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Overview

Do you enjoy whipping up creative cocktails for your friends and family? Our specialized Hospitality and Tourism Management - Beverage Management program is designed for you.  

Developed with guidance from industry professionals, this program offers hands-on, practical education that equips you with real-world knowledge and skills for a successful career. 

You'll dive deep into the world of beverages, gaining in-depth knowledge in non-alcoholic drinks, wine, beer, and spirits. You'll also receive comprehensive training in beverage sales and retail operations, inventory control, and basic culinary and food understanding. This blend of skills prepares you to create sustainable and successful beverage programs. 

While mastering the art of beverage management, you'll also develop a strong foundation in the broader hospitality industry. You'll explore guest experience delivery, sales and marketing, and applied leadership, complemented by a solid financial management foundation. These skills are highly sought after in the world of hospitality. 

Our small class sizes ensure personalized attention and a supportive learning environment. Throughout the program, you won't just learn theory in the classroom. You'll apply your knowledge through practical, hands-on experiences. You'll even get to organize and execute special events on and off campus, working closely with industry partners. 

When you graduate, the sky's the limit for your career options. You could become a bartender, barista, floor manager, beer technician, or even a marketing or social media manager in the beverage industry.  

Your specialized knowledge will open doors to various exciting roles. As you gain experience, you can aim for positions like sommelier, cocktail bar, beverage or operations manager, or even a producer and supplier. 

Are you enthusiastic about beverages and ready to embark on an exciting journey in hospitality and tourism? Your adventure begins here. 

Those in the beverage management industry tend to be directive, methodical, and social. 

You need:  

  • strength and stamina to stand for long periods and lift heavy objects 
  • strong hand-eye coordination 
  • good judgement and responsible attitude 
  • a memory for details 
  • organization and multi-tasking skills 
  • the ability to stay calm under pressure 
  • the ability to get along well with other people 
  • patience 
  • good communication skills. 

You should enjoy being organized, working with a variety of different people, and taking responsibility when needed.  

Graduates of this program may continue their education in the SAIT Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management program and earn their degree with a further two years of study. 

Between your first and second year, you'll complete an internship where you'll complete 400 hours of industry work.  

The choice of worksite is flexible and can include hotels, restaurants, tour operators, car rental agencies, resorts, and other approved hospitality and tourism operations.  

You'll also participate in a capstone project that examines the various costs of a beverage program and how to use inventory management and program design to generate revenue. 

You'll acquire key industry certifications in Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), food safety, ProServe, and hospitality and tourism awareness.   

All these certifications must be completed in your first semester. 

After successfully completing this program, you'll receive a SAIT Hospitality and Tourism Management diploma with a specialization in Beverage Management. 

Download program info

Careers and opportunities

Each year, SAIT conducts a survey between February and April to determine the employment rate, salary and satisfaction of our newest SAIT alumni. 

people icon100% graduate employment rate

Find out more about our graduate employment statistics >

Our graduates may work in the following occupations. Some careers require additional experience and education.

Associated National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes: 60030, 62020, 64300, 64301, 65200.

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Career planning support

Unsure which career path is for you? Here are some recommended career planning resources to help you decide your future.

You can also head to Alberta alis for lots of information about careers in Alberta, including quizzes and labour market information to help you narrow down a path.

Finally, you can take our online career finder quiz, which can help narrow your options based on your current skills and interests.

Take our career finder quiz

Courses

The Hospitality and Tourism Management - Beverage Management diploma requires 63 credits (22 courses) to complete.

The program spans two years, with two semesters in year one and two semesters in year two.

View classes by semester

You must take all of the following courses to complete this program.

Hospitality core

Course Credits

This course provides an introduction to financial accounting aspects of the hospitality industry. This includes generally accepted accounting principles, financial statement preparation, the accounting cycle, specialized journals, accounting for cash, accounts receivable, sales, payroll and inventories.

3

Upon completion of this course, students will have acquired the knowledge and skills to use industry standard tools to perform financial calculations. The financial calculations include simple and compound interest, debt repayment, valuation of investments, simple and general annuities, amortization of debts, sinking funds and bond valuation problems. Students will also learn to analyze, apply, visualize and present the results to inform business planning and decision making related to the hospitality and tourism industry.

