Course summary (45 hours) - Printable version (342 KB)

1-1 Commercial aspect of the hotel industry

 In this course, students become familiar with the structure of the hotel industry while taking into account its unique political, economic, technological, social and cultural aspects.

From a the hotel operator's perspective, students explore the dynamics that guide the various stakeholders in this industry and situate the field's development through traditions and innovations.

Students also develops a methodology to quickly find sources of information on a hotel's commercial environment, regardless of its location.

1-2 The hotel as a business establishment

During this course, students explore various work organization methods used in hotels, based on the range of products and services they offer and their specific strategies.

From a hotel manager's perspective, students must determine the business's internal operating procedures based on the complexity of the service process and the organization's target quality level.

Students examine internal hotel operations by considering the human, material and financial resources on which they depend to meet the expectations of various stakeholders.

1-3 Managerial accounting and hotel operations

In this course, students report the revenue and expenses of various hotel services, taking into account the budget practices and accounting tools used in the industry.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to present a hotel department's financial results and to justify them.

1-4 Developing leadership skills

In this course, students learn how to become a leader. Taking into account the business's various organizational structures and culture, they develop leadership skills within the context of decision making.

1-5 Managing rooms division operations

In this course, students develop managerial approaches to run the daily activities of the reception desk, housekeeping or any other service offered in the rooms division sector.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to evaluate the work processes for a hotel's daily rooms division operations, based on its quality standards, work organization and budget framework. To do so, they must master the service processes and techniques pertaining to the arrival and departure of clients, maintenance activities and other types of services offered to clients.

1-6 Managing food service operations

In this course, students develop managerial techniques to run the daily activities of the kitchen, dining room, bar or any other point of service in a hotel.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to evaluate the work processes for a hotel's daily food service operations, based on its quality standards, work organization and budget framework. To do so, they must master the work processes pertaining to food production and distribution.

1-7 Strategic management in acquiring goods and services

In this course, students evaluate the role of outsourcing in the cost structure of the goods and services offered by a hotel, based on the desired added value, quality control levels and competencies found within the organization.

They develop their ability to analyze acquisition methods for the goods and services needed within the context of  a hotel's daily operations, and within the context of activities for managing the establishment's human, commercial, financial and information systems resources.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to propose various types of contractual agreements between a hotel and its suppliers in order to purchase goods and services. 

1-8 Improving interpersonal skills

In this course, students recognize various individuals' profiles and needs, whether they be employees, clients, co-workers or stakeholders outside the hotel.

They will thus be able to adapt their speaking and writing techniques, tailor their speech to their audience, and ultimately, maximize their impact.

From a hotel manager's perspective, students will be able to apply an effective intervention strategy during routine encounters, crisis situations, conflicts or negotiations.

1-9 Optimizing the employee experience

In this course, students apply management techniques in order to develop employees' full potential.

Students will be able to adopt a proactive approach in a new employee's integration process or current employees' development activities by drawing on effective communication techniques, and group dynamics and mobilization techniques tailored to their work place.

1-10 Introduction to the management of hotel technological tools

In this course, students analyze the integration of a hotel's various technological tools into daily operations management and the decision-making processes of managers.

Students will be able to differentiate the various hardware components of systems, hotel management and business programs, interfaces, databases and configuration activities used within the hotel.

They will thus have acquired the skills needed to successfully combine the technological integration and commercial performance of a hotel.

Course summary (45 hours) - Printable version (342 KB)

2-1 Occupation: Hotel manager

In this course, students examine the international hotel industry's service culture and traditions from the perspective of a hotel management professional.

They develop the know-how and social skills required in the art of hosting, in accordance with hotel industry best practices.

Lastly, students learn to adopt the professional attitudes and behaviours necessary for the well-being of clients, employees and co-workers.

2-2 Improving hotel front line positions skills

In this course, students participate in a hotel's rooms division and food services, in terms of both operations and supervision. They explore work techniques and processes, and then assess their performance, taking into account the target quality standards and conditions pertaining to the hotel's work organization and budget framework.

