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Hospitality Management Cornell Certificate Program

Overview and courses.

A career in hospitality management means that you are involved in every aspect of your property’s many moving parts. From the front of the house to the back, you need a firm grasp on finance, marketing, and managing employees to succeed. Build your credibility and learn how to manage a world-class operation with a foundation in essential industry best practices and skills.

By taking this certificate program, you will learn how to improve in your role as hospitality manager by developing strategies that can be applied to your teams in the workplace. This program covers a wide range of content, from building a loyal guest base to finances to team building, giving you a set of skills needed to be successful in a management role. Knowing how to handle multiple facets of the hospitality industry will help you manage your organization to its fullest potential as well.

Whether you are a manager currently, positioning yourself for a management position, or have recently been promoted, make your mark today by learning from experts in the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, one of the world’s most prestigious hospitality schools. You can finish all of the courses in this program and earn your certificate in as little as three months, spending about three to five hours per week.

This program includes a year of free access to the Hospitality and the Marketing Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the marketing and hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events.

Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

Course list

Understanding financial statements.

Every property's finance function keeps detailed records of the daily transactions involved in the running the organization. Periodically, they create reports that allow management, stakeholders and regulating authorities to have insight into the financial health of the organization. As a manager, you need to understand both the metrics that are reported in income statement, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, and how they relate to each other. You also need to understand how comparing numbers across your company, the industry, and from year to year, can help you assess the overall financial performance of the firm.

The in-depth review of sample case studies in this course will provide you with the tools you need to examine your own property's reports. As you make budgeting and investment decisions, your knowledge of how vital financial markers indicate relative health in the organization will help drive initiatives to meet your company's financial goals.

Building High-Performing Teams

In this course, you will create a strategy to turn a work group into a high-functioning team by evaluating challenges and applying techniques to generate positive team outcomes. Based on the research and expertise of Professor Kate Walsh, PhD, of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, you will learn how to enable a team to take ownership of its own success and shift leadership roles as the team assumes greater responsibility. 

Using tools provided in this course, you will explore best practices in leading teams, assess case studies, and examine functional conflict. With the completion of an action plan at the end of the course, you will be ready to apply what you learn to your own organization.

Services Marketing Planning and Management

Services marketing is often viewed in terms of outcomes, but services marketing is also an ongoing analytic process. In this course, you will learn how to properly analyze frameworks, tools, channels, data sets, customer behavioral data, decision-making factors, and strategies that support broader marketing decisions.

Authored by Robert Kwortnik from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, this course will teach you how to review the way marketing works in your organization and how to create and apply a services marketing process.

Pricing and Revenue Management Essentials

Have you traveled recently? More than likely, you used the internet to search for the “best” price in whatever way you might define that: a combination of room, car rental, and airline seat class prices; discounts; travel dates; length of stay; and so on. Conversely, as a decision maker in the hospitality industry, you cannot escape the influence of search engines, online travel agents, and social media on how you price your product. In this course, you will explore various revenue management, pricing, and internet marketing strategies and tactics that can enable you to maximize revenue at your firm.

Revenue management is about rejecting current opportunities for potential future opportunities while maximizing profit. Pricing has also become an increasingly important mechanism in a firm's profits. In this course, you will begin by examining how to incorporate uncertainty in setting prices along with the trade-offs between demand and price. Calculating breakeven rates will assist you in determining where to set prices.

Your customers have varying appetites for risk; in hospitality, this entails whether they will book now or wait for a lower price. How your competitors react to price changes you make will impact your revenue as well, and you will explore a model for framing these interactions.

Finally, you can optimize your position on internet search results and increase conversions by applying the search engine optimization strategies that you will explore in this course. These strategies can increase your visibility to target customers.

This course includes a pricing simulation game, where you will first compete against the computer to set prices competitively, then you will play the game with your peers. We recommend that you start the game immediately to ensure that you have enough time to experience (and enjoy!) the game in the final module.

Building Guest Loyalty

Loyal repeat customers are key to the success of any food and beverage operation. They represent recurring revenue and are a great source for feedback and gauging customer sentiment. They can also be your greatest evangelists, recommending you to friends and colleagues, even giving favorable online reviews.

Through careful design, meticulous attention to service processes, and a way to gauge customer sentiment, you can play to your team's strengths and identify opportunities for improving the guest experience to grow your business.

Introduction to Hotel Operations

Running a successful hotel today is a highly collaborative process involving many roles.

This course is structured around the four key stages in the guest experience -- pre-arrival, arrival, occupancy, and departure -- and will explain hotel operations, the systems that hotels rely on, and the managers and staff who run them. During the guests' experience, managers and staff will learn how to engage with guests to win and maintain their loyalty.

Professor Reneta McCarthy brings first-hand knowledge of hotel operations to this course, providing insights and guidelines that will give participants a good understanding of the inner workings of today's hotels.

Leadership Symposium   LIVE

Symposium sessions feature three days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Leadership Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium in which we’ll discuss the ways that leaders across industries have continued engaging their teams over the past two years while pivoting in strategic ways. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to relevant topics for leaders. Throughout this Symposium, you will examine different areas of leadership, including innovation, strategy, and engagement. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from various industries.

Upcoming Symposium: June 4-6, 2024 from 11am – 1pm ET

All sessions are held on Zoom.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

Hospitality Symposium   LIVE

Symposium sessions feature three days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Hospitality Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium, in which we’ll discuss how both day-to-day operations and strategic goal setting in the hospitality sector have rapidly evolved over the past two years, opening up new space for real-time conversations about the future of the industry. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to various areas of the industry, examining the innovations and accommodations you have all had to make throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and strategizing on future directions. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from across the industry.

Upcoming Symposium: July 16-18, 2024 from 11-1pm ET

Marketing Symposium   LIVE

Symposium sessions feature two days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Marketing Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium, in which we’ll share experiences from across the industry, inspiring real-time conversations about best practices, innovation, and the future of marketing work. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to some of the most pressing topics and trends in the marketing field. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from across the industry.

Upcoming Symposium: August 13 – 14, 2024 11AM – 1PM ET

How It Works

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Faculty Authors

• Certificates Authored

Kate Walsh is Dean of the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration and E. M. Statler Professor. A professor of management, Dean Walsh has been a member of the Hotel School’s faculty since 2000. She received her Ph.D. from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College and her MPS degree from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Fairfield University.

Dean Walsh’s primary research is in identity, leadership, and career development. She also conducts research examining the impact of strategic human capital investments. In addition to contributing to numerous books, Dean Walsh’s articles have appeared in such outlets as Journal of Management, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Human Resource Management Review, Organization Science, Career Development International, The Service Industries Journal, Trends in Organizational Behavior, Research in Management Consulting, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, The Learning Organization, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and The Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.

Dean Walsh has extensive industry experience. She is the former director of training and development for Nikko Hotels International, corporate training manager for the former Bristol Hotels, and senior auditor for Loews Corporation. Dean Walsh is also a former New York State Certified Public Accountant.

Dean Walsh began her second term as dean on July 2, 2021. Since the beginning of her administration, she has focused on positioning Nolan for the future of hospitality business education as well as contributing to the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. This includes undertaking a comprehensive renewal of the graduate and undergraduate curricula, developing Nolan’s online global presence, launching two new graduate degree programs, and providing thought leadership for the hospitality industry, most notably through the creation of industry-based webinars to guide the industry during the pandemic as well as supporting extensive outreach and engagement through Nolan’s six centers and institutes.

Dean Walsh serves on the boards of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, including serving on its Educational Foundation’s DE&I committee, and Yonsei University’s School of Business.

• Professional Development Program
• General Managers Program
• Hospitality Strategy
• Hospitality Leadership
• Management 360
• Hospitality Management 360
• Performance Leadership

Hospitality Management

• Executive Leadership
• Change Management
• Leadership Essentials
• Executive Healthcare Leadership

Steven Carvell joined the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration’s finance faculty in 1986 and is currently a Professor of Finance in the SC Johnson College of Business. Over the past 33 years, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses such as Advanced Corporate Finance, Capital Budgeting, Financial Strategy, and Investments. Dr. Carvell has also been an active teacher in executive education since 1990, working with almost every major domestic and international hotel company to create custom courses for hotel executives with companies like Hilton, Marriott, InterContinental Hotel Group, Taj Hotels, Jumeirah, Accor, Sol Melia, Le Meridien, Shangri La, and Peninsula. Dr. Carvell has also authored eight distance-learning courses through eCornell that are among the most widely demanded courses offered. He has held academic leadership positions at the School of Hotel Administration since 1999, serving as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2007 to 2016 and the Academic Director of the Pillsbury Institute for Entrepreneurship from 2013 to 2016.

