School of Business and Humanities Undergraduate

BA in Hospitality Management

Providing you with the essential toolkit for a career in Hospitality.
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Course Overview

This course helps students develop the skills and specialist knowledge of the hospitality industry that they will need to succeed. The modern hospitality industry requires agile critical thinkers to find solutions in this fast-paced industry. Students will focus on creating exceptional guest experiences while ensuring smooth operations and profitability. They will learn to skillfully manage customer service, staff training, bar management, and hotel operations.

What makes this course different

Understanding the Industry

The hospitality industry is a dynamic, people-focused and truly global industry, centred on creating exceptional guest experiences. It brings together hotels, resorts, restaurants, food and beverage operations, events, tourism, visitor attractions and hospitality businesses in an exciting and diverse professional environment.

Today’s hospitality industry extends far beyond hotels and restaurants. It is a global business environment encompassing accommodation, food and beverage, resorts, events, tourism, customer experience and hospitality-related enterprises. The industry needs adaptable, commercially aware graduates who can lead people, respond to changing consumer expectations and create innovative and memorable guest experiences.

At its heart, hospitality is about people, service and experience, but it is also a major international business requiring skilled managers who understand operations, finance, marketing, revenue management, technology and leadership.

From luxury hotels and international resorts to innovative hospitality concepts, events and entrepreneurial businesses, the industry offers a wide range of career opportunities in Ireland and across the world. Increasingly shaped by technology, sustainability, changing consumer expectations and new approaches to customer experience, hospitality provides an exciting environment for graduates who want to lead people, manage businesses, innovate and build an international career.

Career Opportunities

Future Careers:

  • Conference and Banqueting Operations and Management
  • Restaurant and Bar Operations/Management
  • Reception / Front Office
  • Revenue & Guest Relations
  • Digital Media Management

In these areas:

  • Hospitality Industry
  • Marketing
  • Entertainment & Leisure Industry
  • Tourist Industry

Graduates work at

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Course Delivery and Modules

This course adopts a student-centred, Living Labs approach to learning, where students learn by experiencing, applying and reflecting on the types of situations they will encounter in the hospitality industry.

Our specialist hospitality facilities become Living Labs, providing realistic environments where students can connect theory with practice. Students have opportunities to develop and test their skills through hotel and hospitality simulations, food and beverage operations, bar and restaurant management, guest experience activities, practical projects and real-world business challenges.

Teaching combines lectures, seminars and tutorials with a wide range of active learning approaches, including group work, role play, case studies, problem-based learning, practical activities, industry projects, guest lectures and site visits. The Department's integrated Guest Lecture Series further connects students with hospitality professionals, managers and industry leaders, bringing current industry practice and emerging trends directly into their learning.

Technology is also embedded throughout the programme. Students gain experience using relevant business and hospitality software and digital platforms, including Microsoft 365, Moodle, hotel property-management systems, hospitality business simulations and e-portfolios. These technologies help students develop the digital, analytical and professional skills increasingly required by the hospitality industry.

Through the Living Labs approach, students progress from understanding hospitality operations to managing, evaluating and improving them, developing the practical skills, confidence, problem-solving ability and professional judgement needed for successful careers in hospitality management.

  • Academic and Career Skills
  • Digital Skills
  • Hotel Lab 1 - Restaurant Operations
  • Hotel Lab 2 - Rooms Division
  • Hotel Lab 3 - Culinary Fundamentals
  • Hotel Lab 4 - Casual Dining
  • Hotel Lab 5 - Accredited Industry Learning
  • Fundamentals of Accounting
  • Fundamentals of Management
  • Fundamentals of Marketing

Electives:

  • Tourism Operations
  • French and Francophone Culture for Tourism
  • English for Living and Studying in Ireland 1

  • Digital Marketing
  • Hospitality Industry IT
  • Hotel Lab 6 - Food and Beverage Management
  • Hotel Lab 7 - Contemporary Hospitality Service
  • Hotel Lab 8 - Bar Operations
  • Public Relations and Marketing
  • Introduction to Revenue Management
  • Operational Accounting
  • Placement Preparation
  • Bar Operations
  • Contemporary Hospitality Service
  • Placement (Industry Placement with the option to work in Ireland or internationally)
  • Electives:
  • Business Tourism
  • Spanish and Hispanic Culture for Tourism
  • English for Business and Academic Success

  • Enterprise Development
  • Applied Law
  • Event Planning
  • Human Resource Management
  • Business Economics and Management Accounting
  • Applied Live Events
  • Revenue Management & Data Analytics
  • Sustainability and Resource Management
  • Destination Management
  • Applied Marketing

Electives:

  • German Language and German-Speaking Cultures for Tourism
  • English for the Workplace
  • Studies Abroad Semester 1
  • Tourism and Society

Work placement

In Year 1, students complete the Hotel Lab – Accredited Industry Learning (5 credits) module, which includes a short professional placement in the hospitality industry. This early industry experience introduces students to the realities of the hospitality workplace, allowing them to observe professional practice, develop their confidence and begin applying their learning in a real-world environment.

In Year 2, Students undertake a semester-long work placement giving them a much broader experience for both their soft skills and technical skills. Students can participate in this work placement in Ireland or destinations like Australia, USA or Canada.

Professional Accreditations

Students who will successfully complete the course will have the opportunity to achieve additional micro-credentials such as Google Digital Garage, CHIA (Certificate in Hotel Industry Analytics) and a Food Safety Certification.

Education Progression

On completion of this course, students will be eligible to progress onto the Level 8 Add-On course: BA (Hons) in Hospitality Management. (This will be subject to student numbers. Where places are limited, offers will be linked to the final GPA achieved.)

BA (Hons) in Event Management

Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts DK_BEVNT_8 Level 8
Course type: Add On
Study mode: Full-Time
Duration: 1 Year
Start date: Sep 2026

Fees and Funding

Please find information on fees and funding here: www.dkit.ie/fees

Please note: There is an additional charge on this course to cover the cost of uniforms/books/equipment and class materials. 

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirements apply. There are no special entry requirements for this course.

Recent CAO points

CAO points 2028 271
CAO points 2025 190

Student Stories

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How to apply

Apply on CAO

All standard entry first-year applicants must apply for entry through the CAO. See Important application dates for CAO and information for specific applicant types below:

Apply on CAO
CAO code: DK750

Advanced Entry & Transfer Applications

Advanced Entry is for applicants who have previous educational achievements and/or work experience and want to be considered for direct entry into year  2, 3, or 4 of a course. This includes students looking to transfer to DkIT from another Higher Education provider.

International Application (non-EU)

International Applicants (not from or living in the EU) can apply through an agent or directly to DkIT to study this course.

Ask us a Question

If you have a question about the BA in Hospitality Management please ask it below and we will get back to you.

Christopher McGrath

Assistant Lecturer

Disclaimer: All module titles are subject to change and for indicative purposes only. All courses are delivered subject to demand and timetables are subject to change. Elective Module options will only run subject to student numbers. The relevant Department will determine the viability of each elective module option proceeding depending on the number of students who choose that option. Students will be offered alternative elective modules on their programme should their preferred elective option not be proceeding. Award Options for Common Entry Programmes: The relevant Department will determine the viability of each award option proceeding depending on the number of students who choose either option. If the numbers for one of the Award options exceed available places, students for this option will be selected based on Academic Merit (highest grades).