2-3 Operations management: Peripheral hotel services

In this course, students analyze the methods of operation used by hotels to run peripheral services, such as activities in retail, spa services, entertainment, sports, etc. They will be able to assess the performance of these various services, based on their added value for the client, financial benefits for the hotel, and their combination with other services.

2-4 Adapting to the hotel work life environment

In this course, students develop their ability to adapt the constant changes experienced by hotel managers.

They develop techniques to overcome certain challenges that await them: stress, unexpected situations requiring a fast and effective reaction, and the need to be versatile and mobile within a hotel or hotel chain.

2-5 Developing sales skills

In this course, students develop sales skills by exploring techniques tailored to various contexts pertaining to accommodations, food services, conferences and banquets as well as peripheral services.

They will thus have an overview of the range of sales approaches used in the hotel industry and will be able to apply the techniques appropriate to the context.

Course summary (45 hours) - Printable version (342 KB)

3-1  International legal frameworks for hotels

In this course, students become familiar with the legal framework within which hotels operate.

They assess situations on the basis of labour law, civil liability and contractual agreements in order to make informed managerial and strategic decisions.

Lastly, they develop a methodology to find relevant legal information on the management of  hotel operations and on the various stakeholders likely to be involved in the resolution or prevention of conflict, regardless of the legal framework.

3-2 Financial evaluation of hotel assets

In this course, students evaluate a hotel's assets and determine the latter's value to the establishment. By interpreting financial results, they will be able to justify the profitability of the hotel's investments to upper management.

3-3 Managerial and strategic decision making

This course explores various decision-making processes and tools. It enables students to identify and apply various decision-making techniques based on management situations and to assess their managerial and strategic impact.

3-4 Managing the security of clients, employees and the hotel

In this course, students identify various components of hotel management that involve a security aspect for both employees and clients.

They learn to judiciously apply security principles for managing the building during routine maintenance, renovation projects or crisis management.

3-5 Creativity, innovation and change management

In this course, students analyze hotel organizational dynamics in terms of innovation at work.

They explore new individual and group practices related to organizational development and knowledge integration in order to foster creativity and innovation in the work place and promote the practice among employees.

3-6 Optimizing the customer experience

In this course, students take a critical look at a hotel's service delivery approach and identify its strengths and weaknesses.

Where appropriate, they suggest a series of innovative corrective actions, taking into account the organization's cultural aspects and quality standards.

Lastly, they implement ways to improve the hotel's service delivery design by reviewing staff-client interactions and by considering the equipment involved.

3-7 Marketing hotel products and services

In this course, students make connections between market analysis methods and traditional or innovative marketing and communication tools used in the hotel industry.

They then develop a marketing plan for a hotel's marketing activities, covering all of its services and focusing on customer satisfaction and loyalty.

3-8 Strategic revenue management

In this course, students develop their ability to organize the sales-related tasks of a department in order to optimize their impact. They acquire techniques for maximizing accommodation, food service, convention and banquet service revenue in order to achieve the hotel's sales objectives and to optimize the use of various distribution networks.

3-9 Implementing new projects within the hotel

In this course, students integrate all of the components connected with the implementation of new projects in a hotel with a sustainable development perspective. They analyze a company's needs and assess a project's feasibility, phases, coordination and impact on the organization, taking into account the adaptability of individuals. Lastly, they assess the quality of the project.

3-10 The individual and upper management

In this review course, students learn to differentiate managerial work from executive work. The knowledge, personal skills and know-how developed over the previous three terms are connected with the key executive skills required of hotel managers: interpersonal relationships, communication, decision-making and political skills. Students are also required to personally assess their own executive skills.