3

This course examines techniques to communicate and present your ideas using your professional skills as well as a variety of technological solutions. Topics include writing business documents, creating and delivering presentations, preparation for career launch, foundations of effective teamwork, report writing, sourcing and citing information, and interpersonal communication. Concepts are reinforced through relevant, task-based activities and assessments.

Equivalents:
  • COMM 256
 3

In this introductory course in Microeconomics, you will learn about economic principles involved in analyzing problems in the business and consumer sectors of the Canadian economy. Some of the topics covered are: economic scarcity, demand, supply, elasticity, and perfect and imperfect competition.

Equivalents:
  • ECON 1010
 3

This course explores financial strategies and techniques for analyzing business performance and decision-making in the hospitality industry. Topics include budget flexibility, contribution margins, and the strengths and weaknesses of master-budgeting models. Core skills taught in this course include analyzing budget variance, using cost/volume/profit (CVP) relationships to calculate break-even and contribution margins, conducting "what if" analysis and applying hospitality industry cost items, concepts and classifications. These skills will help you become a proactive decision-maker who understands complex financial matters in the hospitality industry.

Pre-requisites:
  • ACCT 206
 3

This course explores the various sectors of the hospitality and tourism industry, the links between the sectors, and the benefits and impact of the industry on the economy, the environment and employment. Topics include hospitality and tourism careers, health and wellness in the industry, and the hospitality mindset. With consideration to customer satisfaction and pride of place, you will identify areas fundamental to the successful planning and development of a destination.

3

This course will prepare you for applied learning environments and the workplace with appropriate certifications. Certifications include Food and Safety Sanitation (FSAN), ProServe liquor service training, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training and White Hat Academy training for employees in Calgary's tourism industry. You will complete these certifications as part the course.

1.5

This course provides an overview of Canadian and international laws applicable to the hospitality and tourism industry that will explain your legal and ethical responsibilities in a guest environment. Topics include travellers' rights in Canada and abroad, the basics of Canadian law, contract law, employment law and the legal structure of business, as well as liability and dispute resolution. To help with decision making, you will explore risk assessment tools and the practicalities of negligence for both personal injury and food and beverage service.

3

Human Resource (HR) Management includes the foundational knowledge and skills required by HR Professionals and business managers. This course includes an overview of the field of human resource management, along with human resource planning, employee compensation and benefits, recruitment, selection and training of employees, performance management, government regulation and health and safety in the workplace.

Equivalents:
  • HRMT 2320
 3

This course provides you with tools and tests to explore your own personality styles, biases and communication preferences to build deeper cross-cultural understanding and strong team dynamics. Topics include self-awareness, strategies to maintain health and wellness, cross cultural communication and group norm setting. These foundational concepts will support further communication studies.

3

Examining leadership styles and staff motivators, you will explore strategies for developing high-performance teams with a service culture mindset for a hospitality business. Topics for this course include leadership, team negotiating, workforce planning and the impact of management practices on motivation, health, and wellness.

Pre-requisites:
  • LDSH 202
 3

This course will introduce you to key topics in organizational behaviour in the hospitality and tourism industry. These topics include the role of leadership in organizational culture, creating health and wellness culture and managing change and innovation, handling conflict and applying theories of organizational behaviour. These topics will help you understand the important roles that managers play in directing organizational change in response to the realities of power and politics in organizational life.

Pre-requisites:
  • LDSH 310
 3

This course introduces tourism and hospitality branding, marketing and experience design. Topics include the importance of a service culture, the brand promise and guest experiences. You will explore the impact that a brand can have on guest motivation and experience, and how this can create a competitive advantage in the hospitality and tourism industry.

3

This course provides an introduction to marketing and sales principles applied to the tourism and hospitality industry. Topics include tourism distribution channels, the marketing mix, target markets, consumer behaviour and its impact on the customer journey.

3

Building on the knowledge and skills you developed previously in this program, this course will teach you how to create and implement a marketing and sales plan that addresses common issues in service and marketing. You will also learn how to prepare a market analysis report, establish market strategies and objectives, develop a marketing program, apply integrated marketing communications and compare methods for evaluating and controlling marketing performance. This knowledge will allow you to recognize new opportunities for attracting guests in competitive and evolving markets.

