Curriculum

Overview

Content and requirements of the programme

1. Licensing and accreditation of the programme

The educational and outcome requirements for the Tourism and catering first-cycle (bachelor) programme are defined in Decree No. 18/2016 (VIII. 5.) of the Minister of Human Resources.
Number of the resolution of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee on the effective accreditation: 2016/1/VII/3/19.

2. Objective of the programme

The objective of the programme is to educate economists performing tourism and catering tasks with the command of foreign languages, who are capable, relying on their economics, social theory and applied methodological skills and specialized knowledge, of  performing tasks in the field of accommodation service, catering and other areas of tourism, managing and organising related workflows, exploring and analysing factors that influence demand, creating attractive and adventurous offerings, and organising and performing related service activities. They should be able to establish and operate tourism businesses and non-profit organisations. They should be ready to plan, perform and manage coordination and marketing tasks at various regional levels. Prepared to continue their studies in a Master programme.

3. Professional competences to be acquired

Economist in the tourism and catering first-cycle (bachelor) training

a) skills

• Knowledge of the basic, comprehensive concepts, theories, facts, as well as the national and international contexts of economics in terms of the relevant economic actors, functions and processes.
• Understanding of the basic theories of the organisation of micro- and macro-economy, knowledge of the basic methods of data collection, mathematics and statistical analysis.
• Knowledge of the rules and ethical standards of collaboration in a project, team or work organisation and project management.
• Knowledge of the principles of operation of the tourism industry and related sectors, the domestic and international tourism market, the players in, and the characteristics, features and relationships of the market.
• Familiarity with the various types of tourism businesses (accommodations, restaurants, leisure facilities), as well as the principles and management methods applicable to their operation and the management of their market activities.
• Familiarity with the operation, evaluation, decision-making criteria, professional subsystems and sectoral contact points of tourism sub-sectors and activities (such as accommodation and catering, travel organisation and agency, regional management organisations, other service providers etc.).
• Knowledge of the basic facts and relationships of other professional and scientific areas related to tourism and catering (geography, cultural history, environment protection, law, health science, gastronomy, nutrition science).
• Command of at least two foreign languages.
• Independent processing of special literature.

b) abilities

• Planning and organising economic activities, and managing and controlling minor businesses and business organisations.
• Revealing, organising and analysing facts and basic relationships by applying the theories and methods learnt, formulating independent conclusions and critics, developing proposals preparing decisions, making decisions in the standard, as well as in partly unknown environments.
• Communicating his/her conclusions, and the knowledge and arguments supporting them in a plain and clear way to both professional and non-professional audiences.
• Organising and managing the market activities of tourism businesses.
• Using the IT skills related to his/her field.
• Creating complete professional proposals, management reports and marketing offers (such as program brochures, menus).
• Revealing and efficiently controlling issues related to services and intense customer relationships.
• Building and initiating new practical solutions with creativity and independence.
• Planning, organising, managing and controlling the activities of tourism and catering businesses, either in whole or part.
• Managing and resolving financial problems in various areas of tourism and catering.
• Communicating in both words and writing in a professional and efficient manner.

c) attitude

• Problem-sensitivity and proactive approach in the interest of high quality output, constructive, cooperative and initiative behaviour when working in a project or team.
• Openness to new information, new professional insights and methodologies, and readiness to undertake new, independent tasks and responsibilities that may require collaboration. Striving to develop his/her knowledge and working relationships, and to cooperate with colleagues to that end.
• Monitoring and interpreting the processes in the world economy and international business, the changes in economic policy, and the policies and legislation relevant and related to his/her special field, as well as the effects of the same, and takes these into account when developing analyses, proposals and decisions.
• Readiness to authentically represent the basics of the comprehensive mindset and practical functioning of economic sciences.
• Sensitivity to the environment, practice-oriented approach.
• Demonstration, and communication towards associates, of a quality oriented approach giving priority to guest satisfaction.
• Openness to learning about changes affecting tourism and catering, and the given business organisation, understanding their effects, and applying new professional skills and methodologies.
• Striving to share professional results and proposals among people interested in the development of tourism and catering.
• Recognition of the importance of career planning and striving for lifelong learning.

d) autonomy and responsibility

• Performs and organizes the responsibilities specified in the job description independently and under general professional supervision. Independently organises the analysis of economic processes, and the collection, organisation and evaluation of data.
• Takes responsibility for his/her analyses, conclusions and decisions.
• Leads, organizes and manages an organisational unit or team within a business organisation, or a business or small business organisation independently taking responsibility for the organisation and his/her associates.
• Consciously adopts and communicates the ethical standards of his/her profession.
• Demonstrates readiness to independently monitor the changes in the social, economic, technological and legal environment of tourism, follow the relevant policies, and responsibly draw conclusions.                    