 Course summary (45 hours) - Printable version (342 KB)

4-1 Coordinating group activities

In this course, students assess the link between group sales, preparing and holding events at the hotel, and activities following the group's departure. From a multi-disciplinary perspective, students apply their skills to rooms division management, food service and peripheral services in order to optimize the use of resources and enhance the client experience. The development of skills for coordinating group activities occurs in the workplace, where student develop leadership and managerial decision-making skills.

4-2 Cultural aspects of the hotel work environment

In this review course, students integrate local cultural aspects in order to better define themselves, understand the context in which the hotel operates, and enhance their relations with clients, employees and business partners. They explore local cultural aspects, such as visual and performing arts, literature, handicrafts, gastronomy, urban or rural living, and the local customs. Lastly, they examine the impact of the cultural dimension on their role as a hotel manager.

4-3 Evaluating the performance of hotel technological tools

In this course, students evaluate the integration of  hotel technological tools into management activities (rooms division, food service, human and financial resources management, and marketing activities). The students develop their ability to analyze the performance of these technological tools at the operational, managerial and executive levels. Following this evaluation, they will be able to develop a plan to integrate or optimize a technological tool for the hotel of their internship.

4-4 First comprehensive activity: added value for the employee experience

In this course, which takes place at the same time as the second hotel internship, the student is asked to actively participate in managing the hotel’s human resources, acting under the role of supervisor. He or she will focus particularly on the welcoming and integration of new employees, on the management of productivity and the development of work teams, as well as the planning and organization of trainings to meet the needs of staff, in connection with hotel business priorities. Addressing the principles of employee mobilization, students will also be encouraged to concretely implement them in their internship setting. Finally, this course will allow the student to effectively supervise and direct a work team by utilizing his or her leadership qualities in the field.

4-5 Second comprehensive activity: added value for the customer experience

This course enables the student to synthesize the whole of his or her academic and professional achievements around the theme of customer experience. Through a process of customer-service related problem identification, the student will analyze a management situation encountered during his or her internship by using a case-study approach. The student must then apply a problem-solving technique in order to improve client experience by addressing services involved in terms of process, culture, customization, standardization and its value. Finally, he or she will propose a theoretical framework which analyzes the problem and provide appropriate recommendations.

A Quebec Diploma of College Studies (pre-university or technical), or an equivalent Canadian or foreign diploma (e.g. French or international baccalaureate). An admission application may also be submitted based on work experience.

No matter what your situation, the selection committee must review your application. However, if you are unsure whether your educational or professional background is eligible, please refer to the Eligibility section of the ASIHM page or contact us.

Having an upper intermediate / advanced skill level of both English and French is essential, as certain courses will only be given in one of the two languages, while others will be given in both languages simultaneously. In addition, your internship may take place in French or English, depending on the internship location and employer you select.

This is why the ITHQ requires that candidates undergo language testing. In cases where these evaluations show an insufficient mastery of French or English, concerned candidates may be asked to take language courses before the start of the program. Eligibility to the ASIHM program will then be conditional upon successfully completing this remedial language training.

No, not if some or all of your schooling to date was conducted in French. You will simply need to provide us with your academic transcripts, which prove that you studied in that language.
For more information, refer to the Language Tests table (148 KB)

It depends on the test you take, since you can choose from the following exams: 

• Test de connaissance du français (TCF), for which an overall minimum score of 475 is required ;
• Test de français international (TFI), for which an overall minimum score of 750 is required. 

For more information, refer to the Language Tests table (148 KB).

 

No, not if some or all of your schooling to date was conducted in English. You will simply need to provide us with your academic transcripts, which show that you did in fact study in that language. For more information, refer to the Language Tests table (148 KB).

It depends on the test you take, since you can choose from the following exams:

• The Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL), for which an overall minimum score of 80 for the internet based test (TOEFL iBT) or of 550 for the paper version is required;
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, for which the passing band score is 6 (academic module);
• The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) exam, for which the passing score is 785 (Reading and Listening), 160 (Speaking) and 150 (Writing).

