MBA

Hotel and Tourism Management

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Accreditation

Accreditation is a tool to monitor, assess and evaluate

the standards and quality of higher education institutions

and programs. Successful accreditation indicates that

the institution meets or exceeds the standards set by an

accreditation organization, and ensures students they will

receive a high level of education.

Why is accreditation important?

• It ensures students, their families and future employers

that an institution or program provides high quality

education. It gives reassurance of the degree’s value,

now and in the future.

• Students who apply for grants and loans need to attend a

business school, university or program that is accredited.

• Employers require a business school, university or

program to be accredited before deciding to provide

tuition assistance to current employees, evaluating the

credentials of new employees or making a charitable

contribution.

• Governments require that a college, university or

program is accredited in order to be eligible for federal

grants and loans or other funds.

The Maastricht School of Management’s MBA programs have been

accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), the Association of

Collegiate Business Schools (ACBSP), the Assembly of Collegiate

Business Education (IACBE) and the Dutch Flemish Accreditation

Organization (NVAO]. The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and

Science endorses the academic standards of Maastricht School

of Management’s MBA degree. The MBA program complies with

the standards upheld by the Higher Education Quality Control

Organization of The Netherlands.

The Maastricht Hotel Management School is an officially

recognized institution of higher education in The Netherlands.

Our partnership with the renowned Maastricht School

of Management enables us to offer a very professional,

internationally recognized and authorized MBA program,

including an extensive specialization in Hotel and Tourism

Management.

Since its foundation in 1950, the Maastricht Hotel Management

School has built up an excellent reputation. The internationally

acclaimed school is in the top 10 of Hotel Management Schools

worldwide. In 2010, the MHMS was chosen as the best Hotel

Management School in The Netherlands, scoring particularly

well on graduation rates, number of contact hours and facilities

offered.

With passion, style and responsibility as its core values, the

Maastricht School of Management and the Maastricht Hotel

Management School truly provide you with the best of both

worlds: a world class, accredited MBA program complemented

by outstanding Hotel and Tourism Management specialization

courses from international experts in the hospitality industry!

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Meet the world

in your classroom

Maastricht Hotel Management School (MHMS)

Founded in 1950, the Maastricht Hotel Management School is the number 1 Hotel Management School in The Netherlands, and is in

the top 10 of Hotel Management Schools worldwide. Its global network of partner institutions and the diversity in cultural backgrounds

of its enterprising students clearly demonstrate this. The MHMS is also the driving force behind the one-year (!) MBA specialization

in Hotel and Tourism Management, which is offered in close collaboration with the Maastricht School of Management. Offering this

MBA program together with MSM creates a unique multicultural learning-experience, with about 75 - 100 students from over

35 different countries present in the MBA classroom. Where else would you be able to follow an MBA program in such an international

environment? MHMS and MSM are proud to offer you this exciting experience. After the foundation and the core phases of the MBA

program, the students spread out over the different specializations. One of these is the Hotel and Tourism Management specialization.

Because of its outstanding reputation, the Maastricht Hotel Management School is collaborating with first class institutions

worldwide, including Penn State University (the nr. 2 Hotel Management study in the USA), the Chinese University of Hong Kong

(the nr. 1 Hotel Management study in China). Together with Zuyd University, of which the MHMS is a faculty, these institutions set

up the Global Hospitality Management Program. This three semester program provides third year students with extensive exposure

to different cultures and hospitality environments. The postgraduate Innovative Hospitality Management program is a collaboration

between MHMS and the ESADE Escola Universitaria de Turisme St. Ignasi in Barcelona, Spain. This program is directed at graduates

with a particular interest in the creative and multicultural aspects of the hospitality industry.

The MHMS developed the Hotel and Tourism Management specialization out of a desire to offer first class education in hospitality

management. It will be no surprise that this specialization is attracting students from all over the world.

Maastricht School of Management (MSM)

For more than half a century, the Maastricht School of Management has fostered international cooperation through education,

technology and research. Worldwide the school offers several accredited high-quality management degree programs (MBA, EMBA,

MM, DBA, PhD). Students have the opportunity to follow the programs either in Maastricht or on one of the 25 outreach locations.

With more than 2000 students annually graduating in more than 20 countries, the MSM is the most international business school

in The Netherlands. This results in an extensive global network of alumni.

Why should you choose the MBA program offered by MSM and MHMS?

Today’s global business environment needs executives who recognize worldwide trends and respond successfully to them.

The MSM/MHMS MBA program raises the standards of management knowledge and practice through the study and understanding

of business administration theory based on empirical research. Our MBA students share their experiences and expertise with

fellow students and faculty members from all over the world. An innovative and stimulating multicultural learning - environment is

created, one in which the participants’ knowledge and skills are continuously challenged both inside and outside the classroom.

Join us, and meet the world in your classroom!

MBA Hotel and Tourism Management - 03

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Excellence in teaching

Our teaching methodology

We stimulate critical thinking and transform management

problems into opportunities from a multidisciplinary and

multicultural perspective.

