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. 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.
This Lambton College program is licensed to and delivered by Queen's College (PDF), a licensed private career college in Mississauga, Ontario. Students that are registered at Lambton in Mississauga are students of a public college and as such, will receive full
credit from Lambton College for all Lambton College courses completed at the Queen's College campus in Mississauga. Students who meet program graduation requirements will graduate with a credential from Lambton College. Students may be scheduled to have classes on Saturdays.
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. Discuss Canada's business environment, visitors, and tourism product as a means of developing a solid foundation of key concepts and vocabulary for use in future courses.
HCL-1204: Leadership Development
Build a strategy for personal growth and development of your leadership abilities. Examine personal values, attitudes and strengths that can influence your career progression. Self-leadership, effective team interactions, the diverse workplace and interpersonal skills development will be explored.
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.
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
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-1501: Industry Certifications
Earn certifications in TrainCan Inc's nationally recognized safe food handling and WHMIS, Smart Serve Ontario's safe beverage service, provincial AODA customer service training and OHSA Worker Awareness. A modular approach to industry specific training requirements ensures the foundation has been set for working in industry during the cooperative work term and upon graduation.
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-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-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
In this course, students will learn how to execute the steps of the employment process with a focus on attracting, developing, and retaining customer focused, tourism professionals within the Canadian legal and business environment.
HCL-1204: Leadership Development
Build a strategy for personal growth and development of your leadership abilities. Examine personal values, attitudes and strengths that can influence your career progression. Self-leadership, effective team interactions, the diverse workplace and interpersonal skills development will be explored.
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
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. Balancing financial accountability with customer service in a rapidly changing business environment is practiced through a modular approach to restaurant, hotel/resort, and gaming operations and management.
HCL-4103: Organizational Leadership
Today's competitive business world demands strong organizational leadership and effective supervisory skills. Explore leadership in an organizational context and examine how these skills are used by those transitioning or assuming supervisory/managerial roles. Emphasis is placed on the essential skills of creating a productive work climate through employee engagement, training, and development strategies.
HCL-4303: Entrepreneurship in Tourism
Design and operate your own small business within a simulated environment. Investigate resources and criteria for success of small businesses in Canada while developing your entrepreneurial spirit. Application of prior learning in finance, marketing, human resource, leadership and management will guide your business plan development, execution, and assessment.
GED-XXX3: General Education Elective
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
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.