Diploma of Business (International Hotel and Resort Management)

The Diploma of Business (International Hotel and Resort Management) at Torrens University Australia is a one-year qualification for people who want to work in hotels, resorts and hospitality businesses, and for those already in the industry who want formal training. You study how accommodation properties actually run: front office and reservations, housekeeping, food and beverage service, marketing and sales for hotels, finance and budgeting for a property, and the people side of managing a team. The focus is international, so you look at how hotels operate across different markets and guest expectations.

How the course is structured

As a diploma, this sits at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework, below a bachelor degree, above a certificate. It is normally delivered over one year of full-time study, split into trimesters or semesters depending on the campus and intake. You complete units of study, each with a set credit point value, and you need to pass the required units to graduate. Assessment is a mix of exams, assignments, practical tasks and group work. Some units include industry placement or practical experience in a hotel or resort setting, which is common in hospitality qualifications because employers want to see that you can handle a real front desk or service floor. Confirm the exact unit list, credit points and placement requirements on the official course page.

What you learn

You finish with practical skills you can use straight away: checking guests in and out, handling bookings and complaints, rostering and supervising staff, controlling stock and costs, and reading a profit and loss statement for a department. You also build the communication and customer service habits that hospitality runs on. The diploma can lead into further study, many students use it as a pathway into a bachelor degree with credit for the units they have already completed.

Who it suits

This course suits school leavers who want a fast route into hotel work, career changers who like the idea of working in a resort or city hotel, and people already employed in hospitality who want a qualification behind them for supervisor or duty manager roles. International students should note the English requirement: IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common standard for courses at this level, with TOEFL, PTE Academic and the university's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. While studying, a Student visa generally allows work of up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 089927F, check there and on the university's official page for current fees, intakes and entry requirements.

• Front office supervisor or duty manager in hotels and resorts
• Housekeeping supervisor or rooms division coordinator
• Food and beverage supervisor in hotel restaurants, bars and banqueting
• Reservations or revenue assistant
• Guest relations or concierge roles
• Hotel sales and marketing coordinator
• Team leader in serviced apartments, motels and holiday parks
• Roles in event and conference operations within hotels

These jobs are found across Australia's accommodation sector, city hotels, regional resorts, motels, serviced apartments and hospitality groups, as well as overseas. The diploma also gives you credit toward further study if you want to move into a bachelor degree in hotel management or business.