Hospitality & Tourism

Bachelor of Hotel and Hospitality Management

The Bachelor of Hotel and Hospitality Management is a four-year programme that prepares students for hotel operations, hospitality management and tourism service delivery. Students study hotel management, food production, food and beverage service, accommodation operations and hospitality marketing. The programme combines practical hotel operations with management theory for the hotel and hospitality industry.

Students develop competencies in hotel management, food production, food and beverage service, front office operations, housekeeping, hospitality marketing and financial management. They learn to manage hotel operations, deliver quality service, supervise staff and manage hospitality businesses. The programme covers hotel operations, food service, accommodation, marketing and management.

In Kenya, hotel and hospitality management is a critical field driven by tourism, business travel and domestic hospitality. Kenya's tourism sector, conference tourism and growing domestic travel create opportunities. Graduates find roles in hotels, resorts, lodges, conference centres, restaurants and hospitality consulting firms.

Teaching is delivered through lectures, practical kitchen and restaurant sessions, industrial attachment and research projects. Students cook in training kitchens, serve in training restaurants, manage front office operations and undertake industrial attachment in hotels. The programme includes a final-year research project.

Graduates pursue careers as hotel managers, food and beverage managers, front office managers, executive housekeepers and hospitality consultants. Some work for hotel chains or resorts. Others join restaurants, conference centres or establish hospitality businesses.

This programme is ideal for individuals with service orientation, practical skills and interest in hotel and hospitality operations.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 250,000
Private, up to: Ksh 467,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 40 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Hotel Operations Management
Food Production and Culinary Arts
Food and Beverage Service and Management
Front Office and Guest Relations
Accommodation and Housekeeping Management
Hospitality Marketing and Sales
Hospitality Finance and Accounting
Beverage Management and Wine Studies
Conference and Events Management
Research Methods

Modules

12 in the programme

Introduction to Hotel Industry
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Introduction to Hotel Industry: Fundamentals of hotel industry, classification, sectors and operations Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Food Production Principles
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Basic cookery, kitchen operations, hygiene and food safety. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment te...
Food and Beverage Service
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Food and Beverage Service: Restaurant service, table service, beverage service and customer care Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Front Office and Guest Relations
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Front Office and Guest Relations: Front office management, reservations, guest relations and PMS Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Accommodation and Housekeeping Management
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Accommodation and Housekeeping Management: Housekeeping, laundry, room maintenance and accommodation management Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational contexts.
Hospitality Marketing and Sales
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Hospitality Marketing and Sales: Hospitality marketing, sales, distribution channels and revenue management Covers market analysis, consumer behaviour, branding, and promotional strategies.
Beverage Management and Wine Studies
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Beverage Management and Wine Studies: Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, bar management and wine studies Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational contexts.
Conference and Events Management
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Conference planning, event management, banqueting and MICE. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment te...
Hospitality Finance and Accounting
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Hospitality Finance and Accounting: Financial management, costing, budgeting and hospitality accounting Covers financial reporting, budgeting, investment analysis, and regulatory frameworks.
Hotel Operations Management
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Hotel Operations Management: Strategic hotel management, operations, HR and service quality Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational contexts.
Hospitality Law and Regulations
Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore
Hospitality law, regulations, licensing and compliance. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests,...
Final Year Research Project
Year 4Semester 36 creditsCore
Independent research on hotel and hospitality management. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment test...

Specialisations

Hotel Operations
Specialization in Hotel Operations, preparing graduates for careers such as hotel-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Accommodation Management
Specialization in Accommodation Management, preparing graduates for careers such as hotel-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Food and Beverage Management
Specialization in Food and Beverage Management, preparing graduates for careers such as hotel-manager.
Conference and Events
Specialization in Conference and Events, preparing graduates for careers such as hotel-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Front Office Management
Specialization in Front Office Management, preparing graduates for careers such as hotel-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Hospitality Marketing
Specialization in Hospitality Marketing, preparing graduates for careers such as hotel-manager. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day combines morning lectures on hotel management or food production with afternoon practical kitchen or restaurant sessions. Students may cook in training kitchens, serve in training restaurants, manage front office operations or work on hotel management projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

Diverse career paths in hotels, resorts and conference centres
Relevant to Kenya's tourism and conference industry
Practical skills combined with management training
Opportunity for career advancement to senior management

Against it

Some roles require working irregular hours and holidays
Industry can be affected by tourism seasonality
Entry-level positions may have modest salaries
Physical demands of hospitality operations

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 91 hospitality & tourism courses

Public141k to 250k

141k at Kenyatta University250k at University of Nairobi

Private192k to 467k

192k at Kabarak University467k at Strathmore University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 141K, UoN 250K, Moi 204K/yr (eafinder, uonbi.ac.ke). Kabarak 192K, Strathmore 467K/yr (kabarak.ac.ke, shika.co.ke)

Students may access HELB loans and county bursaries. Some hotels and hospitality companies offer internship stipends.

Funding options

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
LoanKsh 60,000
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
Bursary
County Government Bursaries
Bursary

Scholarships

5 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
BursaryKenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities
Kenya Utalii College Bursary
BursaryKenyan
Students admitted to tourism and hospitality programmes at Kenya Utalii College
Tourism Training Revolution Fund
BursaryKenyan
Students pursuing tourism and hospitality training

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

English or Kiswahili
C+
Mathematics A/B or any Group II
C
Any Group III, IV or V subject
C+
Any Group III, IV or V subject
C+

How you are assessed

4 components

Final Examination
Coursework40% of the mark
Practical Sessions and Project Work
Coursework30% of the mark
Industrial Attachment Report
Coursework10% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework20% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
InstitutionalRequired

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Hotel Manager
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 300,000
Manages overall hotel operations and strategy
Food and Beverage Manager
Moderate demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 220,000
Manages food and beverage operations in hotels
Hospitality Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 280,000
Provides consulting to hospitality businesses
Front Office Manager
Moderate demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 200,000
Manages front office and guest services
Executive Housekeeper
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 180,000
Manages housekeeping and accommodation operations

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as hotel managers, food and beverage managers, front office managers, executive housekeepers and hospitality consultants in hotels, resorts, lodges, conference centres, restaurants and hospitality consulting firms.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Opera PMS
Hotel managementPrimary
Microsoft Excel
Spreadsheet
QuickBooks
Accounting
Micros POS
Point of sale
HACCP Systems
Safety
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point food safety management systems

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Hotel management is just about serving guests
Hotel management covers operations, finance, marketing, HR and strategic management.
There are limited career opportunities in hotels
Kenya's tourism and conference industry create diverse hotel management opportunities.
Hotel management doesn't require a degree
Professional hotel management requires training in operations, finance and management.
Hotel jobs are only in tourist areas
Hotels and hospitality establishments exist nationwide including business hotels and conference centres.