Unique to the Maastricht School of Management and the

Maastricht Hotel Management School is our emphasis on

working efficiently and effectively in multicultural groups,

an invaluable skill for the modern manager. Group members

are carefully selected in order to maximize the learning

opportunity in an environment that fosters collaboration with

fellow members from different cultures and backgrounds.

We have a comprehensive program that still allows for

personalization and flexibility.

The program consists of four segments: Foundation - provides

a solid knowledge base in each of the major management

disciplines. Core - multidisciplinary courses with a broader

focus. Specialization –students move to the MHMS and its

campus for the Hotel and Tourism Management specialization

phase of the program, consisting of a number of expert

specialization courses. Performance – writing a Master Thesis

based on a current business research project.

We teach both concepts and theories of business administration,

as well as requiring our students to perform practical exercises.

Lectures, problem-based learning assignments, case study

analyses, seminars, discussions and independent study all

play important roles in our methodology. Case studies provide

a vehicle for identifying problems, analyzing them, developing

solutions and ways to implement them.

Your future

• An MBA degree can help you to return to your respective

organization with promising career prospects and greater

confidence.

• An MBA degree provides you with the skills to take on

new responsibilities with increased opportunities for

advancement.

• An MBA degree opens doors to new positions, with higher

salaries.

The advantages of choosing the MSM/MHMS

MBA program are obvious:

• Internationally accredited program.

• Multidisciplinary teaching methodology.

• Comprehensive and flexible program.

• Culturally diverse student body.

• Dedicated international faculty and staff.

• Globally networked knowledge community.

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An international outlook

Larissa Esser

MBA Hotel and

Tourism Management

I started my MBA Hotel and Tourism Management in September

2009, and I am now in the process of finishing my master thesis.

Before starting the MBA study I have been working in Barcelona,

Amsterdam and London, for several hotels in the luxury segment

and for a well-known international restaurant chain. After the

successful completion of my MBA study I aspire a job on an

international level. Creating new business ventures, opening new

hotels or planning and managing change projects. Preferably in

London, or maybe a job involving hallmark events like the Olympic

Games or the World Cup. Events like these have enormous

consequences for the hotel industry and tourism in general, and

the high paced challenges surrounding them really appeal to me.

I already have a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, but

when I started working in the hospitality industry, I realized that I

was hitting an invisible wall which prevented me from growing. I

seemed to be lacking certain information or knowledge, and when

I heard about the MBA study Hotel and Tourism Management in

Maastricht I decided that one extra year of studying could greatly

benefit me. Especially because I learned that this study really

focused on business and financial aspects, strategy and actual

topics in the hospitality industry.

In just one year, the study has really given me a lot of insights and

definitely enhanced my understanding of the industry. Taking up

this MBA study was a great investment in myself and has turned

me into a real advocate of the MBA program. A lot of people in the

hospitality industry consider hotel and tourism totally different

from other industries. I have now learned that it is much better to

look at the hospitality industry the same way as other industries

and to integrate it in the rest of the world economy. Therefore,

I would definitely recommend an MBA program instead of a

regular master study in hospitality management. Especially when

you aspire a high level function in the hospitality industry.

You only start to realize the added value of the MBA program when

you actually start working together with people from so many

different cultures and industries. Our MBA class had students from

over 35 countries, originating from government organizations to

accounting and finance, project management and of course the

hospitality industry. I built an impressive international network,

and made friends for life! For me, the largest added value may

not even have been the actual content of the MBA program,

but the international focus and the learning experience derived

from cooperating with people from so many different countries

and industries on a daily basis. This multicultural background

is of course particularly relevant to the hospitality industry,

which is a real people-oriented industry. For me, the real value

of the program was in the (sometimes very intensive) hands-on

experience of cooperating, communicating, working together on

projects, discovering leadership and team roles. Sure, you can

learn all of those things from books, but you will really start to

understand the value of it by experiencing it hands on. Additionally,

the teachers at the Maastricht Hotel Management School did

an excellent job in integrating the hospitality specialization

courses into the MBA program. I was really impressed with their

professional knowledge, with the content of the specialization

courses and the way they succeeded in linking the courses with the

rest of the MBA program.

If you really have the ambition to work in the hospitality industry on

an international level, the MBA Hotel and Tourism Management is

the way to go!

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MBA program - specialization

Hotel and Tourism Management

The Maastricht School of Management provides a comprehensive post-graduate education

in business administration to young and midcareer professionals. Its mission is to advance

students’ knowledge of management and to train them to be leaders in a dynamic global

business environment.

Several specializations are available to students. Apart from Hotel and Tourism

Management, these include Accounting & Finance, Corporate Strategy & Economic

Policy, Management Information Systems and International Business.

