A hotel management course that fits your timeline

A hotel management course is a short, focused programme that teaches how hotels run, from rooms and food and beverage to revenue and people management, without committing to a full three-year degree. At BHMS in Lucerne there are three: a 10-week Graduate Certificate, a one-year Postgraduate Diploma with a six-month paid internship, and the one-year Diploma that also opens the bachelor.

Which one makes sense depends on two things: what you've already studied, and whether you want paid hotel experience on your CV when you finish. Here they are side by side.

Three hotel management courses compared

US$ at the October 2026 rate (1 CHF ≈ US$1.21), rounded. Fees include accommodation in a shared apartment, meals, health insurance, the first airport pickup and visa support; budget about CHF 500 a month for personal expenses on top. The Graduate Certificate has no 2027 rate yet, so confirm it when you apply.

The 10-week course: Graduate Certificate

The fastest route, built for people who already work in or around hospitality and want a recognised step up. It's two intensive terms of teaching, ten weeks in total, and you leave with a certificate awarded by BHMS together with Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (UK). That UK university element is unusual for a course this short.

There's no internship, so this isn't the course if paid Swiss experience is what you're after. Intakes on the 2026/27 calendar: 16 November 2026, 18 May 2027 and 16 August 2027. Because the course itself is short, start the visa early if you need one; the paperwork (8–12 weeks for non-EU applicants) can take longer than the course. Graduate Certificate details.

The one-year course for graduates: Postgraduate Diploma

If you have a degree in something else and want to move into hotels, this is the most direct option. Six months of study on campus in Lucerne, then a six-month internship in Switzerland or worldwide. BHMS publishes CHF 2'390 a month gross for Swiss placements; after room, board and insurance, students typically keep about CHF 1'500 a month where the employer provides housing and meals.

Intakes: November 2026, February 2027, May 2027 and August 2027. The award is BHMS's own; if a UK university award matters to you, look at the Graduate Certificate or the MSc instead. Postgraduate Diploma details.

The one-year course for school leavers: Diploma

Straight from school and not ready to sign up for three years? The Diploma in Business & Hospitality Management is a complete qualification on its own and the first year of the BA path. One semester on campus, one six-month paid internship. If you like it, you carry on to the Higher Diploma and the BA in Hotel & Hospitality Management with nothing wasted. If you don't, you leave with a diploma and six months of paid hotel experience. Diploma details.

Still at school? The two-week BHMS Summer Camp in Switzerland (11–24 July 2027, ages 16–19, CHF 3,900) is designed for students one year before they finish school who want to see whether hospitality is for them.

Online hotel management courses: the honest answer

You'll find plenty of online hotel management courses, and some are good for theory. BHMS doesn't offer any: every programme is taught on campus. The reason is practical. Hotel management is learned on the floor as much as in class, and the paid placement is where that happens. If you need to stay home, an online course is the right tool. If you can come to Switzerland for a few months, you get both.

How to choose and apply

1. Have a degree, want to switch into hotels? Postgraduate Diploma.
2. Working already, want a fast, recognised credential? Graduate Certificate.
3. Finishing school? The Diploma, with the option to continue to the BA.

Not sure? The two-minute fit check recommends a programme from your education, English and timing. When you're ready, apply here; the application form and a passport scan are what start it. Want to go further after a short course? Our sister site Master's Degrees in Switzerland covers the MSc options, and BHMS's own page for the Graduate Certificate has the official course outline.

Sources: BHMS fees flyer 2027 (Postgraduate Diploma, Diploma); BHMS 2026 rate for the Graduate Certificate; BHMS 2026/27 intake calendar; bhms.ch programme pages. Exchange rate: open.er-api.com, 19 October 2026.