Dr. Carvell has published numerous articles in academic and professional journals, including the Financial Analysts Journal, Journal of Portfolio Management, the Harvard Business Review, and the Cornell Quarterly, and he is the co-author of “In the Shadows of Wall Street.” His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, Institutional Investor, Financial World, and Leaders. Dr. Carvell has recently finished a major project designed to identify the determinants of hotel demand for U.S. hotels and another on economic and capital market antecedents of venture capital commitments. He is currently working on a project to disaggregate hotel room rates within urban markets and another to determine the risk-return characteristics of hotel room rates in major U.S. markets. Dr. Carvell is also involved with evaluating the effectiveness of hotel company business strategies using strategic benchmarking and economic value-added analysis.

Dr. Carvell has worked for professional money managers in the area of applied strategy in the equity market and served as a consultant to the Presidential Commission on the 1987 stock market crash. His consulting interests include valuation and risk analysis in feasibility studies, hotel debt capacity, strategic benchmarking, and corporate and financial strategy.

• Revenue Management 360
• Financial Management

Scott Gibson is the J.E. Zollinger Professor of Finance at the College of William and Mary Mason School of Business. His current research interests include optimal financing strategies for hospitality firms and the effect of institutional investor trading behavior on securities prices. His research has appeared in hospitality-focused journals including the  Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly ,  Journal of Hospitality Financial Management , the  Cornell Hospitality Report  and top finance journals including the  Journal of Financial Economics ,  Review of Financial Studies ,  Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis ,  Journal of Financial Intermediation ,  International Review of Finance ,  Journal of Portfolio Management , and  Journal of Financial Services Research .

His research has also been featured widely in the financial press, including articles in the  Wall Street Journal ,  Financial Times ,  New York Times ,  Barron’s ,  Business Week ,  Bloomberg ,  Financial Advisor , and  Institutional Investor .

Before returning to his alma mater Boston College where he received a Ph.D. in Finance, Professor Gibson worked as an analyst with Fidelity Investments and as a credit team leader serving a Fortune 500 clientele with HSBC Bank. Lecturing about corporate finance and the creation of shareholder value, he has received numerous teaching awards at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. He has also been named as an outstanding faculty member in  Business Week ’s Guide to the Best Business Schools. Professor Gibson currently serves as an editorial board member of the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly (CQ).

Sheryl E. Kimes is an emeritus Professor of Operations Management at Cornell University’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration. From 2005 to 2006, she served as interim dean of the school, and from 2001 to 2005, she served as the school’s Richard and Monene P. Bradley Director of Graduate Studies. Dr. Kimes specializes in revenue management, restaurant revenue management, and service operations management. She has been named the school’s graduate teacher of the year three times and was awarded a Menschel Distinguished Teaching Fellowship by Cornell University in 2014.

Dr. Kimes’s research interests revolve around revenue management in the restaurant, hotel, and golf industries. She has over 100 articles in leading journals, such as Interfaces, Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Service Research, Decision Sciences, and the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. She was awarded the CHR Award for Industry Relevance in 2010, 2012, and 2014, and she was given a lifetime achievement award by the Production and Operations Management Society in 2010. In addition, Dr. Kimes was given the Vanguard Award for Lifetime Achievement in Revenue Management by the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International in 2017.

Dr. Kimes has served as a consultant to many hospitality enterprises around the world, including Chevy’s Fresh Mex Restaurants, Walt Disney World Resorts, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Starwood Asia-Pacific, and Troon Golf. She earned her doctorate in Operations Management in 1987 from the University of Texas at Austin.

• Hotel Revenue Management
• Hospitality Digital Marketing
• Restaurant Revenue Management

Rob Kwortnik, Associate Professor of Services Marketing, joined Cornell’s faculty after earning his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Temple University in 2003. He also earned a B.A. in Journalism from Temple and an MBA from California State University, Northridge. Professor Kwortnik’s research focuses on consumer behavior in service contexts, with special attention to service experience management. He has published in the Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Service Research, The International Journal of Research in Marketing, and the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, among others. He has been honored eight times as a Teacher of the Year by students at the School of Hotel Administration. Prior to his career in academics, Professor Kwortnik held several professional positions in marketing and was a travel industry consultant. He is a recognized expert on the leisure cruise industry.

• Digital Marketing 360
• Social Media Marketing
• Integrated Marketing 360
• Strategic Hospitality Marketing

Alex Susskind is a Professor of Food and Beverage Management and is currently serving as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Professor Susskind earned his Ph.D. in Communication from Michigan State University with a specialization in organizational communication and his MBA with a concentration in personnel and human relations. He earned his undergraduate degree at Purdue University in Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management and is also a trained chef with a degree in Culinary Arts from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Prior to starting his career in academia, Professor Susskind was a chef and restaurant operator for both independent and multi-unit restaurant companies in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States.

• Senior Living Management
• Food and Beverage Management

Cheryl Stanley is a Senior Lecturer in food and beverage management at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University. She has been involved with food since the age of ten, when she started her own chocolate business, Cheryl’s Chocolates. Following her interest in food, Ms Stanley attended the School of Hotel Administration and graduated in 2000.

While at Cornell, Ms. Stanley discovered her passion for beverages through the courses “Introduction to Wines,” “Food and Wine Pairing,” and “Beverage Management.” Upon graduation, she continued this enthusiasm for beverages and food service in both hotel and restaurant operations on the West Coast, where she worked for the Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach and the Wine Cask in Santa Barbara.

Continuing her entrepreneurial journey, Ms. Stanley started her own restaurant consulting company specializing in beverages and service in 2008. During this time, she was also presented an opportunity to become an adjunct instructor at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she taught courses that included gastronomy, food, wine, and (agri)culture. Falling in love with teaching, Ms. Stanley decided to pursue her Master’s degree in hospitality and retail management from Texas Tech University. Heading back north, she returned to CIA prior to joining the food and beverage operations area back at her alma mater.

Ms. Stanley teaches courses on specific elements within the field of food and beverage operations, including “Introduction to Wines,” “Catering and Special Events,” and “Beverage Management.” She combines theoretical education with practical operational applications.

Certified through multiple wine organizations, Ms. Stanley has conducted research on beverage costing in hotels, bars, and restaurants, as well as hospitality education, and she has presented at beverage-related conferences. In 2015, she was awarded the Ted Teng ’79 Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award. Ms. Stanley is a member of the Society of Wine Educators and the United States Bartenders’ Guild. She is the faculty advisor for Cornell Cuvée, the blind wine tasting competition team, which has won first place at multiple international wine competitions. In 2017, Ms. Stanley was selected as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Tastemakers.

• Wines of Germany and Austria
• Wines of the World
• Wines of Spain and Portugal
• Wines of the Southern Hemisphere
• Wines of Italy
• Wines of France
• Wines of California, the Pacific Northwest, and New York

Reneta McCarthy has both teaching and practical experience in hotel operations. She began her career at Marriott International, where she worked as a housekeeping manager and then as director of services in the full-service hotel division. She later transferred to Courtyard Hotels, by Marriott, where she became one of the youngest general managers of a Courtyard property. She became director of rooms at The Statler Hotel at Cornell in 1992 and joined The Hotel School faculty in 1995, where she teaches courses in hotel and casino operations. She is the faculty advisor to Hotel Ezra Cornell (HEC), an annual, student-run industry conference that attracts 300 hospitality leaders to campus each spring.

