‘ON SHOW’ – HOSPITALITY & TOURISM EDUCATION & TRAINING – Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, UCC-Part 1

The University of Cape Coast (UCC), through its Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management (DHTM), pioneered the degree programs in Hospitality and Tourism Management, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in 1996, in Ghana. DHTM is unique among the other tertiary institutions in Ghana through its core mandate/activities.

 

The Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management aims to become a Centre of excellence and scholarship in hospitality and tourism in Africa.  

Mission:  

Provide a broad-based training in hospitality and tourism management that produces self-confident, ethical, innovative and self-reliant graduates for management careers in the Hospitality and Tourism industry. 

The Department… 

• Runs a blend of academic and professional courses in both Hospitality Management and Tourism Management at the Bachelors, Executive Masters, MPhil, and PhD. 
• Having beeng carved out of the then Department of Geography and Tourism has risen above the daunting inception challenges. 
• Has, through dint of hard work, dedication and passion, placed itself on the trajectory of unstoppable growth.  

• Is unique; the only department that houses 3 full professors in hospitality and tourism in the sub-region. 

Teaching 

Undergraduate degrees: Courses are taught through in-class sessions, on-campus practical sessions (via a teaching/model restaurant, a hotel demonstration room and attachments with campus-based tourism and hospitality establishments) and industrial attachments. 

Executive Masters… 

Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degrees…

MPhil programmes- Hospitality and Tourism respectively – 

• Seek to create a high level of scholarship, innovative research capability and creative writing in the students’ area of specialization.  

• Provide students with the necessary tools to think critically and analytically, as well as function independently in the competitive global world.  
• Equip students with key research and analytical techniques to enable them undertake high-grade scholarly research that focuses on Ghana’s hospitality industry 
• Provide students with relevant skills, professional training and perspectives for long-life learning 

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Tourism and Hospitality.  

• Programmes are both academically rigorous and practically relevant 
• Hosts domestic and international students (-i.e. from Nigeria, Spain and Germany) on regular and exchange programmes.   
• It is the foundational source of the development of human resource for industry and academic institutions in Ghana, including the Technical Universities. This is much needed as now a growing number of public and private institutions offer the same degree programs across the country. 
• Provides students with necessary skills in critical thinking, intensive research and scholarly writing while pursuing scholarship and pedagogy to meet the demand by industry and educational institutions for higher quality academicians with hospitality background.  
• Equips students with requisite research and analytical skills to conduct independent rigorous scientific studies into various aspects of hospitality,  

• Develops  students’ skills and attitudes to enable them participate in solving the problems of their communities, their countries and the world at large, with respect to the hospitality/tourism-environment-development nexus 
•  Positions students for academic or consultancy careers in the field of hospitality. 

An exchange program discussion on developing products for the German market 

Presentations by Students 

Research 

The department conducts cutting edge research and evaluations in hospitality and tourism for decision making and knowledge advancement. These researches include service management, labour, gastronomy, environmental management, leisure participation and accessibility, health and wellness of travelers and sustainability.  

Lecturers in the Department have collaborated with both local and international researchers to offer insights into the impacts, coping and post-recovery strategies for hospitality and tourism businesses in Ghana during the COVID-19 crises.  

DHTM’s research has Influenced tourism and hospitality policy change, improved business management profits, influenced professional standards and wellbeing of visitors in Africa. 

Outreach/Dissemination of Research Findings   

DHTM continuous to engage society and businesses with its research findings through webinars and policy briefs. For instance, they recently organized a webinar on revamping and restarting Ghana’s hospitality and tourism industry following the outbreak of the CoVID-19 pandemic.  

DHTM engages and collaborates with industry practitioners and other partners on a regular basis through knowledge curation and exchanges, training and workshops. 

Part 2 follows next week with a Q and A and a continuation of the pictorial presentations.

Thank you.