For more information, refer to the Language Tests table (148 KB)

 

As with everywhere else in the world, there are numerous institutions in Montréal that offer intensive language courses. Perform an Internet search using the words "language schools" and you will surely find a location that suits your needs.

If you meet all of the admission criteria except for the mathematics prerequisite, you may still be conditionally admitted to the ASIHM program if you take one of the following mathematics courses before starting the first term of the program: 103, 105, 106, 107, 109, 112, 113, 122, 171, 203, 237, 300, 302, 307, 337, 712, or an equivalent course.

A professional experience is highly recommended for this study program, especially one in the operations of the Food & Beverage and/or rooms division department. In fact, a program-relevant professional experience represents an asset and will be taken into consideration during the evaluation of your application file for this program.

The ITHQ is seeking qualified candidates with an advanced knowledge in both English and French as well as preferably with a professional experience in the hotel industry. ASIHM students must be inquisitive by nature and sensitive to interculturalism. Lastly, since this program is very demanding, they must be able to devote themselves to it full-time, be mobile and be ready to work abroad in order to reach their objective.

The deadline is May 1^st, to start the program in October of the same year and November 1st, to start the program in April of the following year. After that date, you can only submit an application if there are still unfilled spaces in the program. If you are a foreign applicant, bear in mind that the time required for obtaining your Quebec Acceptance Certificate  for studies could delay your arrival in Quebec.

In order to ensure that the program is as effective as possible in developing skills and knowledge, each participant’s needs and potential are taken into account. Other than interactions designed to help students share acquired knowledge, the pedagogical approach in this program calls upon the following methods:

• Simulation exercises
• Case studies
• Role plays
• Teamwork
• Computer simulations
• Distance training

There are four academic terms in this program.

• The first and third terms are devoted to theoretical and practical concepts, covered through courses in class format, conferences, hands-on workshops, simulation exercises, etc.
• The second and fourth terms consist of a few on-line courses, paired with two six-month internships at an upscale Canadian or international hotel chain.

In addition to covering key business management concepts (administration, marketing, management strategies, legal and financial aspects of hotel activities, etc.), the training you receive through ASIHM will enable you to acquire practical skills directly related to the realities of the hospitality industry.

The program also covers attitudes and people skills, to help you acquire the human skills of an effective and respected business leader. Lastly, the ASIHM program also promotes the development of creativity and entrepreneurship.

In total, the program includes 29 45-hour courses and one summary activity:

• First term: The Hotel Manager and the Business (10 courses)
• Second term: First internship and 5 on-line courses
• Third term: Hotel Managers and Stakeholders (10 courses)
• Fourth term: Second internship and 4 on-line courses
• Comprehensive activity

For a full description of each course, refer to the  Course section.

Yes, for the first and third terms, when courses are given at the ITHQ in Montréal. Industry visits are also scheduled.

The second and fourth terms include an internship in Canada or abroad, during which time you will have to take online courses. You will therefore need to have access to a computer and to the Internet.

The program involves a total of 1,350 hours, in addition to two six-month paid internships. This is spread over a period of two years (full time).

The program includes an average of 22 hours of class time per week. To that, you must naturally add the time required for completing your studies and assignments.

Classes are usually held Monday to Friday during the day.

The students of the program starting in October will have a two-week break in late December - early January and the students of the program starting in April will have a two-week break at the end of July each year.

It's up to you, but if you choose to work while taking the program, it could require a considerable level of commitment on your part. During the first and third terms (at the ITHQ), the ASIHM program involves an average of 22 hours of courses per week. That said, experience has shown that in order for students to succeed, they must devote an additional 1.5 times that number of hours to their studies and assignments. In other words, 33 hours are therefore added to class time, for a total of 55 hours per week. More than enough to keep you busy!

International students must also bear in mind that they are forbidden from working in Canada in the six months following their arrival in the country. Afterwards, they must obtain a work permit in order to take part in the Canadian internship.

