MSc in International Hospitality Management

October to March

In the first semester, the program adapts to your academic background through two tailored learning paths designed to build strong foundational skills:

• Business Major Path (for students with a background in hospitality, tourism, or events): You will strengthen your business acumen through courses in Strategic HRM, Team & Leadership, Marketing in a Digital Age, Negotiation & Sales, and Accounting & Finance, all applied to the hospitality context.
   
• Hospitality Major Path (for students from other fields such as business, law, humanities, or engineering): You will be immersed in the fundamentals of hospitality through courses like Introduction to the Hospitality Industry, Hotel Services & Operations Management, F&B Management, Hospitality Marketing, Consumer Behavior, and Financial Analysis (Revenue Management).

This initial semester sets the stage for deeper exploration and cross-disciplinary collaboration in Semester 2. 

January to March

The entire cohort comes together for a semester focused on applied learning, cross-campus collaboration, and industry immersion. Courses are delivered across both emlyon business school and Institut Lyfe campuses and include:

• New Trends in Hospitality
• Entrepreneurship in Hospitality
• Project Management
• Hospitality Leadership Learning Trip with companies visits in Lyon & Paris
• Capstone Project: a semester-long team challenge involving concept creation, design, marketing, and financial planning
• Career Coaching workshops to develop job search strategies and prepare for internships

This hands-on period is reinforced by real-world exposure and guidance from industry professionals.

April to August

You will complete a 4-month mandatory internship, giving you the opportunity to apply your skills in a professional setting.

Typical internship roles include: 

• Hospitality Manager (Rooms Division, F&B, Sales, Revenue Management)
• Support Manager (Marketing, Project Management, IT)

This experience helps build your resume, deepen your understanding of hospitality operations, and clarify your future career path.

September to December

During this semester, you will expand your expertise through four integrated modules*:

• Talent & Operations
  Intercultural Management, Lean Operations, Emerging Technologies & AI in Hospitality, and CSR in global business environments.
• Customer Focus
  Explore service quality, luxury management, and customer experience design through advanced tools such as ethnographic research and data analysis.
• Design & Innovation
  Deep dive into service design, innovation strategy, and brand development.
  → Capstone Project Phase 1: Hotel Concept Development & Brand Design.
• Professional Leadership & Development #1
  A learning trip to London where you’ll explore diverse hospitality models and meet with senior professionals from leading hotel brands. 

* order of modules is subject to change

January to March

This semester positions you for strategic roles in global hospitality by addressing key transformation and leadership themes:

• Strategic Business
  Finance, Business Models, Strategic Leadership, and Prospective Thinking
  → Capstone Project Phase 2: Development Strategies & Costing
   
• International Business Models – Global Seminar*
  Includes a series of advanced courses such as Consulting Techniques, Integrated Resorts Management, MICE Management, and an international period (previous cohorts have travelled to global hospitality hubs such as Shanghai and Las Vegas; the destination for 2026 is yet to be confirmed)
   
• Professional Leadership & Development #2
  ESG Governance in Hospitality, Emotional Labor, Career Coaching, and Research Methods workshops.

*content of this module is subject to change, depending on the international destination

April to September 

Conclude your journey with a 4- to 6-month mandatory internship, giving you the opportunity to apply your learning in a real-world context. You'll take on professional responsibilities in line with your career goals whether in hospitality & hotel management, consulting, innovation, or support functions (marketing, HR, project development…).

This final phase is also the foundation for your Professional Thesis, a strategic analysis based on your internship experience. It helps consolidate your industry knowledge while sharpening your ability to reflect, analyze, and deliver insights valued by employers. 

A hospitality management master is a postgraduate program that prepares students for leadership roles in the hospitality industry. This degree in hospitality provides advanced skills to have interesting career opportunities in many sectors of activity like tourism, luxury, food industry... 

Success in hospitality and tourism management, especially in graduate school, requires strong leadership skills, excellent communication, problem-solving abilities, cultural awareness, and a customer-focused mindset.

To enter an hospitality management school like emlyon business school and Institut Lyfe, you need at least a Bachelor’s degree equivalent to Bac +3 or Bac +4 (Master 1 level). You must submit a CV, official ID, certified transcripts, and proof of enrollment if still studying. A good level of English (C1) is required, and you may need to complete digital tests as part of the admission process. 

For further details, please refer to the 'Admission' section above or reach out to a program advisor.

No, this program is not an online master. This MSc is delivered fully on-site to provide immersive professional studies within a top-tier school of hospitality management. You will study across campuses: first term in Lyon (emlyon business school and Institut Lyfe), second term in Paris, and third term in Paris and internationally at a partner university. 

France – the land of good taste, of elegance, of joie de vivre and savoir faire. The land of Michelin stars and palace hotels, of grand crus and the Bocuse d’Or. The home of luxury, style, beauty and the arts. What better place to study hospitality than in its birthplace and the epicenter of modern lifestyle design?

France is not just about tradition and heritage. The number one tourism destination worldwide, France is home to the world’s largest hospitality operator. 

Modern hospitality is experiencing a profound revolution, comparable to the sector's industrialization in the mid-20th century. Today's hospitality requires exceptional technique and world-class management, achieved through the collaboration of specialized hospitality schools with prestigious Grand Écoles (busines schools). This new era emphasizes creativity, aesthetics, and innovative experiences amidst rapid technological advancements.

Our program cultivates the renowned European hospitality culture and global management expertise, with a distinctive French Touch that addresses modern demands. The curriculum focuses on experience design, blending global expertise with the unique savoir-faire of French luxury, fashion, cinema, and gastronomy. We also integrate French Tech, keeping students updated on the latest digital innovations in a country known for its technological achievements. The MSc in International Hospitality Management utilizes cutting edge project-based learning pedagogy supported by courses and modules delivered by world-class academics and top industry professionals.