MS Hospitality Business Management | Assessment of Learning

Program Learning Goals & Objectives

Program Goal #1- Evaluate data by applying quantitative methods and statistical software to justify strategic decisions in the hospitality and service context.  

  1. Use quantitative statistical methods to evaluate costs, revenue and pricing management, budget, and financial data to maximize profits.
  2. Critically analyze and apply data analytic strategies and skills to solve business problems. 

Program Goal #2- Examine and implement service technologies to enhance sales, operational efficiency, and customer experiences.

  1. Utilize technology for enhanced quality, operational efficiency, and revenue management in hospitality and service enterprises with a focus on design thinking.      
  2. Implement new technologies in service organizations through data science models.

Program Goal #3- Demonstrate innovative leadership in transforming businesses and increasing competitive advantage   developing data-driven business goals, strategies, and policies, and excelling in analytical problem-solving and decision-making.

  1. Formulate business goals, strategies, and policies, designing systems based on a data-driven approach.
  2. Develop leadership skills in data-driven problem-solving, emphasizing scientific methodologies for complex business challenges.

Outcomes Data

We have compiled data to assess competency objectives through our MS Hospitality Business Management courses, These course serves as a comprehensive tool for evaluating progress toward our key objectives and AACSB accreditation standards, as it is a mandatory requirement for all undergraduate students. We have outlined various assessment methods across different areas of the course, which allow us to collect data and measure performance against established benchmarks.

Find program outcomes data here: MS Hospitality Business Management

Closing the Loop & Continuous Improvement

When program objective assessments are submitted, the submission form includes a section for a "closing the loop" discussion. This allows for reflection on potential adjustments that could be made to enhance the ongoing improvement of the MS Hospitality Business Management program. These discussions, along with other efforts, have highlighted areas where changes could be implemented.

Student performance

  • Advisory Board Feedback was focused largely on what business skills were missing from the curriculum and what additional certifications or minors might be created to strengthen these skills leading to the following changes: 1) Course creation: HSPT-760 Hospitality Management and 2) HSPT-780 Hospitality Analytics were created to better align student skills with a re-focused, analytics-based program.

Potential changes to assessment methods

  • Simulations: Program Goal 1: Operational Knowledge and Skills was assessed in two cycles, with student performance meeting/exceeding the benchmark.  Simulation software was added to HSPT-755: Advanced Food and Beverage Business Management to increase students’ analytical skills.
  • Simulations: Program Goal 2: Enterprising, entrepreneurial, creative and technology skills goal was assessed in two cycles, with students meeting or exceeding the benchmark.  Simulation software was added to HSPT-745: Advanced Lodging Operations to increase the analytical skills of students. Additional changes were made in the cases being used in the course with the goal of enhancing student ability to creative innovative technologically-based solutions to real-world problems. Oral presentations were added to enhance the student ability to communicate these outcomes.
  • Course Revision: HSPT-730 Strategic Hospitality Tourism Branding was significantly revised following the assessment of Goal 2: Analysis and Application of Tourism Data which showed high levels of student achievement. HSPT-730 was renamed, the topics on the course outline form were significantly revised and made more rigorous, and new topics related to customer experience and engagement were created.