To find out more, refer to the page Studying and working in Québec in our International students section.

Hotel industry leaders surveyed by the ITHQ feel that the university education currently offered in Canada and abroad does not provide the skills development sought after in this field. They consider the programs to be too theoretical and not sufficiently focused on the hotel industry and its environment. And yet, as stated by Hervé Fleury, managing director of the world-renowned Institut Paul-Bocuse, “The hospitality sector is becoming more and more mature. Managerial talents are increasingly necessary, since the approach to management, development and marketing is becoming ever more complex.” (Source: HTR, October 2009.)

The ASIHM program was created after consulting world leaders in the hotel industry (Relais & Châteaux, Four Seasons, Delta, Fairmont, Mariott, Kempinski, Accor Group, Louvre France, etc.) and responds to major international market trends as well as its current demands. It is a management program (in the vein of an applied sciences program) that revolves around operations in the Food & Beverage and rooms division departments and that takes into account the efficient approach found in North America (know-how) as well as the European standards of quality when it comes to hospitality and service (people skills).

Please refer to the section Cost in the description page of this program.

There are various avenues for financing your studies, depending on your student status (resident of Quebec, of another Canadian province or from abroad):

• ITHQ Foundation scholarships
  The ITHQ Foundation awards academic scholarships of $10,000 each to students enrolled in this program. You will receive the details of the eligibility criteria (quality of the academic file and financial situation) and application form once you have been admitted to the program.
• Bank financing
  More and more financial institutions now offer programs or services adapted to students' specific needs (various loans, lines of credit, etc.). For more information on financial products available, contact your financial institution.
• Tax deduction (not applicable to international students)
  Any Canadian student (whether from Quebec or another province) enrolled in an academic program at a recognized post-secondary institution can receive a non-refundable income tax credit of 20 percent from the provincial government and of 15 percent from the federal government.
  Admissible expenses include all of the mandatory costs required by educational institutions for learning purposes. Please note that they do not include the following expenses:
      - Student association dues
      - Medical expenses
      - Meals and lodgings
      - Transportation and parking
  For more information on the tax deductions to which you may be entitled, visit the Revenu Québec  (french only) and  Canada Revenue Agency  websites.

Quebec government's loans and bursaries program
Please note that students in this program are not eligible for the loans and bursaries program of the ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

When you receive your admission confirmation, approximately one month after the deadline for applying. At this time, you will have to register for the program and pay the $207 in ancillary fees.

Please refer to the section Terms of payment in the description page of this program. 

Please refer to the question 22 (ITHQ Foundation scholarships).

Please refer to the page Admission of the program.

Yes, it's very easy to do so. Simply register online for one of the sessions that will be announced on the description page of this program.

During both years, the internships will take place from mid-October to mid-April (start of the first term in April) or from mid-April to mid-October (start of the first term in October) depending on the month you will start the program. You will be given the exact start and end dates of these internships at a later date.

In general, the internships that are part of this program are remunerated (monetary or non-monetary). However, you need to know that the remuneration can vary greatly from one country to another.

Know first of all that the internship locations are chosen in accordance with each candidate’s profile. You will do a first internship in a French- or English-speaking environment, depending on your language profile, while the second internship takes place in an establishment abroad in order to provide students with an experience in a cultural environment other than their own.

In both cases, the ITHQ has negotiated internship agreements with quality industry partners that run hotels both in Canada and abroad. Depending on your language profile and your previous professional experience, you will have a choice of internship locations among the following establishments and partners: Relais & Châteaux, Sofitel World, Accor Hospitality, Concorde Hotels & Resorts, Kempinski Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, and Marriott Hotels & Resorts.

With regards to the procedures, you will benefit from the assistance of the ITHQ's internship service personnel when it comes to researching and negotiating your internships, obtaining work visas and other required documents, etc. However, please note that the possibilities of an internship abroad may be limited due to your age (age 35 and older) and your citizenship.