Key Course Takeaways

• Describe hotel revenue management and its benefits
• Assess the role of marketing in your organization
• Understand principles of financial statements
• Identify online sources of financial information
• Create strategies to develop a high-functioning team
• Identify service recovery strategies that satisfy guests and prevent problems from occurring again
• Estimate the marginal value of capacity and plan allocations
• Evaluate competitive responses to pricing actions
• Simulate how consumers find prices

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What You'll Earn

• Hospitality Management Certificate from Cornell Hotel School
• 60 Professional Development Hours (6 CEUs)
• 17 Professional Development Units (PDUs) toward PMI recertification
• 20 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification
• 20 Credit hours towards HRCI recertification

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Who should enroll.

• Hospitality professionals working in every function of their organization
• Professionals looking to move into a hospitality management position

“In my 20 years of experience as a hotel manager, I’ve completed my share of various training programs — but the experience at eCornell is FANTASTIC. Totally recommend.”

“great program and great resume booster. this certificate is easy to follow yet challenges you enough to make you think outside of your “expertise.””, “an easy and efficient way to update knowledge and get feedback from students all over the world. ecornell brings professionals from all over the world closer.”, “after completing the certificate, i helped my company make changes to increase profitability. i am proud when people ask me where i earned my certificate and i can say cornell university school of hotel administration. thank you, ecornell”, “i have been linked to senior management in hotels and restaurants for more than 20 years and the training received at cornell has provided me with a collection of very valuable tools for professional growth.”.

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Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Management (BS)

Program description.

The BS in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Management prepares students for management positions in one of the largest economic sectors worldwide. Combining a thorough liberal arts program of study with industry- specific business classes, students gain in-depth knowledge in the areas of hospitality finance, sales and marketing, revenue management, special event planning, destination development, and food and beverage operations. Students learn how to develop new hotel and resort concepts, market tourism destinations, and manage tourism and convention bureaus. Frequent site visits, industry events, and guest speakers ensure that students make use of all the opportunities New York City has to offer, both in and out of the classroom. In addition, they gain hands-on experience through internships, which develop them into successful—and highly employable—industry professionals.

New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU.  For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply . 

Program Requirements

Concentrations.

The program requires the completion of 128 credits, and students may choose one of six concentrations listed below.

The BS in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Management prepares students for a wide range of careers in hotels, restaurants, catering companies, real estate and management services companies, online travel agencies, marketing and PR firms, destination marketing organizations, event companies and consulting firms. The degree has six concentrations:

Event Management

This concentration explores career opportunities in festivals, weddings and social events, trade shows, and experiential marketing.

The event sector is growing fast, and offers a wealth of career opportunities. Whether you are interested in festivals, weddings, business conventions or sporting events, this concentration will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in this exciting field.

Event planning, design and production are a central focus of this concentration. Event planners/producers coordinate every detail of the event: from the venue and speakers to arranging for printed materials and audio-visual equipment. They develop the concept for the event, and liaise with suppliers and staff. Event planners/producers may work for non-profit organizations, associations, hotels, corporations, and government. Many are independent business owners and coordinate events for a range of clients.

Events can also play an important role in a company’s marketing strategy. Experiential or event marketing is a promotional strategy that involves face-to-face contact between companies and their customers at special events like concerts, fairs, and sporting events. Brands use event marketing entertainment (like shows, contests, or parties) to reach consumers through direct hand-to-hand sampling or interactive displays.

Marketing and Analytics

In this concentration, students study hospitality and travel sales and marketing, as well as strategies and processes that optimize a business’s revenues.

The marketing and analytics concentration provides students with in-depth knowledge of the marketing functions of hospitality businesses.  Professionals in marketing and branding roles need strong analytical skills as they conduct market research, oversee multimedia advertising campaigns, and consult with outside agencies, promotional representatives and corporate executives.

Marketers and revenue managers currently evolve in an increasingly digital and data-driven environment. They are tasked to develop and implement strategies to maximize the business's revenues and profitability. On the basis of daily reports, they make predictions of demand and make distribution channels and pricing decisions. They also leverage the power of loyalty programs and optimize the entire guest acquisition phase; in partnership with travel agencies - on and offline - and other travel intermediaries.

Leadership and Management

This concentration focuses on the operational aspects of hospitality businesses – a great concentration for budding general managers!

The leadership and management concentration provides students with in-depth knowledge of the operational aspects of hospitality businesses. This is an attractive concentration for budding general managers, as the concentration includes aspects of sales and marketing, food and beverage management, but also leadership and law. Hotel operations roles are available in a wide range of departments: front desk, catering, events, housekeeping and human resources. Professionals in operations oversee the daily activities of their teams, and aim to ensure guest satisfaction.

Hotel Real Estate Finance and Development

This concentration provides students with in-depth knowledge of financial management and the hotel development process.

The hotel real estate finance and development concentration provides students with in-depth knowledge of financial management and the hotel development process. Hotel finance careers may include responsibilities such as overseeing the financial processes of the hotel, maintaining audits and reports, producing monthly income statements, and coordinating budgets and forecasts. The hospitality sector is mostly associated with the hotel industry, however, many other asset classes fall into this sector, including large scale resorts, spas, timeshares, restaurants and casinos.

Another aspect of this concentration is hotel development and asset management. Many well-known hotel brand names do not own the building in which the hotel operates, but rather contract their management and brand name to the owner for a fee. Owners and real estate investment trusts employ analysts to maximize the returns earned by the property. Hotel investment professionals produce valuations, and make recommendations about the development of new assets or the remodeling of existing assets.

Travel and Tourism Development

This concentration prepares students for careers in destination marketing organizations, (online) travel agents, tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, PR firms, and visitor attractions.

The travel and tourism industry has shown remarkable resilience in the face of economic challenges, geopolitical conditions and natural disasters. It remains one of the largest and fastest growing industry sectors in the world. Graduate tourism degrees prepare students for a wealth of careers in the public, private and voluntary sectors. WTTC estimates that the travel and tourism sectors support 292 million jobs worldwide, or 1 in every 10 jobs.

The travel and tourism development concentration prepares students for careers in destination marketing organizations, (online) travel agents, tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, event companies, development agencies, marketing and PR firms and visitor attractions. Students will explore various aspects of this large and multi-faceted sector, including casinos, special interest tourism products, sports tourism and mega-events, entrepreneurship and destination marketing.

Entrepreneurship

In this concentration, students will learn the different aspects of the typical entrepreneurship journey: from ideation, to prototyping,  to business launch, and management as applied to hospitality.

Entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in innovation, economic development and competitiveness. The entrepreneurship concentration provides students with in-depth knowledge of the crucial role that entrepreneurship plays in the travel and hospitality business. It also provides them with the entrepreneurial and innovative mindset sought after by many employers. The courses offer an overview of the different aspects of the typical entrepreneurship cycle, from ideation to business launch and management. Courses in this concentration are experiential,  applying theory to real world problems and opportunities.

Sample Plan of Study

Learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

• Comprehend the historical development of the industry, including its key global stakeholders, terminology and data/information sources.
• Develop analytical and critical thinking skills, by understanding the selection of appropriate research methods and data, and the principles of analyzing data effectively to address industry challenges.
• Develop the business skills and attributes required of contemporary, global hospitality and tourism professionals, to include the areas of management, service, leadership, communication, ethical responsibility, finance and technology.
• Develop strong business writing skills, as well as engaging and effective presentation skills.
• Develop a specialized focus on a specific area of study within hospitality and tourism.
• Prepare for successful careers by integrating work experiences with academics.

NYU Policies

School of professional studies policies.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Additional academic policies can be found on the School of Professional Studies academic policy pag e. 

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What to Know About Hospitality and Tourism Management Degree Programs

Hospitality management degrees are designed to train future leaders in the hospitality industry.

How to Study Hospitality Management

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Running a company in any segment of the hospitality industry requires not only financial and marketing prowess, but also an understanding of how to create an inviting environment for guests.

The art and science of hosting strangers is an essential skill for people working in many kinds of businesses, including airlines, casinos, cruise ships, festivals, hotels and restaurants.

Running a company in any segment of the hospitality industry requires not only financial and marketing prowess, but also an understanding of how to create an inviting environment for guests. Cultivating that marketable skill set is the goal of associate, bachelor's and graduate programs in hospitality management.

What a Hospitality Management Degree Is and What Classes It Requires

The goal of any course of study in hospitality management is to train people to create and maintain spaces where others will immediately feel at home.

