Immerse Yourself in the World of Hospitality

Our bachelor's degree in hospitality begins with a Preparatory Year (or AP as we often call it, based on the French title "Année Préparatoire"), which is delivered on the Lausanne campus in Switzerland. This year-long introduction to the world of hospitality will teach you everything you need to know about hotel and restaurant operations and create a professional foundation for the managerial and strategic courses of the degree.

During the first six months, you will rotate through the campus’ diverse food and beverage outlets and the reception and room division departments to give you first-hand knowledge of hotel and restaurant operations. Then, you’re off to internship for a 6-month adventure in the real-world, where you will test your skills and develop your sense of independence and professionalism in a hospitality workplace.

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Develop Your Hospitality Savoir-Faire

If you want to take your hospitality career to the top of the industry, you need to be well-trained in creating exceptional guest experiences and have a solid understanding of hotel and restaurant operations. You also need real-world experience with leading operational teams. That is what this year is all about:

  • Swiss rigor: Live the Swiss standards of hygiene and excellence.
  • Attention to detail: Use your judgement to deliver perfect service.
  • Time Management: Learn to manage your time and tasks.
  • Agility: Adapt quickly, swapping workshops every week.
  • Team spirit: Work with diversity in multicultural teams.

Key Facts

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20

Weeks in hospitality workshops & courses

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12

F&B Outlets on Campus

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6

Month internship in the Industry

Preparatory Year Course Overview

  • Fine dining cuisine
  • Fine dining restaurant
  • Michelin star experience (at the Berceau des Sens, EHL's Michelin-starred student training restaurant)
  • Events: management and operations
  • Catering
  • Bakery & pastry making
  • R&D design lab
  • International cuisine
  • Bar & restaurant outlets
  • Stewarding
  • Oenology & wine-producing regions
  • Mixology
  • Front office
  • Housekeeping
  • Introduction to F&B management
  • Sustainable hospitality project
  • Rooms division & spa operations
  • French beginner I-II (A1)
  • Introduction to Business English
  • Applied mathematics & Excel for business hospitality management

Personal Growth: On your first internship, you will apply the skills you learned on campus and discover your strengths in the hospitality workplace among real guests and colleagues.

Professional Achievement: To build your experience and CV, you may become a trainee in hotel or restaurant, work in reception or housekeeping (rooms division) department, or do cross-training in a hotel or resort.

Career Skills: With the support of our internship team, you will learn how to do a job search and apply for your internship. You can choose your internship based on the company, location (language) and property type you seek to experience. Some limitations may apply due to travel or visa restrictions. 

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Exemptions & Direct Entry

If you have at least one year of hospitality work experience, and you meet the academic requirements to enter the degree portion of the academic pathway, then you may be eligible for an exemption for the Preparatory Year. You will find more information about this "direct-entry" option on our admissions pages, using the link here below.