Study Guide

Descriptions

PROFILE OF THE PROGRAMME
Studies in the Degree Programme in Hospitality Management provide a wide range of capabilities as supervisors and experts in various food-related service organizations and food companies. Studies in this Degree Programme are multidisciplinary based on natural sciences, business studies and behavioral sciences. The education is based on application of these sciences tailored to service industry.
A Bachelor in Hospitality Management works e.g. as an expert and in development roles in tourism, catering and domestic services, sales and marketing, in supervising positions in food services or as an entrepreneur. In the food industry, he/she can work in sales and marketing, product development and quality assurance.

The studies provide both strong knowledge and practical expertise in
- managing services
- business expertise needed in the service sector
- service design and customer relationship management skills
- food safety, quality and process development
- nutrition required in the food services
- interpreting data generated using digital systems
Studies will provide the capabilities to meet the challenges in the service sector now and in the future, requiring product material and process knowledge as well as ability to apply creative solutions.

In the optional studies, the student can choose among the following entities: Developing Food Services, Well-being and health from food, Tourism and experience services. Alternatively, the student may choose courses from other degree programmes, e.g. entrepreneurship, management, biotech and food processing or sustainable development or even studies from abroad.

The Study Programmes in the field of food and agriculture form a unique expertise center in Finland. The studies in food and hospitality provide an overview of the entire food chain i.e. from agriculture through food industry to food services.

In the tourism and catering field, the customers often come from abroad. So good language skills as well as proper knowledge in various cultures are advantageous. Furthermore, the business companies and workplaces are nowadays often multinational. Thus, it is natural to acquire multicultural competence and good language skills to be able to operate in an international sphere. Students in Food and Hospitality has excellent opportunities to carry out parts of the studies abroad or virtually. The language skills can also be increased in Finland as parts of the studies are carried out in English together with exchange students and when the learning material is in English. In addition, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences offers extensive language courses in the elective studies.

The degree programme consists of 210 ECTS and the studying time is approximately three and half years. Studies can be completed more rapidly, which depends on previously acquired competences and own goals. The studies in the syllabus are performed from the turn of August-September to the end of April. It is possible to conduct project studies, internships and summer courses during the summer. The studies are carried out as contact and online studies, as well as in various practical courses.

In the Degree Programme in Hospitality Management, Training (12 ECTS) is allocated in the spring of the first study year. The advanced training (18 ECTS) is primarily carried out in the third study year. The thesis is performed in the final stages of the studies. Students choose the topic of the thesis according to own interest, career plans and employment goals.

OCCUPATIONAL PROFILES
Competencies are extensive qualification frameworks or combinations of the individual’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes. They describe qualifications, performance potential, and the ability to cope with professional duties.

Common/general competencies are fields of know-how common to different Degree Programmes, but their special characteristics and importance may vary between professions and work assignments. General competencies form the basis for professional activities, cooperation, and the development of expertise. According to Arene’s (Rectors' Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences) recommendations, general competencies include learning skills, ethical competence, cooperation skills, innovation skills, and internationalization skills. In addition to the above-mentioned competencies, entrepreneurial skills and quality management skills are emphasized in the degree studies of SeAMK as competencies common to all.

Degree programme-specific competencies form the basis for the development of the student’s professional expertise:
1. Service culture competence
- can apply hospitality as an essential value and success factor in service business
- can plan, produce and develop profitable and customer-oriented services
- can choose aesthetic and ethical solutions for service business (service products, facilities, operators and communications)
- can analyse customers and utilise customer understanding in service design
2. Service business and management competence
- can sell and develop service products in a customer-oriented and profitable way
- can model and apply service processes
- can apply strategic thinking in directing service business (business concepts, thinking models, ethicality in business)
- work in an entrepreneurial manner
- can lead themselves and work communities
- can take advantage of economic key ratios in business development
- can use suitable technology and digitalisation in service business)
3. Global understanding
- act responsibly
- act fruitfully in multicultural organisations
- can take advantage of predictive information in developing service business

A Bachelor in Hospitality Management is a multi-skilled employee who works as a supervisor or in expert positions in various service organizations, food industry or as an independent entrepreneur. He/she works with tasks requiring skills e.g. in service design, digitalization, international know-how, food education and communication. He/she is developing the field taking into account consumers’ needs as well as social and ecological responsibilities. The most common tasks are as supervisors and experts in restaurants, staff restaurants and public kitchens (e.g. schools and hospitals). In addition, companies hiring personnel within the tourism and experience industry are increasingly employing bachelors in hospitality management.

Typical positions are e.g. restaurant manager, food service manager, product developer, project expert/manager, customer/service manager and entrepreneur.

After completing language studies, students are able to communicate in target languages both orally and in writing in situations, to seek knowledge and to monitor development in the own profession/field.

PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH
Learning is based on socio-constructivist pedagogical theory in which new thing to learn is connected to learner’s previous knowledge and experiences. Learning emphasizes social interaction, genuine assignments and learning environments as way to build student’s personal knowledge. Professionalism is built from theoretical knowledge, practical competence and attitude. Therefore, it is essential to develop student’s learning skills and self-assessment capabilities. Student is guided to reflect on and see the connections of these aspects with each other.

Hospitality Studies are based on from processes to projects -model. Studies in the Degree Programme in Hospitality Management consist of service activities, projects, internships and finally the theses. Studio kitchen is a learning environment for hospitality students. In the studio kitchen, students are able to develop their co-operation skills with companies, have room for experiments and receive guidance for their personal development. At the beginning of the studies, the student learns the processes in service production and management. In general, the advanced studies are based on learning in projects. The curriculum also allows study subjecys in the entire food chain or in other educational areas.

Students are encouraged to combine theory with practice and to be able to reinforce their previously learned knowledge and experiences. Applied, meaningful learning can be accessed in diverse projects. Students participate in research and development projects in the field of Food and Agriculture through various projects, internships and theses. Learning also takes place in collaboration with the working life.

Students have the opportunity to include multidisciplinary, working life-oriented project studies in their personal curricula (SeAMKPro).

The curriculum includes five seams permeating through the studies and extending over them. They are based on SeAMK’s reports, studies and strategy, as well as on the national and international recommendations and regulations related to education provided by universities of applied sciences.
- The Information Search seam strengthens the student’s professional and field-specific information search skills throughout the studies.
- The Internationalization seam secures the improvement of the student’s international competencies during their studies.
- The studies corresponding to the Entrepreneurship seam help the student understand the central and growing role of entrepreneurship in society.
- The Sustainable Development seam makes the student aware of social responsibility and helps them understand the diversity of sustainable development as a working life skill.
- The seam of Career Guidance helps the student recognise their competencies and own strengths. It also includes working life knowledge, job search skills, and lifelong learning.