“Understanding how to take care of the customer is a foundational aspect of the hospitality discipline,” Angela Ramsey, senior director of communication at the University of Nevada—Las Vegas William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, explained in an email.

Hospitality management degrees are, foremost, degrees in business, says Michael Sabitoni, chair of the food and beverage management department and the international travel and tourism studies department at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. They include classes in accounting, finance, human resources, law and technology, he says.

However, unlike a general business degree, a hospitality degree typically includes specialized coursework focusing on the hospitality industry, such as classes on food service business operations, event management principles, and hotel and resort leadership, Sabitoni says. An overview class about tourism is also typically included in hospitality management programs, and industry internships are often mandatory, he adds.

Many hospitality degree programs require students to participate in experiential learning by helping to operate a student-run hotel or restaurant. They may also contain classes on:

• Eco-tourism or sustainable travel
• Global tourism and special considerations involved with international trips
• Customer service protocols
• Assessing the quality of guest experiences
• Specific types of hospitality establishments, such as country clubs, golf courses, resorts, stadiums, timeshares or theme parks
• Nuances involved in planning certain kinds of events, such as conventions or weddings
• Concerns that face certain demographics of customers, including women and people of color
• Various types of tourism, including business trips and visits to cultural destinations or historical sites

Top Undergraduate Schools With Hospitality Management Majors

Many U.S. colleges and universities allow undergraduates to major in hospitality management, including multiple nationally renowned academic institutions. Cornell University of New York, an Ivy League college, has a school devoted to hospitality.

Exceptional hospitality programs are often based in major metropolitan areas that attract significant tourism. For example, New York University and Boston University in Massachusetts offer a hospitality management degree.

How to Know if a Hospitality Management Degree Is Right for You

An interest in the food and beverage sector, a love for travel or an interest in entertaining people may lead someone to consider pursuing a degree in hospitality management. But prospective students should be aware that the hospitality sector has leadership roles for people with all kinds of interests and personalities.

Though some managerial positions in the hospitality industry are customer-facing jobs that require significant people skills, there are also back-of-the-house managerial jobs that concentrate on logistics, Sabitoni says.

Significant cultural awareness and strong communication abilities are essential in hospitality. Foreign language skills are also valuable but not mandatory, Sabitoni says.

What You Can Do With a Hospitality Management Degree

Hospitality programs are designed to train future leaders in the sector.

“It can include anything within the hospitality vertical, from hotel investment companies to real estate firms to our big brands which are the Marriotts, the Hiltons, the Four Seasons, to data analytics companies to Googles to Amazons,” says Kate Walsh, dean of the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration at Cornell. “Anything that touches hospitality as a part of their business product is something where our students get involved.”

Real estate investment firms often invest in hotel buildings, so people with degrees in hospitality management sometimes find jobs in the real estate sector, Walsh says. Alumni of hospitality management programs sometimes become management consultants who concentrate on assisting companies in the hospitality industry, she adds.

Executive and director roles in the industry typically require at least a bachelor's degree. Many high-level leadership positions at U.S. hospitality firms pay annual salaries above $70,000, according to an article published by Monster.com, a job website.

In 2020, graduates of Cornell's Nolan School had an average base salary of slightly over $69,000 and an average bonus of nearly $15,000, according to the school's employment report .

Considerations for Potential Hospitality Students

Aspiring hospitality managers should be aware of trends that may affect them when they enter the industry, experts say.

This sector has severe labor shortages at hotels and restaurants, many of which laid off workers due to pandemic-related safety measures and now have struggled to replace those workers even after raising wages.

Because of these staffing concerns, many hospitality companies have introduced initiatives to recruit and retain talented staff, improve working conditions, increase job satisfaction and reduce employee turnover, Walsh says.

When comparing hospitality programs, prospective students should investigate whether those programs include experiential learning opportunities, experts say, noting that hands-on projects are one of the best ways to gain hospitality skills. It’s also optimal if hospitality schools offer courses on design, which can inform aesthetic choices about how a hospitality venue looks, according to experts.

“I think the industry needs innovative thinkers," Walsh says. "They need people who think big culturally, who are comfortable with different modes of work, so it’s a great time to join the industry. The industry is trying to be extremely intentional in providing compelling career paths.”

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University of Florida

Tourism and hospitality management.

The curriculum prepares students to gain competency in industry knowledge, develop intellectual abilities, and foster adaptive and technical leadership skills. In addition, the focus on the growth of individual and group dynamics through critical thinking is emphasized so that students will become leaders, decision-makers, and entrepreneurs and create change in an ever-evolving industry. Graduates pursue a wide range of exciting career opportunities including hotels, resorts, theme parks, cruise lines, casinos, clubs, restaurants, convention centers, tour operators, corporate, public, and private meetings and events, inclusive of the music, festivals, entertainment, fashion, attractions, and many other options.​ The curriculum is also designed to prepare students to pursue graduate studies in a similar field or business management.

About this Program

• College: Health and  Human Performance
• Degree: Bachelor of Science in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management
•      Specializations: Event Management | General | Tourism and Hospitality Management
• Credits for Degree: 120

To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college, and major requirements.

Department Information

The Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management prepares students to gain competency in industry knowledge, develop intellectual abilities, and foster adaptive and technical leadership skills. Website

Email | 352.294.1661 (tel) | 352.846.6627 (fax)

P.O. Box 118208 THE FLORIDA GYMNASIUM GAINESVILLE FL 32611-8208 Map

 Curriculum

• Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management Certificate
• Combination Degrees
• Event Management Minor
• Event Management Minor UF Online
• Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management
• Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management UF Online

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management courses must be completed successfully in General Education, the major, and related professional and specialized courses. All students take a common core of courses providing them with foundational knowledge within the discipline. Subsequently, students select one specialization.

An approved 13-week internship is required upon completion of all coursework or the successful completion of the Academic Option (for those who qualify). Both options are included in the 120 credits for the degree. Students that have current or past industry experience (supervisory or entry level but not seasonal employment) will be able to substitute the full-time internship engagement with a choice of five department course electives taken over the course of several semesters.

Students interested in the academic option will need to submit the following documents for approval beginning of their junior year:

• Notice of intent form
• Current resume
• Statement that outlines personal and professional goals
• An overview of how past industry experience has prepared them for a desired career position.

In this specialization, gain the knowledge and skills necessary to administer and manage destination management organizations, tour operations, and hospitality enterprises such as hotels, resorts, attractions, restaurants, and cruises.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

• Complete 1 of 5 critical-tracking courses: ECO 2013 or ECO 2023 , SPC 2608 or AEC 3030C , Two LEI or HFT courses and one of the following EDF 3110 , DEP 3053 , PSY 2012 or SYG 2000
• 2.0 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required
• Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course
• Complete all 5 critical-tracking courses
• Complete any additional LEI or HFT course
• Complete LEI 3921 or Departmental Elective Toward Academic Option
• Complete LEI 4940 Departmental Elective Toward Academic Option

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

The Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management curriculum prepares students to gain competency in industry knowledge, develop intellectual abilities, and foster adaptive and technical leadership skills. In addition, the focus on the growth of individual and group dynamics through critical thinking is emphasized so that students will become leaders, decision-makers, and entrepreneurs and create change in an ever-evolving industry. Graduates pursue a wide range of exciting career opportunities including hotels, resorts, theme parks, cruise lines, casinos, clubs, restaurants, convention centers, tour operators, corporate, public, and private meetings and events, inclusive of the music, festivals, entertainment, fashion, attractions, and many other options.​ The curriculum is also designed to prepare students to pursue graduate studies in a similar field or business management.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Demonstrate competence (minimum final grades of C) in the core courses LEI 3301 ,  LEI 4540 , HFT 4468 , and LEI 4880 ..
• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major will Learn to

Student learning outcomes | slos.

• Identify major concepts, principles, and theories associated with tourism, hospitality, and event management.
• Apply management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the use of resources to accomplish performance goals in tourism, hospitality, and event management.
• Identify economic, sociological, psychological, political, legal, and environmental issues that influence the delivery of tourism, hospitality, and event services to residents and tourists.
• Interpret information technology and statistical techniques in assessment, planning, delivery, and evaluation of tourism, hospitality, and event management programs.
• Apply programming and marketing strategies aligned to the development of tourism, events, and hospitality services.
• Develop financial strategies and evaluate budgets and sources of revenues and expenses relevant to financial strategies to tourism, events, and hospitality services.

