A number of spa management training courses are now available online and are proving very popular with those already in full-time employment
and hospitality management by the Univer- sity of California, Irvine (see sb04/4 p54). Originally launched in 2004 in a face-to- face format, the programme has been off ered entirely online since 2008, with instructor- led lectures and webinars, student discussion forums, tests and written assignments all forming part of the mix. With fi ve core mod- ules – ranging from marketing and human resources to spa metrics – and fi ve elective modules to choose from, students can do as few or as many courses as they like. However, to gain the certifi cate, they need to com- plete all fi ve core modules plus two electives, totalling around 150 hours of study. According to programme director Angela
Jeantet, the fact that students are free to work in their own environment and at their own pace makes the programme especially appealing to those in work, while a policy of employing top-fl ight industry professionals as instructors – Jeremy McCarthy, director of global spa operations and development
SPA BUSINESS 3 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
for Starwood Hotels (see sb10/3 p24), is cur- rently on staff – and regularly assimilating both industry and student feedback ensures that the content is both relevant and fresh. At present, up to 150 students sign up for
UC Irvine’s spa management modules a year, of which around half complete the certifi - cate, and the programme attracts current spa employees and professionals from outside the industry. For those new to the spa busi- ness, two of the fi ve core modules give an overview of the spa industry and operations, and newcomers also benefi t from network- ing with both fellow students and instructors. As Jeantet says: “Who wouldn’t want to turn to someone like Jeremy for advice?” But while UC Irvine is undoubtedly a pio-
neer of online spa management training, it is not the only one. In the UK, the University of Derby Buxton (see sb05/4 p60) has been running an online version of its on-cam- pus degree in international spa management since 2003. To date, the course – which is
aimed squarely at working professionals – has attracted around 30 students a year. T is year, however, the off ering is being taken to another level with the launch of University of Derby Online, which will focus on devel- oping and promoting the university’s online programming across a variety of subject areas. As part of this, the online spa man- agement degree is undergoing a review to make more use of modern technology such as learning via mobile phone technology. The content of the course will also be
revised in consultation with industry to make it as relevant as possible to the needs of students and employers. According to Shaw, this is likely to mean more emphasis on spa management, business and networking skills.
“Many of our learners looking for career progression already have practical skills,” explains Paula Shaw, University of Derby Online’s academic manager for vocational subjects. “And for those that don’t, there are vocational training courses out there.”
Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital 61
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100