Engage in a tourism and hospitality management diploma program that develops the highly in-demand skills of leadership, cultural intelligence, and a managerial approach to business operations. A passion for creating experiences, flexibility to pivot with trends,
ability to lead a team, and business acuity ensure graduates are prepared to advance their careers in this dynamic industry.
Trained professionals enjoy career success creating experiences for corporate and entrepreneurial tourism organizations including world class hotels and resorts, tourism attractions, entertainment venues, gaming organizations, destination marketing organizations, and all businesses that value the customer experience.
Lambton College's Tourism - Operations Management student experience delivers:
- a unique, continuous 16 month educational experience offering skill development and industry experience (3 academic terms + co-operative work term);
- student-centered curriculum with active, engaging and applied learning opportunities;
- transferable skill development that opens doors to all areas of the tourism industry and beyond;
- leadership development through experiential learning and human relations;
- cultural intelligence skill building;
- a foundation for socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, and ethical decision making;
- industry certifications; and,
- opportunities to kick start career advancement through a paid co-op work term across Canada and around the world.
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Students in the Tourism - Operations Management program are exposed to real-world learning through a variety of ways during their time at Lambton College.
This program prepares students for future work by providing industry certifications and a paid co-op work term
where companies will come on-campus to recruit. Students also participate in team based projects that include themes like:
- Tour Planning of a four-day Canadian Getaway;
- Tourism Marketing Plans;
- Debating Tourism Trends from a Sustainable and Responsible Lens; and
- Fundraising Events.
Students gain exposure to computerized business simulations that include Hotel Property Management Systems, Entrepreneurial Operations, and Digital Marketing Communications. They also gain valuable leadership development and organizational leadership
skills through interactive workshops.
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. Students must be on campus to join in-person classes starting September 6, 2023. No exceptions will be made.
See Course List
Admission Requirements
O.S.S.D. or equivalent with:
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 Proficiency Requirements
Applicants must demonstrate language proficiency by submitting one of the following scores:
- IELTS of 6.0;
- TOEFL iBT 69; or
- 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
HCL-1003: Tourism Foundations
Explore the range of operations, career opportunities and the interrelationship among the sectors of the Tourism Industry. This course is designed to develop a foundation of concepts and vocabulary for use in future courses and a lens that is consistent with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
HCL-1204: Leadership Development
Build a strategy for personal growth and development of leadership abilities through reflection of personal values, behaviours, and contributions to teams. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) discussions provide the framework for building successful hospitality workplace cultures, setting self-leadership goals, and contributing to successful teams.
HCL-1303: Tourism Technology
Learn and apply computer skills needed by the tourism professional including information management and collaboration. Microsoft application skill development includes Excel, Word, Powerpoint, OneDrive, and Teams.
HCL-1403: Food and Beverage Operations
Develop the skills, knowledge and abilities required for professional food and beverage service. Restaurant operations, service standards, dietary requirements, mixology, and cost control are explored in theoretical discussions and practical application.
HCL-1501: Industry Certifications
Earn TrainCan Inc's nationally recognized safe food handling, Smart Serve Ontario's safe beverage service, WHMIS, AODA customer service training, and OHSA worker and supervisor certifications. This course takes a modular approach to industry requirements to ensure the foundation has been set for working in industry during the co-operative work term and upon graduation.
COM-1113: Workplace Communications
This course focuses on skills required in any organization or position: writing business documents, responding to realistic scenarios, and speaking in an organized and vibrant manner. Students will practice professional communications skills by producing, revising, and editing short business documents and engaging in verbal interactions and presentations.
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.
HCL-2003: Financial Control
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-2103: Tourism Marketing
Explore the unique philosophies associated with the marketing of tourism products and experiences. Discussions include the extended marketing mix for services, target market research, e-marketing, and the application of relationship management strategies.
HCL-2303: Hotel Operations
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.
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.
HCL-3403: Tourism Trends
Go beyond traditional tourism to explore sustainable and responsible tourism products and their target audiences. An exploration of community and environmental impacts of various tourism types leads to discussions on how tourism operations contribute to Truth and Reconciliation and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
CPL-1049: Co-Op Work Term
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/
HCL-3003: Events, Meetings and Conferences
Study the diverse components and concepts of planning and coordinating Meetings, Expositions, Events, and Conventions (MEEC). Strategic planning, project, risk and financial management, marketing, and site management are examined. Learners will have opportunities to develop skills, knowledge and abilities required of an event planner.
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.
HCL-3504: Cost Management
Consider the complexities of controlling resources within the hospitality operation to maximize profit levels. Apply the necessary principles related to the control process and operating control cycle including the application of costing tools. Learners will have the opportunity to earn professional certification from the AHLEI.
HCL-3603: Operations Management
Apply a managerial approach to problem solving in a variety of tourism operations through a modular approach to restaurant, hotel/resort, and gaming operations. Decision making considerations include balancing profits with environmental and socio-economic sustainability, and EDI (economic, diversity, and inclusion) priorities.
HCL-4103: Organizational Leadership
Today's competitive business world demands strong organizational leadership and effective supervisory skills. This course focuses on skills required to create a productive work climate through employee engagement, training, and development strategies.
HCL-4303: Entrepreneurship in Tourism
Develop an entrepreneurial spirit by running your own simulated small business. Students are challenged to use social entrepreneurship as a guide to business plan development, execution, and assessment by applying prior learning in finance, marketing, human resources, and management.
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
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
Tourism and Hospitality industry professionals are in global demand. Some of the employers of our graduates include: Tourism Sarnia-Lambton, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Gateway Entertainment and Spirit Ridge at Nkmip Resort. Self-Employment: Inns, Adventure Tourism, Food and Beverage, and Retail.