing, and interpreting data to create a competitive advantage. This course examines the principles of CRM in making customer interactions more personalized, efficient, and effective. Students explore how CRM improves customer retention, drives sales growth, and helps teams better collaborate. Students analyze what information is most critical and how to efficiently analyze data gathered to identify the best fit. Emphasis is placed on assessing customer needs and improving the organization's ability to meet those needs by assessing customer data from different sources. The course is designed to assist students to develop their personal brand and strengthen their presentation, communication, and negotiation skills through role-playing, video assessment, and applied learning exercises. Both traditional and digital prospecting methods are explored, along with the application of effective discovery, proposal creation, and problem-resolution strategies, all in support of creating a customer relationship built on trust. Topics include goal setting, planning, time management, sales analytics, key performance indicator analysis, and customer relationship building.
HAR-1003: Hotel and Resort Operations Management
Approach corporate and entrepreneurial lodging operations from a departmental perspective. Discussions will encompass standard operating procedures, best practices, trends and legal considerations that ensure overall guest satisfaction and revenue maximization. A cloud-based property management system is used as a means of exploring hotel organization, front office procedures, rate structures, reporting, communication and the use of technology in lodging properties.
HAR-2003: Hotel and Resort Employee Relations
Managing human resources is a critical component of operating a successful hospitality business. The Hotel and Resort industry relies heavily on people and the growth of relationships between management, staff and guests. Regrettably, this has been a challenge for some hospitality leaders resulting in high turnover, employee shortages and reduced service levels. This course introduces students to fundamental steps required to effectively identify, develop and continuously support positive, productive and fulfilled employees. Topics covered include job analysis and design, planning and recruitment, orientation, company culture, training and development, employee evaluations, compensation, negotiation, collective bargaining, health and safety, employee turnover and social responsibility.
HCL-3103: Marketing Communications
Promotion of an experienced based business is a key to success in the tourism and hospitality industry. An exploration of traditional and digital approaches to marketing communications will provide a framework for developing effective promotional strategies for a tourism enterprise. Learners will assess and develop promotional tools that contribute to an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) campaign.
HAR-4203: Hotel and Resort Capstone Project
This course provides the student an opportunity to demonstrate their skills by acting in the role of the project manager within a Hotel and Resort environment. This capstone course consolidates the learning from the previous courses and provides an opportunity to put learning into action through the use of a computer-based project management simulation. Upon completion, students prepare a lessons learned audit capturing their reflection of their own performance and that of their team mates.
CPL-1049: Work Term - Full-Time*
Co-operative education provides students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning to the workplace, undertake career sampling and gain valuable work experience that may assist students in leveraging employment after graduation. For further information regarding co-op, please refer to: https://www.lambtoncollege.ca/co-op_and_career/
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CPL-5559: WIL Project
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Project is aimed at enriching students by connecting different program areas of study, cutting across subject-matter lines, and emphasizing unifying concepts. The focus of the WIL Project is to make connections between study and industry by engaging students in relevant and meaningful activities that are connected to and practiced within the professional workplace. WIL Project allows students to enhance and strengthen their employability prospects post-graduation by fine tuning skills and knowledge and meeting the expectations of today's employers. Students are required to attend the scheduled shifts in the WIL office, reporting to the WIL Supervisor. Weekly real-world challenges are presented in the WIL office, designed by industry professionals. In addition to the weekly assigned deliverables, students are also offered professional development sessions, and exposed to industry guest speakers, enhancing their opportunity to develop their professional network.
Co-op Eligibility
*In order to be eligible to participate in a full-time Co-op Work Term (CPL-1049) students must have a GPA of 2.8 or greater.
Failing to do so will require the students to enroll in CPL-5559 WIL Project at an additional cost to the student.
See the Costs tab for current fees.
Program Maps
Students are required to follow their prescribed program map and are not allowed to take unscheduled breaks for any reason.
Current Students
Current students can view program maps from previous years on the mylambton website.
You will need to login with your C# and password in order to access your program map.
Employment Opportunities
Graduates may find employment in all elements of full service hospitality and tourism operation including: front office, food and beverage, housekeeping, sales and marketing, accounting, finance and human resources.
For more information about post-graduate work eligibility for international students, please review the Post-Graduate Work Permit Program information.