Distance learning program Hotel Management (B.A.) – IST University of Management

👉 The distance learning Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management (B.A.) is aimed at school graduates with university entrance qualifications or advanced technical college entrance qualifications, as well as industry professionals who are seeking an internationally recognised qualification and wish to study flexibly. The course provides well-founded knowledge with around 60% hotel-specific content in hotel and quality management, business administration, personnel management, marketing, as well as digitalisation and sustainability in the hotel industry. You can choose individual specialisations from modules such as event management, culinary management, or wellness. After six or eight semesters, you will be qualified for leadership positions in hotels, resorts, cruises, or catering.

At a Glance

🏫 Provider IST University of Management, UAS based in Düsseldorf (Germany)
The IST University of Management is officially recognized as a state-approved university by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The distance learning courses offered in the exciting areas of sports, fitness, health, tourism, hospitality, events, media and communication are characterized by high scientific quality and a strong practical relevance.
📋 Study Format Distance learning program
🎓 Field of Study Economy & MediaTourism & Hospitality
📜 Degree Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
⏳ Duration 6 Semesters, Study effort 29 hours weekly
🎯 ECTS 180 Credit Points
🌍 Language of Instruction German
📖 Course contents Marketing – Fundamentals and Strategies, Introduction to Accounting, Basics of Business Administration, Hotel Basics, Rooms Division Management, Microeconomics, Business Law, Fundamentals of Online Marketing and Social Media, Hotel and Quality Management, Guest Relations Management, Macroeconomics and International Economics, Business Mathematics and Statistics, Digitalisation and AI in the Hotel Industry, F&B Management, Sustainability in the Hotel Industry, Taxes and Financial Statements, Corporate Management and Human Resource Management, Academic Work and Learning Methods, Operational and Strategic Hotel Management, International Marketing, Special Management Perspectives and Communication, Entrepreneurial Decision-Making Principles, Bachelor's Thesis + Colloquium, Elective Modules
👥 In-person sessions 20 days for the compulsory modules - depending on the elective module, an additional 4-6 days
✅ ZFU Approval The Central State Office for Distance Learning (ZFU) has approved the course Hotel Management under the number 151213c.
📅 Enrollment Winter or summer semester
💶 Fees
from 379 € monthly
from 13644 € total
🔗 More Info View Vendor Profile

Who is the Bachelor’s Distance Learning Course in Hotel Management Suitable For?

The distance learning course in Hotel Management is aimed at individuals who are seeking a hotel-specific bachelor’s degree while remaining flexible in terms of location and time. It is primarily targeted at school leavers with university entrance qualification (Abitur) or advanced technical college entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife) who are looking for an entry into the hotel industry, but also at industry professionals who wish to deepen their practical knowledge through a university degree. The course is also suitable for career changers with completed vocational training and several years of professional experience who want to qualify academically in the hospitality sector.

Admission: What Requirements Must You Fulfil for the Hotel Management Course?

To be able to enrol in the Bachelor’s degree programme in Hotel Management, the following admission requirements apply:

  • General university entrance qualification (Abitur), advanced technical college entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife) or an equivalent qualification
  • Alternatively: Master craftsman’s certificate or a recognised advanced training qualification (e.g. IHK specialist)
  • Without Abitur: You can be admitted if you have completed at least a 2-year vocational training and can prove at least three years of professional experience in your trained occupation. If the course content does not build professionally on your previous occupation, a trial study period is required
  • Practical experience: Additionally, you must provide proof of a 3-month internship in the hotel industry or at least three months of industry-specific professional experience (proof can be submitted by the beginning of the third semester at the latest)

Personally, you should have organisational talent, strong communication skills and a keen interest in business management contexts. Openness to international and intercultural issues as well as flexibility and service orientation are crucial in hotel management. Basic knowledge of English and the willingness to learn independently through distance learning will support your success in the course. Initial practical experience in the hotel or tourism sector is advantageous.

What content does the Hotel Management distance learning course convey?

In the Bachelor’s degree programme in Hotel Management at IST-Hochschule für Management, you will acquire comprehensive knowledge about the professional management of a hotel. The curriculum combines generalist business modules with hotel-specific specialist content. 60 % of the study content is directly focused on the hotel industry – from the start, you concentrate on industry-specific knowledge.

