Chloé Gonon, Post Grad Recruiting & Admissions Manager at EHL Hospitality Business School, presents this brand-new Master of Sciences.

The Master in Hospitality Management (MIHM) in a few key points

- It is a brand-new programme offered by EHL in September 2022

- It takes place in three semesters, for a total of 16 months

- You can choose between two very specific specializations from the 2nd semester onwards: F&B management or real estate, finance & consulting

- It is only open to 30 students per class, these students are generally between 22 and 32 years old

- It brings diversity to the class with a balance between men and women and at least 15 different nationalities

- It gives access to the power of the school's alumni network, whether it be for advice, job leads, networking events...

Who is it for?

"Whether you are finishing your bachelor's degree this summer or you already have a few years of experience, the Master in Hospitality Management is ideal for you if you know what career in hospitality you are looking for, where you see yourself after your studies, such as opening a restaurant, working in consulting, finance or real estate, at the head office of a hotel group or a service provider company..." explains Chloe Gonon.

In this case, the Master in Hospitality Management is for you because its interest lies in the very concrete specialization: a Master's degree in business school will cover a broader field, such as finance for example, but without providing hotel expertise

When is the choice between the two specializations made?

The choice between the two specializations offered in this Master's programme is made when applying for the course.

How is the programme structured?

The 16 months are divided up as follows: 11 months on the Lausanne campus - general hotel management courses in the first semester and in-depth courses depending on the specialization in the second semester - followed by 4 months in a work placement and finally one month on the Lausanne campus again for academic Innovation and Management courses, the presentation of the thesis and the long awaited graduation.

Where does the 4-month work placement take place?

The work placement takes place in a company related to the specialization. The student also works in parallel on his or her thesis project, which links this specialization and the host company.

Meetings and networking, the real wealth of the Master in Global Hospitality

In addition to the obvious appeal of studying for 11 months on the brand new, enlarged campus in Lausanne, students will meet people who will play an essential role in their careers. Indeed, they will meet partner companies during class trips organized in the 1st and 2nd terms: hotels, restaurants... During these visits, students will have the opportunity to discuss in small groups with managers.

Guest speakers are also invited to the campus. These exchanges are a real plus for the students, who then keep in touch with these professionals.

Finally, joining the EHL alumni circle is a precious sesame for one's professional and personal future, as EHL is a real big family. Moreover, with only 30 students coming from Europe or Asia, strong links are created, and the group quickly becomes a multicultural family, a premise of what the alumni network will also bring them.

For Chloé Gonon, "the campus and the network are two assets and an extraordinary richness for a student who will then launch into working life with the know-how and interpersonal skills, provided by the school of excellence, and the valuable network, two essential pillars to start a career in the best conditions.

Excellence in addition to teaching

EHL is, above all, the school of excellence and this requirement, so useful in professional life, is also present in this master's programme, both with the professors and with the professionals we meet.

Half of the teachers hold PhDs, which guarantees a high level of expertise. Moreover, with a class of only 30 students, the proximity with the professors is great, the contact is very strong: "The students underline that the courses are almost one-to-one and that meeting professionals in an almost one-to-one situation is a real plus" confirms Chloé Gonon.

How are candidates selected for this master's programme?

Being at the end of a bachelor's degree, with two six-month internships under your belt, or already having a few years of work experience will not influence your application. For Chloé Gonon, what counts is "the motivation to join the programme, why they want to follow it, how it will help them in their future career. You need to already have an idea of a career: a passion for the industry is enough, you don't necessarily need a precise idea of what you want to do, but above all this motivation, this passion...".

While, faced with the shortage, some companies are letting go and accepting all profiles, why continue your studies with a programme like the master's, over 16 months? What is the interest for the students and for the companies that will either finance the training or recruit them after they graduate?

For Chloé Gonon, the sector will rely on the new generation to renew itself, but this new generation must also learn to channel its creativity, and this is what the master's degree will provide: "Tourism has already recovered well. Innovation counts even more today. Now we have to be part of the future, to shape this new industry. How do you do that? Students are much more creative because of their age and experience with technology. They are the ones who will re-energize the industry. But to do that, we need to give them the skills and tools to channel that creativity into expressing their ideas realistically, by giving them the keys to finance, management etc."

How do you recruit students for this programme?

We had to develop a recruitment process adapted to the niche sector that is the hotel industry. Two years ago, Chloé Gonon created Masters' Days to enable all candidates in their final year of a bachelor's degree, and beyond that, all those interested, to find out about the different programmes of the different member schools and universities.

At the beginning, there were the eight universities of the European University Consortium (EUC) but today, the success is such that, for the 4th edition next October, on 17, 18 and 19 October, about 40 universities from all over the world will participate on a dedicated online platform.

There are now two editions of Masters' Days. And between each Masters' Days, university visits are also organized, where each recruiter from the schools or universities in the network will visit the other universities, one by one, to present the Masters' programmes.

These Masters' Days are also accessible by external people: "Everyone can participate, including parents or people already in employment who would like to go back to school and do a master's degree", underlines Chloé Gonon, "During these three days, candidates can follow presentations, exchange with schools and universities, send in their applications and also see interventions by professionals who give advice. All this content is accessible after the event, throughout the year, and they can also find the contact details for each master's degree.

Master in Hospitality Management or Master in Global Hospitality?

EHL also offers a Master in Global Hospitality (MGH). So which one should you choose? The MGH is really for candidates who are looking for a global vision of the hospitality industry, or who do not yet know exactly which department they want to work in. The Master in Hospitality Management is for people who already know where they want to go.

Working in Switzerland after the Master's degree

It is possible to stay and work in Switzerland after obtaining the Master's degree without too many complications thanks to the 3rd semester placement. EHL also has a service to accompany young graduates for one month after graduation: CVs, applications and access to the offers on the platform.

Chloé Gonon also points out that 90% of students have already found a job within three months of graduating.

Cost of the course : 39,500 Swiss francs plus living expenses in Switzerland, i.e. approximately 60,000 Swiss francs. It is possible to apply for a scholarship from the school, to pay by the month, or to have the training paid for in part or in full by a company or a government foundation.

Academic credits: 90 ECTS credits and 60 US credits