MSc in International Hospitality Business
Course Overview
The MSc in International Hospitality Business is an LSHRM postgraduate degree running 12 to 18 months inside the Global Hospitality Strategy department. It is research-informed and dissertation-led, and is written for senior hoteliers moving into regional director, international development and executive-strategy roles across global hotel groups. It is aligned with sector references from UKHospitality, the CMI and the Tourism Society.
By graduation you will be able to lead an international hospitality business at director level, hold owner-and-brand strategy dialogue across regions and defend a research-informed dissertation on international hospitality.
Assessment blends research, executive-briefing simulations and a defended dissertation or capstone. This mirrors the way senior appointments are evaluated in hotel groups, resort operators and hospitality consultancies.
Cohorts include senior hoteliers targeting general management, cluster leaders formalising their executive practice and international applicants seeking a UK executive hospitality credential. LSHRM's international office supports overseas applicants with visa and mode-of-study guidance so the cohort remains genuinely global at Master's level.
Key Features
- Postgraduate MSc route aligned with UKHospitality and CMI
- Coverage of regional director and international development leadership
- Research-informed dissertation on international hospitality business
- Case exercises from London-listed operators and international brand families
- Structured executive-project leadership across regions
- Aligned with HOSPA financial vocabulary at regional scale
- Executive networking with international hospitality leadership
- Focus on portfolio thinking across regions and brand families
What You Will Learn
- How to lead an international hospitality business at director level
- Owner-and-brand strategy dialogue across regions
- Portfolio strategy across global brand families
- Research-informed dissertation on international hospitality
- Executive-project leadership across regions and functions
- Franchise, management-agreement and JV structures at senior level
- Board, owner and investor strategy reporting
- Ethical international leadership, governance and safeguarding
- Coordination between corporate development, brand and regional leaders
Who This Course Is For
- Cluster directors targeting regional director roles
- International development leaders formalising their executive practice
- Career changers with 5+ years of senior international hospitality experience
- International applicants seeking a UK executive international hospitality MSc
- Applicants planning to progress into VP or board-level roles
- Applicants building a research-informed record ahead of consultancy or board work
The MSc is dissertation-led. Applicants work with an academic supervisor and, where appropriate, an industry mentor from the LSHRM network to scope original research on a live hospitality question. Applicants without recent research experience are supported through a preparatory research-methods stream.
Career Pathways
- Regional Director
- International Development Manager (Senior)
- Vice President of Operations
- Corporate Development Manager (Senior)
- Head of Global Operations
- Executive Director
- Head of Hospitality Consulting
The LSHRM careers team supports Master's students with executive introductions to London-listed operators, international brand teams and hospitality consultancies recruiting for regional director roles.
LSHRM's London base gives applicants direct visibility of one of the most competitive urban hospitality markets in the world, and cohorts benefit from a curriculum written with reference to the daily working reality of London and UK-wide operators.
LSHRM's careers office runs employer-branded workshops each term with London hospitality recruiters, and applicants are individually coached on CV, LinkedIn and interview technique. Graduates who leave LSHRM with an active application portfolio typically report shorter time-to-first-role than applicants entering hospitality without structured LSHRM support.
Entry Requirements
- A UK 2:2 (Lower Second Class) honours degree or overseas equivalent in any discipline
- Applicants without a first degree may be considered with 5+ years of senior hospitality experience
- IELTS 6.5 overall (no band under 6.0) or equivalent English proficiency
- A 500-word research statement covering the applicant's chosen area of hospitality specialisation
- Two academic or professional references and a short interview
Cohorts include senior hoteliers targeting general management, cluster leaders formalising their executive practice and international applicants seeking a UK executive hospitality credential. LSHRM's international office supports overseas applicants with visa and mode-of-study guidance so the cohort remains genuinely global at Master's level.
Applicants also gain the executive-level research, analysis and defended-recommendation skills that senior employers and consultancies expect. That means a full research question, a defended dissertation or capstone, executive briefings written to board standard and the ability to hold an owner-and-brand conversation with credibility. LSHRM's academic and industry-mentor network is deliberately built around senior UK and international hospitality leaders so this executive training stays tied to real practice throughout the programme.
Why Study at LSHRM
LSHRM is a specialist division of Harold International College of London focused on the operational and strategic disciplines that run modern hotels, resorts and integrated hospitality businesses. Every LSHRM programme is aligned with recognised UK professional bodies including the Institute of Hospitality, UKHospitality, HOSPA and the British Institute of Innkeeping.
Students on every LSHRM route are supported by dedicated career services covering CV, LinkedIn, interview coaching and introductions to London hotel groups, luxury resort operators and boutique brands.
LSHRM's articulation model means every Certificate and Diploma leads cleanly into an Advanced Diploma, Higher Diploma and full honours degree, with Master's routes for those aiming at general management, executive and consultancy roles.
Apply for MSc in International Hospitality Business
The MSc in International Hospitality Business is a research-informed executive qualification for senior international hospitality leaders. Advance into executive hospitality leadership with LSHRM. Enrol Now
