The Tourism Management stream of the Hospitality and Tourism Management diploma program is currently under review. Please contact the program area for more information.
After successfully completing the first year of Hospitality and Tourism Management, you may select the Tourism Management major as a second-year option to complete a diploma.
The program is designed to introduce students to the industry and build core skills in year one, and to build industry-specific management skill in the year two major. The Tourism Management major focuses on developing skills to work in a variety of business models including attractions, events, and tourism services.
The courses are delivered from a management perspective and include classroom and experiential learning based course work. Classes include Community Development, Event Management, Marketing and Sustainability among others. Tourism Entrepreneurship offered in the final term is the capstone course in which you work in teams to develop a visitor attraction, drawing on your academic and work experience from previous terms.
This program is designed to provide a solid foundation for those aiming to attain a high performance career in the tourism industry. While most courses are presented from a Canadian perspective, core skills are relevant to those seeking employment globally.
Customer service is an essential aspect of work in the tourism industry. This program may be suitable if you enjoy working with people, solving problems and thriving in a fast-pace environment. Previous hospitality experience is an asset.
Students may apply for financial assistance through the Manitoba Student Aid program. For general information on applying please call 204-945-6321 or 1-800-204-1685, or visit their website at www.manitobastudentaid.ca, which also includes an online application. For detailed information, please visit one of the RRC Polytech Student Service Centres or call 204-632-2327. Applicants requiring financial assistance should complete their student loan applications well in advance of the class start date.
Red River College Polytechnic is a participating institution in the HigherEdPoints program. Through this program, students are able to convert Aeroplan® Miles and TD Points into funds to help cover their tuition. Family members and friends can also contribute to a student’s education by converting their loyalty points - anyone can donate their points to an individual student.
Visit the HigherEdPoints website for more information about the program and/or to set up an account to convert your points.
Management accounting is about making good decisions that will translate into results that an organization wants to see. This accounting course presents conceptual understanding and practical use of management accounting techniques in the tourism industry. Topics covered include analysis of financial statements, pricing, budgeting, cash budget, investment decisions, accountability for non-profits and ethics. Instructional methods include lecture, problem-solving, case studies, and projects.
In this course, students will work on developing self-awareness and being able to identify themselves and others as diverse individuals. Participation in community engagement, workshops, and classroom activities will provide an opportunity for reflection on everyday interactions both on and off campus, and will aid students in developing and improving strategies for mindful management and respect towards the diverse groups in the Canadian hospitality industry.
Managing people resources is a challenging daily task for managers of tourism operations. By the end of this course, students will be able to design and apply processes and procedures for the recruitment, selection, training, and management of both paid and volunteer staff, including topics such as discipline, compensation and anti-harassment. Building on the analysis and application of the Manitoba Employment Standards and the Manitoba Human Rights Code in case studies and class exercises, students will apply theory to design documents and interview questions to be used in a job interview simulation at the end of the course.
Whether it is to market an organization, promote community initiatives, raise funds, or celebrate life events, there are many opportunities to facilitate the gathering of people in the various hospitality and tourism sectors. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to research, design and plan an event to meet the goals of the client and the needs of the attendees. By working on various committees, students will further develop problem solving, teamwork and workload management skills. Theory and assignments from the Catering course in year 1 will be applied to the planning process. Additional project work completed in this course will be carried forward and applied in the next term to coordinate and produce the event in the Events Management course. Students are evaluated on professionalism and the quality and quantity of work products in planning the event.
By the end of this course, students should be able to explain systems' sustainability as they relate to tourism. The exploration of theory related to tourism sustainability in the areas of culture, society, economics and the environment will prepare students to manage tourism operations that are responsible, respectful, and ethical with consideration for organization goals and community development. Through case studies, videos, site visits, and a class debate, students will analyze tourism’s impacts on natural areas in a sociocultural context.
While touring prospective clients through a hotel, assisting dinner guests in navigating a menu, or taking international visitors on a city bus tour, a confident, capable guide will stimulate interest and enhance the experience. By the end of this course, students will be able to design and deliver a walking tour of a heritage, natural or cultural site. Students will apply Tilden’s Principles of Interpretation, and enhance the skills acquired in first term courses such as Communications and Customer Service through the creation of customized programs for specific audiences.
Packaging tourism products offers communities and individual operators an opportunity to create memorable experiences for a wide variety of tourism audiences. In this course, emphasis will be placed on understanding the need for, and reasons why, experiential tourism packages are being marketed, the advantages and disadvantages of creating packages, and the organizations involved. Students will focus on the design and planning process for creating, costing and marketing tour packages. Through lectures, guest speakers, assignments and group work, students will apply their knowledge and skill towards the design and development of experiential tour package itineraries as well as the creation of a brochure to sell the product.
The Coop placement provides experiential, workplace-based learning opportunities to build employable competencies and practice the principles and skills learned during classroom study. It links students to industry managers and employers and establishes the foundations of their employment history. By the end of this course students will further acquire and develop skills for progression within at least one area of the hospitality or tourism industry while demonstrating their potential for a future industry leadership role. During Coop Work Placement 2 or Service Learning Industry Project students will develop new learning goals to build on their learning from Coop Work Placement 1 and their term 4 and 5 classes. Students will self-assess their own skill development and professional behavior through reflection and they will update their existing portfolio showing progression of skill development or the acquisition of new skills. The Coop Coordinator and employer will assess their skill development and/or acquisition of new skills and their professionalism.
You will be required to purchase a laptop computer and related software for use when you enter the Hospitality and Tourism program.
The use of laptop computers is an integral part of this program. It will enhance your learning and competitiveness in the job market. This universal-access approach to learning is a shared one between students and the College. Laptop and software specifications will be provided to you by the College after you are accepted into the program to ensure the laptop complies with the program requirements.
Do not purchase a laptop until you have been accepted and registered in the program.
The College will also provide a detailed list of required software, network access, and help desk support if you require assistance. You will have on-campus access to e-mail, College networks, and the Internet.
Off-campus access to the Internet is the responsibility of the student.
Please refer to https://www.rrc.ca/future-students/computer-requirements/ for further information on Computer Requirements for Students.
As a general rule, students must graduate with a minimum GPA of 3.4 to be eligible to apply.
Royal Roads University (please see http://royalroads.ca/prospective-students/programs/tourism-hospitality and http://www.royalroads.ca/prospective-students/transfer-agreements)Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which documents and compares an individual's prior learning gained from prior education, work and life experiences and personal study to the learning outcomes in College courses/programs. For more information, please visit www.rrc.ca/rpl.
Upon completion of the program, you will be prepared for employment in various sectors of the tourism industry including tour operations, attractions, festivals, special events, and tourism services.
Graduates of the former certificate program have obtained employment in museums and with tour operators, automotive associations, and government tourism services (both within and outside Manitoba). Fluency in a second language can provide a distinct advantage. Graduates with previous supervisory or management experience may move into similar positions in the tourism industry. Other graduates can expect to begin their career in entry-level positions.
Note: For all graduates, employment potential heavily depends on the individual's industry employment record, attitude, motivation, and maturity level.