Critical Thinking

• Identify and apply diverse sources of information and data integrated with theoretical frameworks, models and trends to issues related to leadership, management and delivery of tourism, hospitality, and events management services.

Communication

• Communicate to consumer publics and professional cohorts through written text, oral messages and multimedia presentations.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Assessment Types

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Published September 24, 2022

Hotel and Tourism Management at NYU

Nathan Healy

Assistant Director of Content Strategy and Development

New York City hosted more than 13 million international visitors in 2018, making it the only US city to crack the top 10 of Mastercard’s annual Global Destination Cities Index—and an ideal place to pursue a hospitality degree.

“I’d been accepted to a number of schools, but the chance to study in New York City made my decision easy,” shares Tristan Jordan, a senior Hotel and Tourism Management major at NYU’s School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality . “I couldn’t pass up the industry connections, internship opportunities, and professors who are industry professionals.”

“If you utilize all the opportunities you have at hand in New York City, there’s no limit to what you can experience.” —Sophy Martorell

Nearby network.

Tisch Center students connect with top-level hospitality professionals; professors regularly invite these experts to class or take students on site visits. “I’ve taken students to Google’s local offices to talk with its travel product director,” says Professor Recep Karaburun. “We’ve visited the St. Regis and invited its general manager to class to share his experience. The president of NYC & Company and the cofounders of the start-up airline app Hopper have visited class, too. New York City is our lab, and we have access to all its resources.”

The Tisch Center also hosts the annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference , one of the largest hospitality industry events in the world, where students can meet the heads of major hotel brands, investment firms, and destination management companies.

Outstanding Internships

With 217 companies headquartered in New York City—including industry heavyweights like JetBlue, Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company, and the Loews Corporation—and countless others with locations here, the opportunities to intern with industry leaders are practically endless.

“Marriott, which has every one of its brands here, is a great example,” says Sophy Martorell, a Hotel and Tourism Management major with a concentration in hotel development. Sophy’s first internship with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide came in the spring of her first year at NYU. She went on to intern with W Hotels, The St. Regis, and Sheraton (all Marriott brands) as well as The Plaza, Iron Bridge Consulting, and LW Hospitality Advisors. “If you utilize all the opportunities you have at hand in New York City, there’s no limit to what you can experience,” she says.

Real-Life Experience, Shared by Real-World Faculty

Tisch Center faculty are industry professionals eager to share their decades of experience. “Every professor I’ve had works full time and teaches, which is amazing, because their real-time industry knowledge and connections become an invaluable resource for students,” says Sophy. Tisch Center professors are founders, CEOs, and presidents of some of the world’s preeminent travel and hospitality companies—including Hotwire, TPG Hotels & Resorts, and Lodging Advisors. “Studying at NYU has forced me out of my comfort zone, taught me to adapt, and provided me with countless opportunities,” says Tristan. “I definitely feel that I’m a step ahead of people who study in other hospitality programs.”

On Hospitality’s Cutting Edge

“Many hospitality schools continue to ignore technology,” says Max Starkov, a Tisch Center professor and the founder and director of the hotel digital marketing and technology firm HEBS Digital, now NextGuest Digital. In the hospitality program at NYU, he says, “Everything we do is powered by technology.” In fact, in his Emerging Issues in Hospitality & Tourism course, Professor Starkov delves deeply into the convergence of tourism and tech. As a result of this interdisciplinary focus, students graduate with skills that are extremely attractive to employers—including Professor Starkov. NextGuest employs a number of Tisch Center alumni who, in just a few short years, have advanced to senior vice president, director, and senior manager positions. “Simply, if you want to be in hospitality, you must understand technology from an industry perspective. NYU puts students in the position to do that,” he says.

And Professor Starkov is not alone in his emphasis on using new cutting-edge methods. Nearly every hotel and tourism management course examines the increasing role of technology in hospitality—a reflection of what Professor Karaburun calls the drive to prepare students for the future. “Students need to know where the world is going,” he asserts. “That way, when they graduate, they’ll be comfortable planning for what will happen five years from now.”

Five Tisch Center Concentrations

Industry-specific concentrations include:

Event management: Focuses on planning, designing, producing, and marketing an array of conferences and special events

Hotel development: Teaches every aspect of a hotel’s creation—from market analysis through operations management

Marketing and revenue management: Explores the ins and outs of promoting a brand and strategically managing the revenue it generates

Organizations and operations: Demonstrates how to develop and implement successful operational structures for casinos, hotels, private clubs, and resorts

Tourism development: Shows how to maximize tourism prospects for exclusive destinations, sporting events, and special interest locations

Since joining NYU’s University Relations and Public Affairs Office of Marketing Communications, Nathan has been integral in helping the university strengthen its brand and share its value with the world. He enjoys uncovering and sharing the stories that hit audiences on a deeper level and guiding partners across the university toward more engaging and informative brand and storytelling experiences. Nathan has also worked as a teacher and academic counselor. He earned a BA in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and an MA in Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.

More from Nathan:

Health Equity at NYU

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NYU Tisch Monster Masks

During an annual Halloween event Professor Benevidas demonstrates special effects make up on volunteers. Watch one of his students as she creates special a look.

Major in Data Science—at NYU

In collaboration with the NYU College of Arts and Science, the Center for Data Science now offers a unique interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Data Science.

Nolan School of Hotel Administration at the SC Johnson College of Business

Discover the cornell nolan school:, the world’s premier school for hospitality business.

If you want to be the best, learn with the best. At the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, we’ve been pioneering, reimagining, and perfecting hospitality education for a century. We push boundaries in the pursuit of excellence and define the future of our industry. Our AACSB-accredited degree immerses you in a business education infused with the foundational knowledge of hospitality, services, and real estate. The Cornell Nolan School experience combines world-class classroom instruction with hands-on experiential learning and is the only Ivy League program of its kind. You’ll join the ranks of our proud Hotelie community, which includes foremost leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in one of the most exciting industries around the globe.

Announcements from the Nolan School

Check here for critical announcements from the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

Cornell Nolan School Celebrates A Century of Hospitality Leadership

The Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration announces a yearlong celebration to commemorate the 100th anniversary of it’s founding. Please join us as we enter a new century of impact and leadership.

CELEBRATE WITH US

$30 Million Gift Names Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate

A gift from Paul Rubacha ’72, MBA ’73, co-founder of one of the largest privately held industrial real estate investment companies in the U.S., will establish the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate . The $30 million commitment includes $25 million to name the new department and a $5 million challenge fund to incentivize additional philanthropy.

Read the Cornell Chronicle Article

Nolan School Ranked #1 by CEOWORLD Magazine

The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration was ranked the number one hotel management school by CEOWORLD Magazine in the publication’s list of  “Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools in the World for 2022.”

More on the award

Landmark Gift Establishes Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration

A historic $50 million gift from Peter Nolan ’80, MBA ’82, and Stephanie Nolan ’84 will establish the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

School Highlights

• 1922 year founded
• 1,000+ undergraduate and graduate students
• 15,000+ alumni worldwide

Why Study at the Nolan School?

Simply put, our school provides a world-class student experience — the most advanced and innovative of its kind. If you have intellectual curiosity, creativity, and a passion for service, we’ll help you develop the knowledge and skills to thrive and succeed in your career of choice. All powered by an unmatched alumni and industry-leader network. Ours is a special and close community. As our alumni like to say, once a Hotelie, always a Hotelie!

