10 November 1997

The Faculty of Business, Economics and Law plans to take its courses to prospective students with a new suite of programs to be offered from 1998.

Initiatives include the first hospitality management degree to be offered in the Brisbane CBD. It is expected that students in the Faculty's bachelor of business (hospitality management) program will be able to study at TAFE Queensland's Southbank-Cotah (College of Tourism and Hospitality) campus.

The course will be administered, delivered and assessed by the University of Queensland.

Faculty executive dean Professor John Longworth said the University began offering Australia's first business-oriented hospitality training 25 years ago at Gatton College.

'By renting premises in the CBD, we are making this highly regarded and recognised course more accessible to people working in the industry in Brisbane,' he said.

Also taking studies to the people is the Faculty's T.C. Beirne School of Law, which from next year will offer a new master of applied law at Customs House.

The coursework program is intended for non-law professionals such as engineers, architects or business executives needing specialist legal training to assist in their day-to-day workplace activities.

Streams available will include property and construction; planning and environment; intellectual property; taxation; and international trade and comparative law.

Studies are also available at the graduate certificate and postgraduate diploma levels, and can be used to gain credit towards a professional law degree.

Another hospitality initiative from the Faculty is a new masters program international hotel management to be offered from 1998 at the St Lucia campus.

Course co-ordinator Paul Barron said the program would have an international focus not normally available in hospitality studies.

'For example, all students will study international business, with other internationally relevant subjects available through the Faculty's Graduate School of Management,' he said.

The program would be available at three flexible levels - graduate certificate, postgraduate diploma and masters - over 12 months or three trimesters.

Students are expected to come from three areas: hospitality graduates from Asian colleges and Australian universities; people with extensive industry experience but without formal qualifications; and graduates from other disciplines.

Mr Barron said the last group might range from graduates with a general business background to those with humanities degrees who had worked part-time in the hospitality industry during their studies and found a liking for the field.

For more information, contact Professor John Longworth (telephone 3365 6775).