American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute - Overview
Distance Learning for Important Skills
The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) offers more than 30 hospitality management courses covering every aspect of hotel operations. These courses, provided through distance learning, offer career education opportunities in an easily-accessible format for independent learners. These courses are the same materials used in college and university hospitality management programs worldwide. Courses are built upon industry-identified competencies and practical knowledge. The distance learning format makes these courses appropriate for working professionals. They are a convenient way to increase industry knowledge and skills, preparing hospitality workers ¬¬-- and those aspiring to hospitality careers -- with opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute was founded in 1953 as the nonprofit educational arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association to provide distance education solutions for working hospitality professionals who could not take time off to attend traditional colleges. It continues to offer high-quality distance learning courses to students around the world through online learning and traditional home study. In addition, AHLEI also provides training and educational resources for all aspects of hospitality, as well as 30 professional certifications for industry professionals.
Curriculum
Students may take individual courses or enroll in multiple-course programs leading to certificates or diplomas. The institute allows four months to complete each course. Curriculum programs include a 12-course hospitality management program; a 12-course food and beverage management diploma; an 8-course hospitality operations certificate designed to provide a strong grounding in hotel operations; and a 6-course hospitality fundamentals program that focuses on the rooms and F&B areas. A new "dual diploma" program allows students to complete a sequence of 15 courses to earn both the hospitality management diploma and the food and beverage management diploma.
The institute also has eight different 5-course certificates of specialization that provide more in-depth education in a single departmental area. These specialization areas include rooms division management, food and beverage management, human resources management, international hotel management, accounting and financial management, club management, marketing and sales management, and spa management.
Students who receive an overall score of 70 percent on the 100-question final exam will each receive a certificate of completion for courses completed. If the score is 90 percent or more, the course certificate will indicate "With Honors."
Twelve of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute's courses have been evaluated and approved for college credit recommendation by the American Council on Education (ACE). For the benefit of its students, AHLEI participates in the American Council on Education's (ACE) Transcript Service. The ACE Transcript Service offers a lifelong record for students who have successfully completed our courses that have been reviewed by ACE CREDIT. This service enables adult learners to present a nationally recognized transcript to the college or university of their choice for the potential award of academic credit.
Tuition for distance learning courses begins at a relatively low sum, which includes student membership in the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Subsequent courses are slightly less, with a sliding scale for ordering multiple courses. The institute offers an interest-free time payment option for students ordering three or more courses. Scholarships for distance learning courses are available through the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation. The institute's courses do not meet the requirements for federal financial aid; however, many hospitality employers offer tuition reimbursement for employees who take EI distance learning courses to learn how to do their jobs better or to prepare for a promotion.
Real World Stories of Success
Many students of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute have reported that their distance learning courses helped them achieve their hospitality industry career goals. Jesse Larson, general manager of a property in Colorado, was hired after earning his hospitality management diploma, and used the knowledge gained from his courses to develop all of the operating procedures for the new property. Agnes Gerner, a native of Hungary, had worked at several resorts, but felt she needed a U.S.-based educational program to expand her hospitality knowledge. She completed the hospitality management diploma, the hospitality operations certificate, and three areas of specialization. When she applied for a marketing and sales position at an Orlando resort, the general manager hired her immediately upon seeing her educational credentials from EI. The institute's distance learning graduates can be found at hospitality operations throughout the world, including world-class resorts, cruise ships, and major hotel chains.