Why You Should Choose The Nolan School

What Our Students Say

“Transferring to SHA [Nolan School] was the best decision I have ever made as a student. SHA [Nolan School] is such a tight-knit and supportive community, classes are not just segmented to operations as many might assume from the outside. If you enjoy hospitality or even appreciate it, you will be able to find a path within the school that fits your personality and skills.” – Kassie Henderson ’22

“I really like how SHA [Nolan School] encourages independent work and exploration. I wasn’t sure what field I wanted to go into, but opportunities like HLDP, working at Statler, and the hands-on experience attached to the course work allowed me to explore different areas of the industry.” – Jenniviv Bansah ‘22

“Through the exposure to fields like finance, real estate, and development in my classes and clubs, I was able to unlock a different career interest. Having such a wide variety of opportunities for career and professional development has truly allowed me to explore so many fields that I had no knowledge of prior to Cornell.” – Kyra Roach ‘22

Alumni Highlights

Service Excellence in All They Do

Nolan School alumni are a powerful, global network of more than 15,000 Hotelies in every imaginable hospitality industry, united by their dedication to making a difference in others’ lives through service excellence. Whether they work in technology, real estate, food and beverage management, hotel management, or other fields in the business of hospitality, they are leading with innovation, emotional intelligence, and a passion for service.

Elizabeth Blau ’97

Biography for elizabeth blau ’97.

Recalling the impact of the Nolan School on her illustrious career in the hospitality industry, alumna Elizabeth Blau said, "SHA [Nolan School] truly changed the course of my professional career! The access to students, faculty, alumni and an extraordinary host of guest speakers is incomparable!"

Keith Barr ’92

Biography for keith barr ’92.

"My time at SHA [Nolan School] gave me a deep understanding of the hospitality industry that was underpinned by a comprehensive business curriculum and helped me form critical industry relationships," said Keith Barr, Nolan School alum and CEO of IHG Hotels and Resorts. "These factors combined to set me on the path to be a successful leader in business."

CHRISTINA HEGGIE ’10

Biography for christina heggie ’10.

Christina Heggie '10, is currently Global Partnerships Lead for Google Travel, she believes the Nolan School has impacted her entire career. "Attending the Hotel School [Nolan School] expanded my purview, jump started my career, and established my skill sets of communication, problem solving, and people management that I’ve used throughout life since," Heggie said.

Jess Petitt ’05

Biography for jess petitt ’05.

"The Hotel School [Nolan School] helped me build a connection between what matters most - the spirit of hospitality and taking care of fellow team members - and how I could make a difference by pursuing my strengths in understanding complex problems through data. Every year I come back to recruit that mix of passion and analytical rigor and am constantly impressed."

Gilda Perez-Alvarado ’02

Biography for gilda perez-alvarado ’02.

“The Nolan School taught me my craft and helped me develop my passion – global hospitality. My four years at Cornell were very impactful, but the impact extends beyond that: the friendships and network I made because of the school are incredibly invaluable.”

The Nolan School’s Industry-Leading Hospitality Business Programs

The Nolan School offers hospitality degrees and programs to fit any stage of your career, whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, or an executive professional seeking to sharpen your knowledge of a certain field or industry. Access Bachelor of Science, Master’s, PhD, and executive education custom and online program offerings below.

Undergraduate

Our signature Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration undergraduate AACSB-accredited degree offers a variety of hospitality management courses, including real estate, marketing, finance, operations, and more.

Your entrée into a fulfilling career in the world’s most exciting industry, our hotel administration degree is a rewarding, fully rounded student experience that melds classroom instruction with relevant hands-on experience to put your learning into practice. The full-time, residential program is conducted on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York.

Our unique, Ivy League master’s programs seamlessly tie a rigorous business education into the context of hospitality, accelerating your career in hospitality, and preparing you to become a leading force in the industry. The Nolan School’s master’s programs include a Master of Management in Hospitality , a Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate , and a Master of Science in Hotel Administration . Or, take your MS degree in Hotel Administration one step further with the PhD in Hotel Administration . The time requirements of these individual graduate degrees vary.

Executive Education

Experience Cornell excellence, with carefully focused content designed specifically for the global hospitality professional. Whether you want to study as an individual or sign up a team from your organization, we guide you through the process and ensure you find the perfect program for your unique needs.

To provide you with the highest level of convenience, we offer three modes of instruction. Choose classroom programs on Cornell’s campus, where you can network with industry peers and world-class Cornell faculty. Select online learning to study and network with peers from around the world. Or opt for custom programs to tailor content to your organization’s specific needs — you can study on the Cornell campus, or have our faculty teach at your facility.

Hear from Our Dean

“At the Nolan School, Hotelies find like-minded students who lift each other up, caring faculty who guide our students to discover their passions, and dedicated alumni who stand ready to open their doors. It’s a powerful close-knit community—unlike any other—and it’s why our students go on to become leaders shaping the future of global hospitality.” —Kate Walsh, Dean of the Nolan School

Nolan School Faculty: Expert Instructors, Practitioners, and Researchers

Nolan School faculty are distinguished industry specialists and thought leaders who focus directly on research that benefits the hospitality industry, whether it’s real estate, finance, services management, human resources, food and beverage management, or organizational behavior. Expert and caring instructors, they prepare students to be emotionally intelligent, culturally aware, skilled, and technologically proficient professionals dedicated to delivering service excellence.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FACULTY

Centers and Institutes for Industry Innovation

Designed to promote industry growth and enrich the educational curriculum, the Nolan School’s six centers and institutes provide exceptional opportunities for students to work directly with our corporate members via research and internships, putting their learning into practice: Center for Hospitality Research, Center for Real Estate and Finance, Cornell Center for Innovative Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations, Cornell Institute for Food and Beverage Management, Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures, Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Leadership.

EXPLORE The Nolan School’S CENTERS AND INSTITUTES

Nolan School News & Insights

AI Opens New Frontiers in Finance

Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform finance, according to experts at a conference hosted by the SC Johnson College of Business and the University of Oxford.

A Culture of Intrapreneurship: 3 Practices for Organizational Innovation

Nolan School and ILR School faculty experts share tactics organizations can use to integrate innovation throughout their operations.

Artificial Intelligence Could Soon Make Management Decisions

AI chatbots can help with customer service, financial transactions, and more. Soon business leaders will use AI to make management decisions.

Experience our Campus: The Nolan School’s Immersive Hospitality Experience in New York

Visit us or explore photos online to see how our school of hospitality can transform your life and set you on course to an exciting, rewarding career. Experience the culture of an Ivy League university and see how the Nolan School has pioneered education and innovation in hospitality, the world’s largest industry. Situated in the heart of the beautiful Cornell campus, the Nolan School is located among the hills and gorges of Ithaca, consistently named one of the best college towns in the US.

EXPLORE CAMPUS

Upcoming Events

View all Nolan School events

CREF: Contemporary Challenges in Affordable Housing: Addressing Current Issues with Innovative Solutions

Cihler – 18th annual hr in hospitality conference, cref: real estate professionals in residence (rep): baron ah moo ’93, see where the nolan school can take you: apply now.

Take the first step toward a rewarding, fulfilling career in the world’s largest and most versatile industry. Experience the Nolan School’s expert instruction, hands-on learning, outstanding student experience, challenging but caring faculty, and loyal Hotelie community. Add Cornell credentials and our century of shaping hospitality education, and you have the best start to your adventure in hospitality management.

APPLY TO UNDERGRAD           APPLY TO GRAD

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• MS in Travel and Tourism Management

Master's in Travel and Tourism Management

100% online, on-site, and hybrid study options.

One of the largest industries in the world, travel and tourism management has rapidly expanded in recent years. Post-pandemic travel will create a whole new range of opportunities and will require nuanced skill sets to meet pent-up consumer demand and changing industry standards. Beginning in Fall 2021, the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality will offer the NEW MS in Travel and Tourism Management , designed to provide students with a deep understanding of this fast-growing industry, while equipping them to adapt to emerging trends including sustainable tourism, cultural heritage tourism, and bleisure travel. This innovative degree will afford the benefits and resources of studying at NYU , while immersing you in New York City—the world’s premier destination for international travel.

Degree Advantage

• 36-credit program of study
• Prepares you for a range of travel and tourism jobs
• Core curriculum and electives focus on trends in travel and tourism, tourism planning, digital marketing, visitor management, travel technology, and destination branding 
• Internships at leading hotels, resorts, media companies, and travel agencies
• Study abroad opportunities and industry site visits
• Full- or part-time study options
• 100% online, on-site, and hybrid degree options available
• New Hospitality Innovation Hub for students, start ups, and industry partners
• Tisch Center Scholarships

VIEW FULL CURRICULUM AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS >

Explore graduate opportunities at nyu sps.