  • General Management: Basics in business administration, law, accounting, taxes, economics, entrepreneurial decision-making and academic work.
  • Hotel Basics & Special Modules: Hotel basics, rooms division management, hotel and quality management, F&B management, digitalisation and artificial intelligence in the hotel industry, sustainability, guest relations and customer care.
  • Leadership and Communication: Corporate management, personnel management, team leadership, conflict management, communication in national and international contexts.
  • Marketing & Sales: Hotel marketing, online marketing, social media, international marketing as well as strategies for sales and revenue optimisation (e.g. revenue management).
  • Elective Modules and Focus Areas: You can set individual priorities from various topics, such as event management, culinary management, wellness and spa management, tourism management, sustainability management or e-commerce.
  • Language & Internationality: The Business English module prepares you for international hotel operations.

In addition, you will develop methodological, social and analytical skills to effectively lead employees, evaluate business management key figures and make operational as well as strategic decisions. Seminar days and optional excursions provide valuable practical insights through cooperation with renowned partner hotels.

How is the course structure of the Hotel Management distance learning programme organised?

The Bachelor’s degree programme in Hotel Management is designed as a flexible distance learning course. You can choose between a full-time variant with 6 semesters (approx. 29 hours of workload per week) and a part-time variant with 8 semesters. A dual study programme is also possible. For both variants, three additional free semesters are available in case you need more time.

  • Self-study: You receive specially developed study booklets and access lectures, tutorials and exercises via an online campus.
  • Multimedia delivery: Interactive online seminars, quiz functions, virtual classrooms and apps support your learning progress.
  • Attendance & seminar days: Several modules include a total of 16 to 24 seminar days – these serve to deepen knowledge, promote practical skills and enable exchange with industry experts.
  • Elective modules: During your studies, you decide on individual focus subjects which sharpen your professional profile.
  • Exams & assessment: Most exams can be taken online regardless of location. Alternatively, many examination centres are available throughout Germany and partly in Austria.
  • Bachelor’s thesis: The bachelor’s thesis with the concluding oral examination takes place in the last semester.
  • Practical relevance: Optional internships or stays abroad within the framework of elective modules broaden your range of experience.

The weekly study workload amounts to approximately 29 hours in the full-time programme. The course starts on 1 April and 1 October each year. Thanks to its flexible organisation, the distance learning programme is suitable both for working professionals and school leavers.

What career prospects does the Bachelor in Hotel Management open up?

With the Bachelor of Arts in Hotel Management, you qualify for responsible positions in national and international companies in the hotel industry and adjacent sectors. The combination of management knowledge, leadership skills and immediately practice-oriented specialist knowledge enables you to enter diverse career paths:

  • Hotel manager: Control and management in operational and strategic areas of individual hotels and hotel chains.
  • Revenue manager: Analysis and optimisation of room occupancy, pricing, and revenue planning.
  • F&B manager: Overall responsibility for gastronomy, bar, kitchen and event management.
  • Positions in housekeeping, sales & distribution, marketing or guest management – especially in holiday hotels, resorts, wellness and leisure facilities, on cruise ships or in the investment sector for hotel real estate.
  • Specialised functions: With your elective modules, you can specialise in, for example, event management, culinary management, tourism, sustainability or wellness and deliberately pursue a career in these areas.

Graduates increasingly take on consulting roles or move into adjacent fields such as tourism management, catering or the real estate industry. Many progress to a master’s degree after their bachelor’s or use the skills acquired for self-employment in the hospitality sector.

How high are the costs and what financing options are there?

The tuition fees for the Bachelor’s degree programme in Hotel Management at IST-Hochschule für Management amount to 379 euros per month for the six-semester full-time programme (total 13,644 euros). In the eight-semester part-time variant, the fees are 319 euros per month (total 15,312 euros). All services are included in the costs – no additional or examination fees apply.

  • Flexible payment models: The fees are conveniently paid monthly.
  • Funding and financing: There are various ways to finance your studies – for example through BAföG, education loans, scholarships, education vouchers or support from your employer. The costs can also be claimed as tax-deductible expenses.
  • Goodwill arrangement: If you need more time, three additional semesters remain available free of charge.
  • Master’s discount: After successfully completing your bachelor’s degree, graduates receive a 10 % discount on further master’s degree courses at the university.

This provides you with a transparently calculated overall package that enables individual study planning.

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