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Hospitality-Tourism Management MS
Program overview
The hospitality and tourism management program prepares students to step into numerous mid-level hospitality and tourism management and government policy positions. The program is focused on hospitality business planning, branding, economic management, and development of quality processes, to deliver quality leadership within many service and corporate settings and at post-secondary academic institutions.
Curriculum
The program introduces major concepts associated with all aspects of hospitality, tourism, and business management, whether they are applied specifically to the hospitality-tourism industry or the wider service industry. Among the general concepts investigated are hospitality business development and marketing quality. Electives allow in depth study in specialized areas of hospitality manangement, such as resorts and attractions, travel and tourism, conventions and events, technology, and human resource development.
Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester credit hours. The curriculum is a combination of required core courses in hospitality and tourism management and elective courses chosen by the student to meet career interests and objectives. Students complete a graduate project or a comprehensive exam. A thesis option is available with approval. Course offerings generally are scheduled for evenings or via online learning to facilitate part-time students.
Core courses
Core courses explore essential hospitality and tourism business issues such as teamwork, strategic organizational change, financial and service performance metrics, development and marketing of resorts and attractions, and branding. Each course not only introduces the service philosophy, but also examines the real differences in hospitality-service management outcomes necessitated by the adoption of a new service paradigm.
Project/Capstone/Thesis options
Students must successfully complete a graduate project or comprehensive exam as a culminating experience allowing for demonstration of competencies for theory and application material for the discipline. Students work with the program adviser and/or program faculty to determine a topic for the graduate project and must arrange a faculty mentor for the project. The comprehensive exam option is open to all students. Students may request the thesis option, but must be approved and have secured a faculty mentor.
Hospitality and tourism management, MS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| HSPT-700 | Research Methods | 3 |
| HSPT-702 | Graduate Writing Strategies | 3 |
| SERQ-710 | Evolving Contexts In Service | 3 |
| HSPT-730 | Strategic Hospitality And Tourism Branding | 3 |
| HSPT-740 | Economic Performance Analysis for Hospitality and Tourism | 3 |
| HSPT-750 | Processes and Assessment of Hospitality and Tourism Industries | 3 |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Graduate Project* | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 30 | |
* Typically, students complete a capstone project as a culminating experience for the program. However, with department approval, students may complete a thesis or a comprehensive exam. For those who select the exam, students are required to also complete one additional 3 semester credit hour elective course. Students who complete a thesis take 6 semester credit hours of electives instead of 9.
Electives
Elective courses provide students with an opportunity to individualize their graduate program in line with their career and professional interests. With the approval of the department chair, students are allowed to take a selection of elective courses from outside the hospitality and tourism management program. Courses may be taken from the service leadership and innovation program, the human resource development program and the E. Philip Saunders College of Business. Students are cautioned to observe course prerequisites in their selections.
Of the 6 semester credit hours of electives, students are relatively free to select courses that they feel best meet their needs. All elective courses must be graduate-level. If previous course work exists, students may request a transfer of credits. A limited number of credit hours may be taken as independent study or practicum courses.
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the MS program in hospitality-tourism management, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution,
- Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work,
- Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Foundation course work with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (if required),
- Submit two professional recommendations,
- Submit a current resume, and
- Complete a graduate application.
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 80 (Internet-based) is required. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores will be accepted in place of the TOEFL. A minimum score of 6.5 is required. All international students will take the Michigan Test of English Proficiency upon arrival. A prescribed program in English and a reduced program course load may be required.
After a review by the program chair, applicants whose prior undergraduate work has been in areas other than hospitality-tourism may be required to complete additional courses. Students may choose elective courses with the approval of the program.
Additional information
Part time study
The program may be completed on a full- or part-time basis. The length of time required to earn the degree varies according to the student’s undergraduate preparation and the number of graduate courses taken per semester.
Career Outcomes
Job TitlesHotel General Manager, Convention Service Manager, Director of Food Services, Cash Operations Manager
FunctionsOversee finance, human resources, and information management; supervise food service operation; event planning
Recent EmployersMarriott, H.J. Heinz, College of St. Catherine