Join an upcoming online session to learn more about our graduate degree programs including the MS in Travel and Tourism Management. As an attendee of an Explore Graduate Opportunities at NYU SPS session, you will meet members of our team and have the opportunity to ask questions about the program and application process.

6:00 PM until 7:30 PM EDT  

Who Should Earn the MS in Travel and Tourism Management?

Whether you just earned your undergraduate degree, are working in another field and are thinking about career change or are already working in the travel and tourism industry, earning this degree will challenge you to discover new ways of thinking about destinations and how technology can support them. It will equip you with the skills needed to attract and retain visitor markets and manage tourism effectively and sustainably.

ALUMNI SUCCESS STORY

Maria tuttocuore ‘02.

Maria Tuttocuore was already working in the travel industry when she decided to pursue a master's degree. She sensed that earning a degree in the field of travel and tourism would better position her for success by providing her with hands-on experience in the field and the opportunity to network. During her time at the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, she completed two internships—one at Leading Hotels of the World and the other at the New York State Division of Tourism . She credits these two experiences with opening the doors to a job at the Monaco Government Tourist Office , where she was promoted to a senior executive sales & marketing position. Her experience in luxury travel and extensive knowledge in destination marketing and leisure trade led her into launching her own travel destination marketing and management company UNICA Journeys LLC based in New York City. Today she represents and consults a varied portfolio of international luxury travel companies.

Learn From Travel and Tourism Faculty Experts

Faculty members are respected experts in areas such as cultural tourism, sustainable tourism, corporate travel management, among other specialities. From working at tourist bureaus, to developing destination marketing campaigns, to managing attractions, their expertise is invaluable in providing insights into the latest travel and tourism trends. Their support and deep dedication is what makes earning a degree from the Tisch Center transformational.

Expand Your Horizons Through Study Abroad

A major advantage of the MS in Travel and Tourism is the opportunity to participate in Global Field Intensives (GFIs). These travel experiences provide international business perspective and attune students to changes in the industry, including the rise of sustainable tourism, which focuses on developing stellar travel and tourism experiences, while monitoring impacts on the environment and local residents. Recent GFIs include trips to: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Prague, and Berlin.

Connect Through Invaluable Networking Opportunities

The MS in Travel and Tourism Management provides unsurpassed networking opportunities through the annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference ; the Grossinger-Bergman Distinguished Lecturer Series, fireside chats with the likes of Roger Dow , president and CEO of the US Travel Association; and industry site visits. These enlightening opportunities make earning a Tisch Center degree a game-changing education and professional experience.

Internships and Job Opportunities

Through the Tisch Center of Hospitality and the NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development at NYU SPS , MS in Travel and Tourism Management students have the opportunity to complete internships that provide the hands-on experience needed to accelerate their careers. Many of these internships evolve into permanent jobs. Our graduates go on to careers at tourism bureaus, destination marketing firms, online travel agencies, and attractions, as well as other travel and tourism organizations including the following:

• Arena Destination Marketing • Dubai Tourism Authority • Myriad Travel Marketing • NYC & Company

• Skylark • Tourico Holidays • Visit Britain

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is travel and tourism management.

Travel and tourism management involves the coordination, planning, marketing, and delivery of travel services. Examples of travel and tourism organizations and entities include destinations, attractions, airlines, cruise lines, museums, cultural institutions, and travel and tourism related booking services. The tourism sector includes both leisure travel and business travel.

How does this degree differ from other travel and tourism degrees?

The MS in Travel and Tourism Management differs from other travel and tourism degrees due to its focus on business, technology, and entrepreneurship. The degree’s curriculum is delivered by academic scholars and business professionals. You will be able to immediately apply what you learn in the field of travel and tourism in New York City, the world’s top travel and tourism destination.

What can you do with a travel and tourism degree?

Earning a travel and tourism degree will allow you to begin or advance your career in the global tourism industry. It will prepare you for travel and tourism jobs and leadership roles in the public, private, and voluntary sector, including those with destination management organizations, online travel agents, tour operators, attractions, and transportation companies.

What types of travel and tourism jobs are available?

There are a multitude of travel and tourism jobs and career opportunities available, because the sector is so large and varied. Examples of travel and tourism employers include national and regional tourist offices, travel intermediaries, airlines, cruise lines, theme parks, travel technology companies, and nature tourism providers.

What are the advantages of earning a master's of travel and tourism management in NYC?

The advantage of earning your master’s degree in travel and tourism management in New York City is that you will be studying in one of the world’s leading travel and tourism destinations. New York City is a transportation hub, and is home to world-famous tourist attractions including the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the 911 Memorial & Museum, the High Line, and Broadway, among so many others. The City becomes your professional base for establishing your career in a destination that attracts millions of tourists each year.

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Our Polytechnic Advantage

B.s. hotel, restaurant & tourism management, make your reservation for industry leadership..

The Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management (HRTM) program is a leader at the forefront of hospitality education. Our approach goes beyond textbooks, blending established industry expertise with hands-on experience. Learn from globally recognized experts who bring cutting-edge practices right into the classroom. Our industry-ready approach begins on day one, providing you with a skill set that seamlessly combines exceptional service culture and essential business strategies.

Catered to the evolving needs of the hospitality industry, our dedicated program prepares you for long-term success. Our graduates don't just manage hotels, restaurants, and tourism ventures; they pioneer innovative solutions, redefining the very essence of extraordinary service, and elevating customer satisfaction and value to new heights. With us, you're not just prepared; you're poised for a remarkable career in the dynamic world of hospitality.

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The B.S. Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management program provides a specialized education and is accredited by the Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration .

Tradition Meets Innovation—A Curriculum Serving Up Success.

Founded in 1968, UW-Stout's hospitality programs have been shaping the industry's future leaders, setting benchmarks, and driving innovations in excellence for over 50 years. Our program's globally recognized curriculum is enriched by more than 100 partnerships with notable national and international hospitality businesses. Our alumni lead the way in hotels, resorts, restaurants, and across the tourism industry and support your education journey through industry partnerships, including those with internationally recognized names like Marriot Hotels International, Omni Hotels, Destination Kohler, Kalahari Resorts, Distinguished and Platinum private clubs, and Marcus Hotels & Resorts.

Our experienced faculty provides personalized guidance for success across diverse leadership roles, including:

• Hotel & Resort Operations
• Restaurant Operations Management
• Event & Conference Planning
• Luxury Management
• Private Club Management
• Vacation & Tourism Promotion

Program Overview

View program plans, credit requirements and course descriptions.

Learn from Experienced Experts.

Guided by accomplished instructors, our program bridges academia with industry realities, aligning your education with professional demands.

John Sobota

Program Director. REPM Ambassador, & Lecturer  439 Heritage Hall Call : 715-232-2336 Email: [email protected]

Experiential Learning at Every Level.

Education doesn’t only happen in the classroom in the Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism program – it happens when students experience the industry they are preparing for during their time at UW-Stout.

One of the defining features of our hotel, restaurant, and tourism program is the unique learning opportunities that students receive. Throughout your program, you will have an opportunity to live and breathe the hospitality industry through experts who visit campus from around the United States, industry site visits that include both day trips and overnight stays, and other active learning opportunities that let you learn from industry professionals away from the classroom environment.

Our depth of relationships with the industry allows you to have an experience that other programs aspire to reach.   With industry support, students experience some of the premier private clubs, resorts, and hotels throughout the Midwest and beyond.  

Industry Partnerships & Connections.

Our Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management program has more than 100 partnerships with notable national and international hospitality businesses—a network of hospitality professionals and alumni ready to hire HRTM graduates—ready to help ensure you experience the internships and co-ops that will distinguish your career.

