Starwood Hotels and Resorts' Jeremy McCarthy will share his experience and expertise opening and operating luxury spas as he returns to teach for the University of California Irvine, US, this winter.

His online adult learning course, first offered in January 2012, focuses on positive leadership and covers workplace culture, employee engagement and motivation and strategies for goals and accomplishment.

The course, which runs from 21 January to 3 March, can be taken alone or as an elective paper for the Spa and Hospitality Management Certificate.

The certificate covers all aspects of spa operation including business planning, marketing, retailing, human resources, finance, customer relations and legal issues.

McCarthy has more than 20 years' experience working in luxury resort spas and sits on the board for the International Spa Association.