4. Basic information about the programme

Duration of training: 7 semesters
Minimum number of credits to be acquired: 210 credits
Graduation level: bachelor (baccalaureus, abbreviated as "BSc") degree
Qualification: közgazdász, turizmus-vendéglátás alapképzési szakon
Qualification in English (Economist in Tourism and Catering)

5. Training structure

The structure of the training expressed in credits, based on the programme and output requirements:

Abbreviations and definition of subject types:

• C – Compulsory subjects.
• CE - Compulsory elective subjects: Subjects to choose from specific subject group. The subjects of specialisations are to be selected upon application for specialisation.
• CF - Compulsory elective foreign language proficiency subjects. students who do not have the language exam being a criterion for the degree may choose from the language courses offered. Students holding the appropriate language examination certificate can take up foreign language subjects or additional business foreign language courses on account of their credit limit.
• E - elective subjects. In addition to the subjects included in the model curriculum, students can take up other subjects out of those announced by the institution.

6. Specialisation of the programme

During the first-cycle training, students can choose from the following specializations, which do not provide stand-alone qualification:

• Commercial Catering
• Institutional Catering (elective for the Hungarian programme only)
• Catering Event Organisation
• Travel and Event Management
• Tourism Development and Destinations Management
• Health, Eco and Sport Tourism
• European Tourism (elective for the English programme only)

Specializations can be chosen after completing the 2nd semester according to the model curriculum.
Specialisations may be chosen by students who have earned at least 36 credits in the subjects of the first two semesters according to the model curriculum, which may include completion of the following subjects:

• Introduction to Sustainable Tourism (FEAI0BA06)
• Introduction to Gastronomy (GAEK0BA06).

When choosing specializations, students must specify their order of preference with at least two specializations selected. Admission to a specialization is based on the students' adjusted cumulative credit index: the student ranked best in the list of students thus obtained is admitted to the specialization that he/she specified in the first place. The procedure is followed in a similar manner for students ranked lower, as long as the headcount set for a specialization is reached. Students still in the queue are then admitted to the specialization specified by them in the second place. The procedure is continued following the same principle until admission of the last student.
The launch of a specialization is subject to a minimum headcount. If the minimum headcount is not reached, students applying for the given will be admitted to the specialization they have ranked next in their preference order.

7. Mobility window

During the training, the semesters recommended for international student mobility are semester 5 and the internship semester.
In semester 5, students participating in international student mobility programs should earn the recommended credits as follows.

For specialisation subjects, credits are taken into account according to the equivalences set in the learning system.
The internship set out in the requirements of the training may take place abroad, observing the procedure applicable to internships.

8. Internship

The internship is a continuous practical training with a duration of minimum twelve weeks (minimum 400 hours for full-time and minimum 200 hours for part-time courses). The part of the internship that can be completed via the student's employment contract is determined based on the internship hours specified in Decree No. 18/2016 (VIII. 5.) of the Minister of Human Resources.
The internship is worth 20 credits, its completion is a precondition for receiving the pre-degree certificate.

8.1 Subject requirements

The commencement of the internship is subject to the completion of 141 credits, and completion of the subjects Introduction to Gastronomy (GAEK0BA06) and Hotel Management 2 (SZNT2BA06) according to the model curriculum of the programme. The credits required may not include credits of the Degree Thesis (SZAT0BA07) subject.

8.2 Place of completing the internship

Students are free to choose the place of their internship. The internship can be completed at any company or institution that performs activities associated with the nature of the training and where there are jobs already held that require higher education qualifications. The internship can be completed at a business organisation, non-profit organisation or public administration institution active primarily in the field of accommodation services or catering or other tourism related areas, or at the training restaurant or hotel of the higher educational institution. The job to be held by the student is expected to familiarise the student with professional operation of the organisation and the main functional areas of its activity, providing him/her the opportunity to apply and practice the skills acquired through the university programme.

8.3 Requirements applicable to the completion of the internship

The aim of internship is to enable students to become conversant with the professional work at the host institution (organisation, company, public institution, non-governmental organisation) conducting activities that match their studies or special field, actively participate in the daily work, independently solve tasks assigned to them by their work supervisor and gain experience for their future employment on the labour market.
The internship is organised and professionally supervised by faculties of the Tourism and Catering Institute. The internship is evaluated by the supervisor at the workplace and/or the consultant at the faculty.
Applications for and the conduct and evaluation of the internship are regulated by separate procedures.