Pre-requisites:
  • MKTG 250
 3

This course provides a bridge between academic studies and practical, experiential learning. The choice of worksite is flexible and can include hotels, restaurants, tour operators, car rental agencies, resorts and other approved hospitality and /or tourism operations. Proof of work experience is required for graduation.

Pre-requisites:
  • LDSH 202
  • MKTG200
  • COMM 265
  • HOSP 210
 1.5

Beverage Management core

Course Credits

This course provides an overview of the beverage industry, covering the production of common alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Topics include career opportunities, regulatory requirements and professionalism in the beverage industry. You will apply basic beverage service techniques and demonstrate knowledge of wine, spirits, cocktails, beer, coffee and tea.

Pre-requisites:
  • HOSP 210
 3

In this course, you'll explore the theory and principles of beverage sales and retail. Topics include the rules and regulations that govern the beverage industry, as well as sales, marketing and merchandising both in retail businesses and in food and beverage outlets. You'll also examine agency sales channels and product labelling, as well as networking techniques and possible careers in beverage sales.

3

This course builds on your knowledge of beverage products and service. Topics include beverage costing, cocktail preparation and recommending alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink pairings to enhance guest experience. You will engage in hands-on learning by working with SAIT industry partners and on-campus venues.

Pre-requisites:
  • BEVM 210
 3

This course expands and applies your knowledge of beverage products and service. Topics include guest and team communication, using demographics to meet guest needs and expectations, and leadership in the beverage industry. This course culminates in planning and designing a beverage event.

Pre-requisites:
  • BEVM 210
 3

This course examines the various costs of a beverage program and how to use inventory management and program design to generate revenue. Topics include the impact of pricing on consumer behaviour, inventory management practices in the hospitality industry, menu design and strategies for maximizing revenue.

Pre-requisites:
  • BEVM 300
  • BEVM 350
  • MKTG 250
 3

This course provides a deeper understanding and appreciation of back-of-house operations and highlights the importance of collaboration between front-of-house and back-of-house staff. You will examine kitchen etiquette and safety, butchery, sustainable food sourcing and food identity. You will also develop fundamental food and beverage preparation skills through hands-on activities.

Pre-requisites:
  • HOSP 210
 3

Progression

You must attain a PGPA and/or a CGPA of 2.0 or better each semester and pass the prerequisite courses to progress through the program.

To qualify for graduation, you must pass all courses, attain a CGPA of 2.0 or better and complete course requirements within the prescribed timelines.

Review our grading and progression procedure > 

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Explore your options!

Some courses in this program are available through Open Studies. You can complete courses via Open Studies to get a head start on your education, reduce your course load once accepted into a credentialed program, or determine which career path best suits you before you fully commit. 

You may also take courses for general interest or personal and professional development.

Available Open Studies courses

Admission requirements

Applicants educated in Canada

Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency and completion of the following courses or equivalents:

  • at least 50% in Math 30-1, Math 30-2 or Pure Math 30 or 60% in Applied Math 30, and
  • at least 50% in English Language Arts 30-1 or 60% in English Language Arts 30-2.

SAIT accepts high school course equivalents for admission for applicants educated outside Alberta.

All applicants who were educated outside of Canada must demonstrate English language proficiency and provide proof they meet the program admission requirements with an international document assessment. Find accepted educational documents and assessment options. 

SAIT may also accept courses completed at certain international post-secondary institutions.

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Academic Upgrading

Missing an admission requirement for this program? Upgrade your prior education to help you receive admission into one of SAIT's career programs.

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English language proficiency

All applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency prior to admission, including students educated in Canada.

Learn more

Transfer agreements

At SAIT, we evaluate post-secondary credit you have previously earned and apply it to your SAIT credential. Explore our formal transfer agreements available for this program.

We can evaluate your prior education, even if we don't have a formal agreement in place.

Submit a transfer credit application

There are no formal transfer agreements currently in place for this program.

Transfer options for graduates

Build on the knowledge you’ve learned at SAIT. The opportunity to advance your education at an accredited post-secondary institution may be available.

🔗 Visit Transfer Alberta search tool for all transfer agreements in Alberta (including UCalgary, MRU and BVC).

If there are transfer agreements with other institutions outside of Alberta, nationally or internationally, they will be listed below.

