Hospitality & tourism courses

Tourism and hospitality is a lively, people-focused industry full of variety and innovation. You'll often work with outgoing, like-minded colleagues, and no two days are the same. This industry comes with plenty of perks, like opportunities to work overseas, discounted travel, and access to exciting events.  

While some see tourism and hospitality as a temporary job or entry-level work, it offers real career development. Many companies, especially global hotel chains and restaurant groups, value talent, support professional growth, and reward loyalty.

The right course depends on your career goals and interests. Are you drawn to hotel management, event planning, travel coordination, or the food and beverage industry? Consider courses focused on specific fields. For example, hospitality management courses focus on leadership and operations in food and beverage. A tourism course teaches you about travel and destination planning. 

You can also consider a single subject or short course if you’d like to upskill in a particular area, like systems and operations, sustainability or sport event planning.  

Still unsure? Our student advisors are here to help you explore your options and choose the best course for you.

The hospitality and tourism courses available through Open Universities Australia can help you develop the business acumen and soft skills necessary to succeed in the industry.  

Expect to cover core skills such as: 

• financial management 

• hospitality management

• leadership 

• marketing   

• strategic management.

Plus, you can choose from elective subjects like sustainability, ethics and digital innovation. 

Many courses also include integrated practical work experience opportunities.

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.

Entry requirements vary depending on the course and level of study. For short courses, no prior experience is necessary, while undergraduate qualifications may require a minimum ATAR or relevant work experience. Postgraduate qualifications generally require you to have a bachelor degree or background in business, IT, or related fields.

It's best to check individual course details for precise information. Or get in touch with our student advisors and they can help you understand the entry requirements for your course.

It depends on the course and whether you choose something short or long-term. Here’s a general guide: 

If you study hospitality or tourism through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.

Flexibility is the keyword that many of our current and past students use time and again. Online hospitality courses enable you to structure your course around your life and any existing personal or professional commitments. Not only will you save time commuting, but you can study from anywhere, anytime. This allows you to work towards a new career goal without having to give up your current job, family obligations or existing income in the process.

Hospitality and tourism graduates go on to work across a wide range of careers. Here are some of the roles you could explore with your qualification:

• Events manager

• Destination marketing manager

• Hotel manager

• Conference coordinator

• Corporate airline executive

• Business development manager

Enrolling online is simple. Here’s how it works:

1. Find your course

• Browse the options on this page.

• Use our comparison tool to explore the different choices.

• Need help? Book a free phone consultation with a student advisor for personalised guidance.

2. Start your enrolment

• When you’re ready, click ‘Start studying now’ on the course page.

• Follow the prompts to begin your enrolment.

• You’ll need to provide supporting documents, such as:

  • Proof of identity

  • Your tax file number

  • A Unique Student Identifier (USI)

3. Wait for confirmation

Your chosen university will email you to confirm if your enrolment has been successful.

Note: Some courses have enquiries and applications handled directly by the university. If this applies, it will be clearly stated on the course listing page.

For more details, check our online self-service enrolment guide. And if you need help at any stage, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.

Check out these related study areas, which can also lead to careers in hospitality and tourism:

• Communication courses

• Finance courses

• Language courses

• Management courses