COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Business Studies (Global Hospitality and Luxury Management) at University of Galway is a distinctive, career-focused program designed for students seeking to combine business education with practical hospitality experience and international exposure. From the first year, students engage in hands-on training at Shannon College of Hotel Management, rotating through seven operational departments every two to three weeks, learning essential skills in areas such as food and beverage, front office, housekeeping, and events. Alongside this, foundational business modules in Financial and Management Accounting, Marketing, Quantitative Methods, and Management provide a solid grounding in business principles, while language studies in French, German, Spanish, English, or Intercultural Communication enhance global employability. In the second year, students undertake a twelve-month paid professional operative work placement in leading Irish or European hotels, reinforcing practical skills, developing industry-specific knowledge, and gaining valuable professional networks. The third year focuses on advanced hospitality and business modules, including Rooms Division Management, Principles of Management, Business Finance, and Human Resource Management, along with prerequisites for the final-year Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) degree at the University of Galway. In the fourth year, students transfer to the Galway campus to study four core business modules and specialise in one of ten areas: Accounting & Performance Measurement, Digital Business & Analytics, Economics & Public Policy, Enterprise, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, Management, Marketing Management, or BComm Language. The program culminates in a paid trainee management placement of nine to eighteen months with leading international hotel companies, allowing graduates to apply their knowledge in real-world management contexts. Completing the placement with a Viva Voce examination, students emerge fully prepared to take on leadership roles in the global hospitality sector or the wider international business environment. This degree uniquely integrates practical experience, academic study, and international exposure, ensuring graduates develop the skills, confidence, and professional network necessary to succeed in high-level management roles worldwide.