9. Degree thesis requirements

The degree thesis is a task by the completion whereof the student demonstrates his/her ability to:

• review special literature independently in a given special field,
• document, analyse and evaluate the results introduced in the special literature,
• with his/her studies and the information obtained from the special literature
• conduct an independent research and/or
• independently perform tasks requiring creativity,
• create and defend an evaluation study based on the review of the special literature and his/her own research experience, and exploiting his/her studies completed.

The degree thesis requirements and the conditions governing completion are set out in a separate procedure.

10. Conditions for completing the programme

Conditions for the issue of the final certificate:

• earning at least 183 credits from compulsory, compulsory elective and elective subjects according to the curriculum requirements;
• fulfilment of the required criteria (obtaining sign-off for subjects Physical Education 1 and 2);
• completion of the internship (20 credits);
• completion of the degree thesis consultations (7 credits).

Requirements of taking the final examination:

• obtaining the final certificate;
• a degree thesis granted at least satisfactory mark by two assessors working independently.

11. Final examination requirements

The final examination reviews and evaluates the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to receive the diploma, in the course whereof the student must prove that he/she can apply the material learnt.
The final examination consists of two parts.

• Defence of the degree thesis, which includes the presentation of the results and a professional debate based on them. On the basis of the marks proposed by the assessors and the defence, the committee awards a mark for the student's thesis.
• Complex oral examination, which gives a comprehensive assessment concerning the student's knowledge and ability to use it. The examination topics and any information required to prepare for the examination are communicated by the training owner at the beginning of the semester.

If the degree thesis or the complex oral examination is qualified unsatisfactory, the final examination shall be considered unsuccessful and it must be repeated, as set out in the institutional regulations.
Formula for calculating the final examination result:
ZE = (ZV+SzD)/2
where

• ZE is the overall result of the final examination
• ZV is the result of the complex oral examination taken at the final examination
• SzD is the mark given for the degree thesis

12. Conditions for issuing the diploma

To get the bachelor’s degree, intermediate (B2) complex type professional (related to the field of training) language examination recognised by the state is necessary in two foreign languages, or equivalent school-leaving certificate or diploma, whereas one language examination may be substituted with an advanced (C1) complex type general language examination recognized by the state.

13. Qualification of diploma

Formula for calculating the qualification of the diploma
OM = (TÁ+ZE)/2
where

• OM is the qualification of the diploma
• TÁ is the average mark of the subjects below weighted with their credit values
• ZE is the result of the final examination

The qualification of the diploma is:

The average mark (TÁ) considered in the qualification of the diploma is calculated based on the results from the following subjects.
For all specializations:

• Economics 1 (KOAN1B06)
• Economics 2 (KOAN2B06)
• Business Statistics (UZKA0BD06)
• Introduction to Sustainable Tourism (FEAI0BA06)
• Hotel Management 2 (SZNT2BA06)
• Hotel Management 3 (SZNT3BA06).

Furthermore, the following subjects, depending on the specialization:

14. Special requirements of the programme

14.1 Training in a language other than Hungarian

Pursuant to Section 51 (2) of the Act CCIV of 2011, the issue of the diploma for a training in a foreign language is not subject to the language examinations set out in Clause 11.
Pursuant to Section 14 (6) of Government Decree No. 137/2008 (V. 16), a diploma certifying studies conducted and completed in a foreign language is equivalent, in terms of the language of the training, to an advanced complex type language examination recognised by the state in one language. Pursuant to the referenced Act, the diploma is equivalent to a language examination, and BGE may not issue a separate certificate in this respect.
BGE recognizes the studies of a student as training in a foreign language if he/she has earned at least 189 credits, of which at least 168 credits are completed in the language of the training.

14.2 Trainings in correspondence course

For trainings in correspondence courses, the curriculum applies subject to the following differences:

• The completion of the subjects Physical Education 1 (TEES1BA00) and Physical Education 2 (TEES2BA00) is excluded from the requirements.
• Work experience gained during employment can be recognised as completion of the Internship (SZGY0BA20) (in line with the procedure for internships).

14.3 Training under a double degree arrangement

In addition to the diploma awarded by BBS, the student participating in the programme can also obtain a diploma awarded by the following partner institutions under the BBS double diploma agreement.

The requirements and conditions applicable to the programmes are laid down in the annexes to the relevant agreements.

14.4 Dual training

In dual training, companies (dual training partners) train the student in line with their own needs and based on an actual curriculum developed jointly with the higher education institution. Such companies support, extend with practical skills and expand students’ training at the institution according to their profile.
BGE’s dual training partner concludes an employment contract with the student enrolled in dual training. Students work at the partner organisation in parallel with their studies. The ratio of study time and working time is laid down in the employment contract.

15. Model curricula (Plans of study)

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