Course offered by: BCA, Athens
Introduction
Throughout our 20-year involvement in the area of hospitality and tourism management, we have developed a distinguished tradition in the provision of a degree level in hospitality and tourism education, giving BCA the ability to effectively identify and analyze the global trends and challenges in the hospitality and tourism industry. Developed and competitive destinations as well as successful hospitality and tourism businesses have achieved their success through effective planning and the implementation of contemporary hospitality and tourism education of programmes.
BCA through its Hospitality & Tourism Management department offers courses containing the methods, skills and techniques necessary for the management of hospitality and tourism businesses, allowing students to enhance their knowledge in different areas. There are opportunities to gain additional professional qualifications that may help them to gain a competitive edge in the graduate job market.
Graduates usually progress through the management structures of major hospitality, leisure and tourism companies both in Greece and abroad. they will organise and participate in practical events and learn how to manage busy hospitality businesses.
Admission Requirements
Applicants can be admitted to the programme as long as they possess a high school certificate (apolytirion) or IB Diploma or equivalent.
Those who wish to attend our undergraduate programmes in English are required to submit one of the following certifications:
- IELTS: a minimum score of 5.0 (with a minimum score of 4.5 in each component of the test)
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C and above
- Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English: B2 level and above
- Michigan Proficiency (ECPE): P( Pass) and above
- Pearson Academic: 51 (with a minimum score of 51 in each component of the test)
- BCA IELTS Placement Test : a minimum score of 5.0 (with a minimum score of 4.5 in each component of the test)
Applicants can be admitted to the second year of undergraduate studies as long as the grade of their high school certificate (apolytirion) is 16 or above.
Those who wish to attend second year modules in English should also submit one of the following certifications:
- IELTS: a minimum score of 6.0 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component of the test)
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C and above
- Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English: B2 level and above
- Michigan Proficiency (ECPE): P (Pass) and above
- Pearson Academic: 56 (with a minimum score of 56 in each component of the test)
- BCA IELTS Placement Test : a minimum score of 6.0 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component of the test)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Graduates
Applicants can be admitted to the second year of undergraduate studies ( Level 4) as long as the grade of their Diploma is 28 and above including at least 15 at higher level. IB students meet the English entry requirements if they attain a minimum of 4 points in English at higher level.
Those who do not have at least 4 points in English and wish to attend second year modules in English should also submit one of the following certifications:
- IELTS: a minimum score of 6.0 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component of the test)
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C and above
- Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English: B2 level and above
- Michigan Proficiency (ECPE): P ( Pass) and above
- Pearson Academic: 56 (with a minimum score of 56 in each component of the test)
- BCA IELTS Placement Test: a minimum score of 6.0 (with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component of the test)
Philosophy and Aims
Hospitality is in continuous development, demanding new skills and facilitating opportunities for entrepreneurial and senior management positions. Forecasts suggest that the industry will continue to expand, therefore increasing the need for these skills and abilities. The philosophy and objective of the course is to consistently enhance students learning process and experience and upon graduation to possess the necessary skills that will allow you to effectively handle issues that relate with: consumer behaviour, human resources, interpersonal skills, customer service, technology, organisation & management, management accounting, operational skills and strategic planning.
The objectives of the degree are to:
- Provide the international hospitality industry itself, with graduates who possess the appropriate subject knowledge, intellectual skills and abilities for a broad range of management positions.
- Develop graduates with the flexibility to contribute to an industry in continuous development at both a national and international level.
- Facilitate employability through the nurturing of innovative skills and entrepreneurial initiatives.
- Recruit international and mature students with previous vocational experience and encourage vocational work during their university programme.
- Exploit opportunities for gaining work experience in Greece and overseas leading to permanent employment after graduation
Industrial Placement
Learning management in a purely theoretical environment is a quite difficult task, unless of course one has accumulated a respectable amount of experience. It is the philosophy of BCA to place more emphasis in the academic rather than the vocational aspect of the hospitality and tourism education it offers.
Nevertheless, in order for our students to develop the necessary technical and craft skills that will offer them a better understanding of Hotel & Tourism operations and offer more diverse career opportunities students should complete a compulsory industrial placement programme.
These practicals are a core part of the course and are therefore mandatory. The industrial placement takes places between the foundation and certificate level & between the certificate & Intermediate level. Students will have the opportunity to complete their industrial placement in various tourism organisations.
Aims of the Industrial Placement
The aims of the Industrial Placement are to enable the student to:
- Experience employment and, where appropriate, accept responsibility for the completion of tasks.
- Acquire additional practical skills and industry experience.
- Gain greater maturity and self – confidence.
- Develop attitudes and standards appropriate to his/her career objectives
Award Titles
While most students will aim to achieve the full Bachelor’s qualification, all Bachelor courses offer the interim awards of Certificate of Higher Education or Diploma of Higher Education (both available with Merit or with Distinction) for students unable to complete their full programme of study.
The full list of awards and their requirements is as follows:
| Award | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cert HE | Certificate of Higher Education in Hotel and Tourism Management | Awarded for 270 credit modules |
| Dip HE | Diploma of Higher Education in Hotel and Tourism Management | Awarded for 390 credit modules |
| BA | BA in Hotel and Tourism Management | Awarded for 510 credit modules |
AH&HLA
The American Hotel & Lodging Association was founded in 1910 and is the trade association that represents the Hotel and Tourism sector in the United States of America. It is seated in Washington DC and its purpose is to offer international representation of the industry in each government, education, research, information and any other service with added value required by the members of the organisation in order to work in a balanced and competitive environment.
The collaboration of BCA with the AHLA, one of the largest organisations for hotel and tourism education of America, gives the opportunity for a contemporary and high level of training to new students but also new and senior executives of the Hotel industry who wish to expand their knowledge base and improve their skills in various sectors of the industry, and as a result to be able to develop their career faster and more effectively. For more than 50 years AHLA has been the primary source of education, research and training of the Hotel industry not only in America but also globally.
The Educational institute of the AHLA publishes books and manuals for hotel training and their programmes are used by more than 3,000 Universities and schools of hotel education and training around the world.
The programmes of the AHLA are designed based on the proposals and viewpoints of professionals of the sector and so reflect the most contemporary practices and trends in the hotel industry. The enterprises of the sector know that students that have completed Hospitality Management AHLA programmes are well prepared to undertake management responsibilities and add value to the business. For those who have acquired the knowledge and skills offered by the AHLA programmes , career growth is a rapid process in the hotel industry.
