Three BHMS master's students in business dress on the Lucerne waterfront, the Chapel Bridge water tower behind them

BHMS Master Programmes · Lucerne & Zurich

A British master's degree, earned in Switzerland

One year. Two degrees — BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Eight MSc specialisations and an MBA, at CHF 40'600 all-inclusive with accommodation and meals in the fee.

Why BHMS

The numbers behind the name

#12

worldwide in Hospitality & Leisure Management — QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

#7

worldwide for Employer Reputation in the same ranking — the metric employers themselves drive

2

degrees at graduation — BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (UK)

90 ECTS

180 UK credits, completed in 12 months across two semesters

12,000+

graduates since 1998, from 95+ countries

CHF 40'600

all-inclusive for the year — identical across all eight MSc programmes

The combination

Three things that rarely come together

A UK degree

Every MSc is validated and awarded by Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen — Scotland's top-ranked modern university in the current editions of all three major UK league tables, and Top 20 in the UK for graduate career prospects (Guardian 2026).

A Swiss year

Studied in Lucerne or Zurich at the school ranked #12 worldwide in Hospitality & Leisure Management and #7 for Employer Reputation (QS 2026) — one of only 6 QS five-star rated institutions in Switzerland.

One invoice

Tuition, shared accommodation, meals, Swiss health insurance, visa and B-permit administration, e-campus access, excursions and your first airport pick-up — all inside the CHF 40'600. No rent to find on arrival.

The portfolio

Eight MSc specialisations. One structure.

Same length, same credits, same fee — you are choosing a subject, not a different deal.

All eight MScs, side by side The MBA with Specialisation

Semester 2

Six months to build something real

The second half of the year happens off campus. Every student completes an independent research project worth 30 ECTS — and alongside it you may take a six-month industry internship, in Switzerland or anywhere in the world.

Swiss hospitality placements carry a gross minimum of CHF 2'390/month under the national labour agreement. Where the employer provides accommodation, students typically keep around CHF 1'500 of that after deductions.

For master's students the internship is an option rather than a compulsory component — and the minimum wage figure applies to hospitality placements.

How Semester 2 works
BHMS student working at a hotel front office desk during an industry placement

No bachelor's degree?

There is still a route in

BHMS runs two entry programmes that lead directly to the MSc in Global Business Management or the MSc in International Hospitality Business Management — without a bachelor's degree in hand.

  • Graduate Certificate in International Hospitality Business Management 10 weeks · 60 credits / 30 ECTS · CHF 22'000
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business & Hospitality Management 1 year · 120 credits / 60 ECTS · CHF 38'600
See the entry routes
Students in business dress with laptops in the tiered BHMS lecture theatre
BHMS graduates in gowns gathered on the Lucerne waterfront terrace International BHMS students on the campus staircase Lucerne's Chapel Bridge and water tower at sunset

Questions

Straight answers

What degree do I actually graduate with?

Two. Every BHMS MSc is awarded jointly by BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen — so you finish with a Swiss award and a British master's degree from a UK university. The same dual-award structure applies to the MBA with Specialisation and the Graduate Certificate.

How long is the programme and how is it structured?

Twelve months in two semesters. Semester 1 is six months of academic study on campus in Lucerne or Zurich. Semester 2 is six months off campus: an independent research project, plus an optional internship in Switzerland or worldwide. The award is 90 ECTS / 180 UK credits — 60 ECTS for Semester 1, 30 ECTS for the research project.

What does it cost, and what is included?

The standard MSc is CHF 40'600 for the year: tuition CHF 31'100, operating costs CHF 2'600, living expenses CHF 5'900 for 24 weeks in shared standard accommodation with meals, and a CHF 1'000 application fee. All eight MSc programmes cost exactly the same. The MBA is CHF 43'600.

Is the internship paid?

Swiss hospitality internships carry a gross minimum of CHF 2'390 per month under the national labour agreement (2026 rate), before deductions for board, lodging and social insurance. For master's students the internship in Semester 2 is optional rather than a compulsory part of the programme — and BHMS notes the minimum does not apply to placements outside hospitality.

Do I need a bachelor's degree in business or hospitality?

No. Entry to the MSc requires a recognised bachelor's degree in any discipline, plus English at IELTS 6.0 or equivalent (B2). If you do not hold a bachelor's degree at all, the 10-week Graduate Certificate or the one-year Postgraduate Diploma give you access to the MSc programmes.

When can I start?

Intake dates differ by programme. Global Business Management, International Hospitality Business Management, International Tourism Management and Culinary Entrepreneurship start August 2026, November 2026 and February 2027. Banking & Finance and Sports & Event start November 2026. Wine & Beverage and Airline Management start February 2027. The MBA runs on its own cycle: September 2026 and April 2027.

One year. Two degrees. Switzerland.

Intake dates differ by programme — most run August, November and February. Lucerne & Zurich, Switzerland.

Every MSc is awarded by BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen — and Semester 2 can be spent on an optional six-month industry internship. Swiss hospitality placements carry a gross minimum of CHF 2'390/month. How the internship works →