University of Victoria

Bachelor of Commerce
Available credits:
n/a

Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree at the University of Victoria.

Applicants will be evaluated for admission into the BCom program based on:

  • their final GPA from the Hospitality and Tourism Management program (60% as determined by the University of Victoria)
  • a qualitative assessment (40% as outlined in the university calendar and the Gustavson School of Business.)

A minimum GPA of B or 73%, as calculated by the University of Victoria, is required. 

The following courses are also entry requirements. You should complete these courses within or alongside the SAIT Hospitality and Tourism Management diploma program.

Required courses to meet the admission requirements for BCom at UVic.
Required course SAIT equivalent
ECON 103 ECON 250
MATH 151 BMAT 201
STAT 252 STAT 270 (or other equivalent)

You must also complete a course satisfying the academic writing requirement, equivalent to English AWR 100 level. ENGL 1101 or CMNS 1811 are suggested acceptable options offered through Thompson Rivers University Open Learning.

If you receive an offer of admission to the BCom program, you will need to complete COM 200, a condensed online summer class through the University of Victoria, prior to beginning the degree.

The required courses must have a combined average of a B- (70%) with no grades below a C+ (65%).

These courses must be completed by August 31 of the year you intend to start at the University of Victoria.

Griffith University

Bachelor of International Tourism and Hotel Management
Available credits:
45

Upon successful completion of this program, you'll be eligible to receive up to 45 credits (1.5 years) toward Griffith's Bachelor of International Tourism and Hotel Management program.

This degree is a three-year program with intakes offered in February and July each year.

Available intakes

Fall 2025

Start dates:

  • Sep 02, 2025
Domestic students: Open
  • Application deadline: June 30, 2025
International students: Open
  • Application deadline: May 30, 2025

Costs

2024/25 tuition and fees

The following costs are effective as of July 1, 2024.

Domestic students

The estimated total cost of tuition and fees for domestic students is based on the recommended course load per year. 
Year Number of semesters Tuition fees Additional fees Total per year
1 2 $6,600 $1,783 $8,383
1 2 $6,000 $1,608 $7,608
Total cost:
 $15,991

The estimated total cost of tuition and fees for international students is based on the recommended course load per year. 
Year Number of semesters Tuition fees Additional fees Total per year
1 2 $20,130 $1,783 $21,913
1 2 $18,300 $1,608 $19,908
Total cost:
 $41,821

Books and supplies are approximately $1,000 - $1,500 per full-time year.

This is a bring-your-own-device program with a standard computer hardware and software requirement. See the specific requirements on our computers and laptops page.

Find your booklist on the SAIT Bookstore's website. The booklist will be available closer to the program start date.

Can't find your program or course? The bookstore didn't receive a textbook list. Contact your program directly to determine if they're still refining course details or if you're in luck; no textbook purchase is required this term.

Required equipment/tools

You will require a beverage kit for classes in semesters two through four. Details on where to purchase this kit will be shared with you at orientation.

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Financial aid

Paying for your education may feel overwhelming, but we have resources and programs that can help, including information about payment options, student loans, grants and scholarships.

Learn more

Application process

When applying in the application portal, select Hospitality and Tourism Management. You will be able to select Beverage Management as your major during the application process.

Ready to apply?

Follow our step-by-step guide to submitting a successful application.

Learn how to apply

Communication during admission

Email is the primary source of communication during the selection process. Ensure your personal email account is managed appropriately to receive our emails, files and communications. We recommend you add the hospitality@sait.ca domain to your safe senders' list or you risk missing critical email messages.

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Begin your application

Apply now using the online application portal. 

Ensure you have a valid Visa or Mastercard to pay the non-refundable application fee of $120 for domestic applicants or $175 for international applicants. 

Apply now

Information sessions

Prepare for a strong start in your chosen program or get the details you need to decide your future path.

Our expert staff and faculty are ready to answer your questions and provide information about the following:

  • What sets SAIT apart
  • An introduction to the program and area of study
  • Admission requirements
  • Future career paths
  • Information on the earning potential and graduate employment rates.

Contact us

School of Hospitality and Tourism Advising

403.284.8612
hospitality.info@sait.ca

International Student Advising

403.284.8852
international@sait.ca
a view of the moutains and stream in between

Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.

SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.

We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.

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