MSc in International Hospitality Business Management
Twelve months. Two awarding bodies.
Six months of postgraduate study on campus in Lucerne, then an independent research project — with an optional internship if you want one. 90 ECTS, 180 UK credits, awarded by BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (UK).
The shape of the master's
One year, two very different halves
Semester 1 is six months of taught academic study on campus: the core hospitality modules, the shared business modules, and the research training you will need next. Semester 2 is an independent research project, which you may run in Switzerland or from anywhere in the world.
Alongside that research project you may take an internship — in Switzerland or worldwide. On this programme the placement is optional. That is a real difference from the BHMS undergraduate route, where a six-month placement follows every academic semester and is compulsory. Nothing here is guaranteed or required; it is a door you can choose to open.
90 ECTS · 180 UK credits · 12 months · dual award
How BHMS placements work
Semester by semester
What the year actually looks like
| Stage | Length | Where | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Six months | Lucerne campus | Taught academic study — core, shared and optional support modules |
| Semester 2 | Six months | Switzerland or worldwide | Independent research project, with an optional internship alongside it |
Twelve months in total, 90 ECTS, equivalent to 180 UK credits. The internship in Semester 2 is a choice, not a requirement — do not read it as a guaranteed placement.
Semester 1 · on campus
The modules
Three core hospitality modules, six shared business modules taken with the other master's cohorts, and three optional support modules for students who want the operational and language grounding.
| Module | Type |
|---|---|
| Hospitality Analysis and Trends | Core |
| Sustainable Tourism Development | Core |
| Financial Performance in Hospitality Enterprises | Core |
| International Human Resource Management | Shared |
| Research Methods | Shared |
| Leadership in Business | Shared |
| Marketing and Branding in a Digital Society | Shared |
| Strategic Business Management | Shared |
| Academic Writing: MSc | Shared |
| German Communication | Optional support |
| Introduction to Dining Operations | Optional support |
| Food and Beverage Service Operations | Optional support |
The programme carries 90 ECTS in total. BHMS does not publish a per-module credit or contact-hour breakdown for the MSc, so none is invented here — the detailed course programme is confirmed at application.
Award & admission
What you graduate with
Your award
Master of Science in International Hospitality Business Management — a dual award from BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (UK).
90 ECTS, equivalent to 180 UK credits, completed in twelve months. BHMS is placed #12 worldwide in Hospitality & Leisure Management in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, and holds a QS 5-star institution rating.
Entry requirements
- An undergraduate degree in any discipline — it need not be in hospitality
- Or a BHMS Postgraduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate
- English at IELTS 6.0 or an accepted equivalent
Intakes: 16 November 2026 · 22 February 2027 · 16 August 2027
Visa processing takes roughly 8–12 weeks for non-EU applicants and 4–6 weeks for EU applicants, so apply well ahead of your intake.
Fees
CHF 41'700 for the year. Everything in.
The master's is invoiced as one all-inclusive figure: tuition CHF 31'800, operating costs CHF 2'750, living expenses CHF 6'150 and the CHF 1'000 application fee. That covers:
- Tuition and career services, including internship and job placement support
- Accommodation in a 2-bed shared apartment on the LakeSide Campus (no kitchen)
- Meals — three a day during the week, two at weekends, on holidays and during term breaks
- Health insurance covering accident, illness and medical treatment
- First airport pickup
- Visa and administrative support
Not included: about CHF 500 a month for personal expenses. Swiss citizens and C-permit holders receive a 30% tuition reduction on English-taught programmes of at least 12 months.
Full fees and discounts
Semester 2 · optional
If you do take the placement
Should you choose to combine your research project with an internship in Switzerland, BHMS publishes CHF 2'390 per month gross — before deductions for room, board and social insurance. The BHMS FAQ puts the realistic net at around CHF 1'500 a month where the employer provides accommodation and meals, and around CHF 800–1,000 a month in a large city without them.
Read those figures as conditional. They apply only if you take the optional placement, and only in Switzerland — placements are also available worldwide, where pay and conditions differ.
Students who need a visa to study in Switzerland may not take work outside the internships included in their programme.
Getting here
Three routes into the MSc
You can enter straight from an undergraduate degree in any subject. If you would rather build up to it, two shorter BHMS programmes feed directly into this master's:
- The dual BA in Hotel & Hospitality Management — the three-year undergraduate route, also awarded with Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (UK)
- The Postgraduate Diploma in Hospitality Management — for graduates converting into the sector
- The Graduate Certificate in International Hospitality Business Management — the shortest way in
The wider family
Other BHMS master's programmes
This site covers the hotel and hospitality route. BHMS also runs a broader set of business and hospitality master's programmes, detailed on the main school site:
- MSc in Global Business Management
- MSc in International Tourism Management
- MSc in Wine and Beverage Business Management
- MSc in Business, Sports and Event Management
- MSc in Business, Banking and Finance
- MSc in Business and Airline Management
- MBA with Specialisation
Fees, intakes and entry requirements for those programmes are published by BHMS at https://www.bhms.ch — we do not restate them here.
Questions
Straight answers
Is the internship included, and is it compulsory?
It is optional. On the MSc, the second semester is an independent research project, and you may combine it with an internship in Switzerland or worldwide — but you are not required to. This is the key difference from the BHMS undergraduate programmes, where a six-month placement follows every academic semester and is compulsory. Career services support is included in the fee whether or not you take a placement.
Who awards the MSc?
The Master of Science in International Hospitality Business Management is a dual award from BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (UK). One programme, two awarding bodies: a Swiss hospitality management school and a UK university. The programme carries 90 ECTS, equivalent to 180 UK credits.
What are the entry requirements?
An undergraduate degree in any discipline — the MSc does not require a hospitality bachelor. A BHMS Postgraduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate also gives you entry. On English, the requirement is IELTS 6.0 or an accepted equivalent.
What does the year cost and what is included?
The MSc is CHF 41'700 all-inclusive: tuition CHF 31'800, operating costs CHF 2'750, living expenses CHF 6'150 and the CHF 1'000 application fee. That figure covers tuition and career services, accommodation in a 2-bed shared apartment on the LakeSide Campus (no kitchen), meals, health insurance for accident, illness and medical treatment, your first airport pickup, and visa and administrative support. Budget about CHF 500 a month on top for personal expenses. Swiss citizens and C-permit holders receive a 30% tuition reduction on English-taught programmes of at least 12 months.
If I do take the optional internship, what would I earn?
For internships in Switzerland, BHMS publishes CHF 2'390 per month gross, before deductions for room, board and social insurance. The BHMS FAQ puts the realistic net at around CHF 1'500 a month where the employer provides accommodation and meals, and around CHF 800 to 1,000 a month in a large city without them. Because the placement is optional on this programme, treat these figures as conditional on you choosing one.
When can I start, and can I work alongside the programme?
Intakes are 16 November 2026 · 22 February 2027 · 16 August 2027. Allow 8 to 12 weeks for visa processing if you are a non-EU applicant, or 4 to 6 weeks if you are an EU applicant, and apply well before your intake. Students who need a visa to study in Switzerland may not take work outside the internships included in their programme.
Watch
See it for yourself
Next step
Three intakes a year. A degree that pays you back before you graduate.
Next intakes: 16 November 2026 · 22 February 2027 · 16 August 2027 · Lucerne, Switzerland
Every academic semester is followed by a six-month paid internship — CHF 2'390/month gross in Switzerland, three times across the bachelor. How the internship model works →