Hospitality & Tourism

Bachelor of Hotel Management

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

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

In Kenya, hotel management is driven by tourism, business travel and domestic hospitality. Kenya's tourism sector and growing hotel industry create opportunities. The University of Eldoret and other institutions offer this programme. Graduates find roles in hotels, resorts, lodges, restaurants, conference centres 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 chefs and hospitality administrators. 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 operations and management.

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 Management and Operations
Food Production and Culinary Arts
Food and Beverage Service and Management
Front Office Management
Housekeeping and Accommodation Operations
Hospitality Finance and Accounting
Hospitality Marketing
Human Resource Management in Hotels
Conference and Banquet 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 and Culinary Arts
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 Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Front Office Management: Front office operations, reservations, guest relations and PMS Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational contexts.
Housekeeping and Accommodation Operations
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Housekeeping and Accommodation Operations: Housekeeping, laundry, room maintenance and accommodation management Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Hospitality Marketing
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Hospitality Marketing: Hospitality marketing, sales, distribution channels and revenue management Covers market analysis, consumer behaviour, branding, and promotional strategies.
Hospitality Finance and Accounting
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Hospitality Finance and Accounting: Financial management, costing, budgeting and hospitality accounting Covers financial reporting, budgeting, investment analysis, and regulatory frameworks.
Human Resource Management in Hotels
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Human Resource Management in Hotels: HR management, staffing, training and labour relations in hotels Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational contexts.
Conference and Banquet Management
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Conference and Banquet Management: Conference planning, banquet operations, MICE and event management Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational contexts.
Hotel Management and Operations
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Hotel Management and Operations: Strategic hotel management, operations, service quality and leadership 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 management. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework an...

Specialisations

Hospitality Finance
Specialization in Hospitality Finance, 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.
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.
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.
Food and Beverage Management
Specialization in Food and Beverage Management, preparing graduates for careers such as hotel-manager.
Culinary Arts
Specialization in Culinary Arts, 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 hospitality 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, TUK 169K/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

County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities
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
Geography or Business Studies or any Group III, IV or V
C
Any Group III, IV or V subject
C+

How you are assessed

4 components

Industrial Attachment Report
Coursework10% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework20% of the mark
Final Examination
Coursework40% of the mark
Practical Sessions and Project Work
Coursework30% 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
Executive Chef
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 300,000
Leads kitchen operations and culinary production
Front Office Manager
Moderate demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 200,000
Manages front office and guest services
Hospitality Administrator
Moderate demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 200,000
Manages hospitality administration and operations
Food and Beverage Manager
Moderate demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 220,000
Manages food and beverage operations in hotels

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as hotel managers, food and beverage managers, front office managers, executive chefs and hospitality administrators in hotels, resorts, lodges, restaurants, conference centres 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.
Hotel management has limited career growth
Hotel management offers career paths to general manager and executive roles.
You don't need a degree for hotel management
Professional hotel management requires training in operations, finance and management.
Hotel jobs are low-paying
Management positions in hotels offer competitive salaries and benefits.