This will be determined by the establishment that hires you, but your employer will take into account that you have some online courses during your internship and adjust your schedule accordingly. However, you can expect to work a minimum of 35 hours or more per week in your internship hotel, as this represents a regular work schedule in the hospitality industry. This schedule, along with the time required for your online courses, will certainly keep you very busy.

The responsibilities you will be given are progressive in nature and will depend greatly on your hotel industry experience and your ability to handle the various duties. Interns must therefore expect to first be assigned tasks related to front-line operations and to then progress – at a pace matching the quality of their performance – to overseeing operations.

You will have to put together a document explaining why you selected this particular hotel chain among the list of partners. Afterwards, you will have to successfully undergo selection interviews and meet the other requirements set forth by the establishment, which of course has the last word when confirming or denying an internship candidate.

The worldwide demand for hotel industry graduates is strong and will remain strong in the future. In fact, the job placement rate is currently close to 100 percent.

The following article provides a closer look at the state of the  Canadian tourism sector  (article in French only).

In Europe and elsewhere, "the challenge is enormous for human resources personnel (in the hotel industry). They therefore turn to specialized training schools so that the latter may size up the challenge and adapt their courses, teaching approach, and even their implementation in order to better suit the industry's needs. A complementary relationship – or even partnership – becomes a priority." (Source: Hotel, Tourism and Restaurant. The Magazine of Hospitality Marketing, October 2008.)

Here are some figures to illustrate the qualified labour needs expressed in the hotel sector, according to Hospitality Training 2008:

• Accor Hospitality Group: 1,000 hotel managers and 5,000 service managers to be hired in the coming years
• France: 60,000 professional positions to be filled annually
• United Kingdom: 20,000 positions to be filled annually
• China, IHG: 20,000 individuals hired in 2008

The hospitality sector is becoming more and more mature. Managerial talents are increasingly necessary, since the approach to management, development and marketing is becoming ever more complex. Sector-specific higher education (bachelor's and master's degrees) meets the needs expressed by hotel chains, which no longer have to search through business schools as they did in the past.

H. Fleury, managing director of the Institut Paul Bocuse. (Source: HTR, October 2009.)

When consulting the hotel industry, the ITHQ noted that there was a strong demand for candidates who can hold decision-making positions requiring people skills and a solid knowledge of hotel operations. The ASIHM program was therefore designed to develop the following four main competencies:

• Relationship skills and behaviours
• Leadership within hospitality establishments
• Operations engineering for hospitality and food service establishments
• Hotel operations management

As part of the survey that was used to design the ASIHM program, the international hospitality industry expressed the following requirements:

• Analytical aptitudes
• Significant potential for proactivity
• Strong ability to resolve problems and make decisions
• Great openness towards other cultures
• Creativity and a sense of innovation
• Communication skills
• Ability to adapt and be mobile

Once you have successfully completed the full program course load, you will be awarded an ITHQ Signature diploma in Hautes Études en gestion hôtelière internationale / Advanced Studies in International Hotel Management, as well as a diploma from the Leading Hotel Schools of the World.

The program prepares you so that you can soon hold a management position – and more specifically that of rooms divisions director or front desk manager – in one of the finest hospitality establishments in the world, whether it be a hotel, resort, spa or inn.

Your duties will therefore include planning, organizing, directing and overseeing the establishment's accommodations or reception activities in order to meet your clientele's expectations, while also ensuring that the service is efficient and profitable.

For a complete description of the duties involved in the various management positions of the hospitality sector, visit the  Conseil québécois des ressources humaines en tourisme website (French only). And for more information on this career and the challenges awaiting you upon graduating from the ASIHM program, refer to the labour market information provided by Emploi-Québec .

No. If you wish to browse job offers in the hotel industry, we suggest that you visit the hotelleriejobs.com website .

There are various options open to you: rooms for rent, sharing an apartment, student residences, etc. To find out more on this topic, refer to the section Housing options in Montréal in our International Students section.