The Hotel and Tourism Management specialization is a postexperience

program, meaning it is available exclusively to

people with a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of

working experience in the hospitality industry. The fact that

it is a one-year program, makes it ideal for students with

full-time jobs, who cannot afford to take two years off. The

program starts in September, with approx. 75-100 students

attending the generic eight-month MBA program (Foundation

and Core) at the Maastricht School of Management.

The Foundation and Core courses deal with typical financial

and management issues, cultural diversity, global supply

chain management and global corporate strategy.

In May, the Hotel and Tourism Management students shift

their focus to the Maastricht Hotel Management School,

which is responsible for the Specialization phase of the

MBA program. Actually, the MHMS institution has three

distinct foundations: the renowned Hotel School itself (mission

statement: choose the next step in hospitality), the recently

opened Teaching Hotel Château Bethlehem (feel the next

step) and training/consultancy (share the next step).

Château Bethlehem is a 13th century castle turned into a

design hotel. The hotel offers 26 unique design rooms (each

designed by Dutch top designers), a restaurant, two bars and

six conference rooms.

The Hotel and Management specialization courses focus

on specific aspects of the hospitality industry, and are all

concluded by a written exam. Four main topics are addressed:

• Hospitality Service Marketing (completely focused on the

marketing of hospitality services in the hotel and tourism

industry, e.g. how to cope with booking sites, social media

and other next generation marketing tools)

• Quality Management in the Hospitality Industry (how do we

distinguish ourselves from the competition, and how do we

create those ‘magic moments’ for our guests while meeting

ISO and other standards)

• Tourism Management (including hot topics like

sustainability and minimizing the carbon footprint)

• Integrative Module (combines and integrates all of the above)

The MBA program is completed by a master thesis (MBA

Performance phase).

Both the Maastricht Hotel Management School and the

Maastricht School of Management strive for excellence, which

is why all specialization courses are conducted by renowned

lecturers (both Ph.D.’s and international experts). Clearly, the

state-of-the-art curriculum and surroundings contribute to

the vibrant academic environment of both schools.

Note: the Maastricht School of Management and the Maastricht Hotel Management School reserve the right to withdraw a specialization from the program if the

minimum number of participants is not met or to change the name and contents of a course due to evolving market trends.

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Curriculum structure

Foundation

MSM Core

September October November December January February March

Foundation

• Quantitative Methods

• Financial Management

• Managerial Economics

• Accounting for Managers I (Financial Accounting)

• Accounting for Managers II (Management Accounting)

ECTS Credits: 15

Total foundation: 120 hours

No. of teaching days: 20 days

MSM Core

• Business in the Global Arena

• Finance in International Markets

• Managing Cultural Diversity

• Marketing in a global context

• Global Supply Chain Management

• Leading Change in Multinationals (corporate level)

• Innovation & New Business Ventures

• Global Corporate Strategy

Specialization: Hotel and Tourism Management

• Service Marketing in the Hospitality industry

• Quality Management in the Hospitality industry

• Tourism Management

• Integrative Module (combining 1,2, and 3)

ECTS Credits: 13

Total Specialization: 104 hours

No. of teaching days: 17 days

Master Thesis (Business Project)

ECTS Credits: 20

Total 1-year MBA program

ECTS credits: 80

Total 1-year MBA program: 640 hours

ECTS Credits: 32

Total MSM Core: 256 hours

No. of teaching days: 40 days

• ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer System

• One credit corresponds with 8 teaching hours

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Specialization Performance Graduation

April May June July August September

MBA Hotel and Tourism Management - 09

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Admission

The requirements and procedures necessary for admission to

the Maastricht School of Management and the Maastricht Hotel

Management School ensure that the high quality of the Hotel and

Tourism Management MBA program is maintained. Candidates are

admitted on a competitive basis.

The main requirements for admission to the MBA program and

the Hotel and Tourism Management specialization courses are:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a recognized

university, preferably with a foundation in economics and

management.

• Proof of English proficiency (required if your native language

is not English). Minimum TOEFL score: 550 paper based,

213 computer based, 79 internet based. Minimum IELTS

score: 6.0

• GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) score of at

least 500 is recommended.

• Three or more years of professional work experience in the

hospitality industry.

Please check our website for the current MBA Hotel and Tourism

Management tuition fee policy.

More detailed information on the admission requirements and

financial details can be found on our websites: www.msm.nl

and www.hotelschoolmaastricht.nl

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www.msm.nl

www.hotelschoolmaastricht.nl

Maastricht School of Management - Maastricht Programs Department P.O. Box 1203 telephone +31 43 387 08 08

6201 BE Maastricht fax +31 43 387 08 00

The Netherlands e-mail admissions@msm.nl

visiting address

Endepolsdomein 150 6229 EP Maastricht

Maastricht Hotel Management School - MBA department P.O. Box 3900 telephone +31 43 352 82 82

6202 NX Maastricht fax +31 43 352 82 85

The Netherlands e-mail infohotelschool@hszuyd.nl

visiting address

Bethlehemweg 2 6222 BM Maastricht