Program graduates hold leadership positions with the following companies and others:

Recruiting Sites:

• Lettuce Entertain You
• Marcus Corporation
• Marriott Corporation
• The Bartolotta Restaurant Group
• Walt Disney World

Other Sites:

• Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
• Great Wolf Resorts
• Hilton Hotel Corporation
• Hormel Foods
• Hyatt Hotels Corporation
• JW Marriott
• Kalahari Hotels
• Kraft Foods
• Omni Hotels
• Radisson Hotels
• Ritz Carlton
• Sheraton Hotels
• Sysco Corporation

Future careers in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management offer dynamic opportunities in various sectors. Graduates can explore rewarding paths as Lodging Managers, Restaurant Managers, Entertainment Managers, and Event Managers, each role rich with potential for growth and leadership in the vibrant hospitality industry. Our program equips students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in these roles, as detailed in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupational outlook and data. Lodging Manager Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics Occupational Outlook Restaurant Manager Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics Occupational Outlook Entertainment Manager Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics Occupational Outlook Event Manager Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics Occupational Outlook

Internships & Co-ops—Where Classroom Knowledge Meets Career Skills. 

At UW-Stout, hands-on, real-world learning goes beyond the classroom. We take you to industry through site visits and immersive learning opportunities. Our program provides you with opportunities to dive into the industry and develop leadership skills through co-ops and internships. These experiences serve as your gateway to graduate into a successful career, not a job search. These experiences ensure you:

• Are ready on day one - you already know what is happening in industry.
• Develop career-ready skills while applying classroom lessons.
• Grow your professional network, at the regional, national, and international levels.
• Increase your employability upon graduation.

Affordable Paths to a Five-Star Career.

Don't let financial barriers stand in your way—our scholarships and articulation agreements make your dream career more accessible than ever. The HRTM Alumni Scholarship for New Students provides funding for first-year students, ProStart High School agreements allow you to get credit for classes and experiences you have had before coming to UW-Stout, and financial aid options are available from both the industry and the university to support your educational journey without weighing down your wallet. Start smart, and invest in your future today.

Alumni from our HRTM program have come together to establish this scholarship, honoring the legacy of Professor Philip H. McGuirk. If you're just starting out here as a freshman or a new student in the HRTM program, know that this award is specifically designed for you. It's an opportunity to propel you on your journey in hospitality leadership.     

The HRTM Alumni Scholarship for New Students is a $1,000 one-year, non-renewable scholarship.  Thirty scholarship awards are available for new entering students pursuing a major in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management. No additional scholarship application is required, you will be automatically eligible if you meet these criteria:

• Incoming first-year OR Transfer student, transferring from an accredited college
• Enrolled as a full-time, degree-seeking student for fall semester in the Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management program
• Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher from the most recent school attended
• Both on-campus and online/customized instruction students are eligible

For high school students considering our program, UW-Stout has established new articulation agreements with ProStart High School. These agreements offer a unique opportunity for current high school students, allowing them to earn "free" 12 credits in the HRTM program. This means you can get a head start on your hospitality management journey even before setting foot on our campus.

Additional HRTM Scholarships

There are numerous scholarships available for students majoring in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management. Eligibility requirements vary, but awards are available regardless of financial need. For consideration, you must submit a Stout University Foundation Scholarship application - with a single application, you'll be considered for every Foundation scholarship for which you qualify.

Application

To begin your on-campus or online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management, you need to  apply to UW-Stout.

Financial Aid

Students attending another institution who plan to earn their degree from UW-Stout, may be eligible for university aid. In these cases, UW‐Stout is considered the Home Institution and the other campus is considered the Visiting Institution.

Transfer Students

• Applying for Transfer
• Transferring Credits
• Articulation Agreements

Note : When filling out the application form, be sure to make a note in the student comment section that you intend to apply to the "online program." 

To be globally recognized for preparing future industry leaders through a contemporary, applied business of hospitality curriculum.

HRTM Student Learning Outcomes

The student learning objectives for the Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management program and approved by the University are:

1.    Grasp the scope and major components of the hospitality industry.  2.    Develop the unique characteristics needed to lead hospitality and other service-oriented industries.  3.    Apply fundamental management theories to the effective management of hospitality industry businesses.  4.    Explain current issues, trends, opportunities and unique challenges facing the hospitality industry. 5.    Demonstrate the fundamental management and leadership skills needed for career success within the hospitality industry.  6.    Identify the impacts that current, emerging and future trends have on effective hospitality operations.  

Industry Committee Members

Faculty committee members, student committee members.

Club Managers of American Association (CMAA) Club Management Association of America (CMAA),  is a professional student club  and one of the oldest student chapters in America. The club focuses on the private club industry and understanding the unique aspects and opportunities of this distinctive component of the hospitality industry. The goals of the student CMAA chapter is to help members become comfortable interacting with their peers and industry professionals, work on building members' resume and national network of contacts, provide professional development, identify internship opportunities around the country at some of the most prestigious clubs in America, obtain scholarships for their studies and for immersive leaving opportunities like the annual world conference, and traveling around the country to help students prepare for their career. Ultimately, the club’s education and resource focus to help students excel in today's ever-evolving industry.

HSMAI Overview Hospitality, Sales, and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry’s leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides marketing, sales and revenue optimization professionals with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue. The student chapter tours hospitality properties, conducts sales blitzes, as well as participates in events with our state and global HSMAI chapter, along with fundraising to attend the national Adrian Awards event.  

Two Degrees. One Bold Career Move.

Set yourself apart by excelling in not just one, but two fields. At UW-Stout, it's to combine your training in executive hospitality management with a solid foundation in business. Our seamless integration of hospitality and business programs allows you to earn a second degree in as few as 12 additional credits. This is more than a matter of degrees; it's a strategic investment to enhance your career potential .

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25 Best Colleges for Hospitality Management – 2024

April 23, 2024

If you aspire to one day manage a hotel, resort, casino, food service operation, or restaurant, then hospitality management is definitely the right undergraduate major for you. Along the way, you’ll take courses in subjects such as diversity, leisure theory, leadership and group dynamics, legal issues in recreation, foundations of tourism, event planning, program evaluation, and service marketing. Our list of the Best Colleges for Hospitality Management “serves up” stellar undergraduate opportunities for expert instruction, internships, and corporate networking. Elite programs like Cornell, Boston University, and NYU cater to upper-echelon applicants with extremely high GPAs and standardized test scores, but many other schools featured on our list are accessible to “B” students and still prepare graduates to find quality jobs in this exciting, constantly-growing field.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Hospitality Management Majors

Best Colleges for Hospitality Management Majors

Here’s a quick preview of the first ten hospitality management departments that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) Cornell University

2) Boston University

3) New York University

4) Florida State University

5) University of Central Florida

6) University of Nevada-Las Vegas

7) Pennsylvania State University

8) Michigan State University

9) University of Massachusetts-Amherst

10) George Washington University

All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the field of hospitality management and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best colleges for hospitality management, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—each school’s:

• Cost of Attendance
• Acceptance Rate
• Median  SAT
• Median  ACT
• Retention Rate
• Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

• Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
• Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.

Cornell University

Academic Highlights: A diverse array of academic programs includes 80 majors and 120 minors spread across the university’s seven schools/colleges. Classes are a bit larger at Cornell than at many other elite institutions. Still, 55% of sections have fewer than 20 students. Most degrees conferred in 2022 were in computer science (17%), engineering (13%), business (13%), and biology (13%). The SC Johnson College of Business houses two undergraduate schools, both of which have phenomenal reputations.

Professional Outcomes: Breaking down the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest school at Cornell, 68% entered the workforce, 28% entered graduate school, 1% pursued other endeavors such as travel or volunteer work, and the remaining 3% were still seeking employment six months after receiving their diplomas. The top sectors attracting campus-wide graduateswere financial services (18%), technology (17%), consulting (15%), and education (10%). Of the students from A&S going on to graduate school, 15% were pursuing JDs, 5% MDs, and 22% PhDs.

• Enrollment: 15,735
• Cost of Attendance: $88,150
• Median SAT: 1520
• Median ACT: 34
• Acceptance Rate: 7%
• Retention Rate: 97%
• Graduation Rate: 95%

Boston University

Academic Highlights: In total, the university offers more than 300 programs of study, 100+ of which are distinct undergraduate degrees spread across ten schools/colleges. Many classes at BU are reasonably small—60% contain fewer than twenty students; only 19% contain more than forty. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in social sciences (16%), business/marketing (15%), communications and journalism (15%), biology (11%), engineering (9%), and health professions/related sciences (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 90% of BU grads have found their way into the world of employment or full-time graduate study. Across all graduating years, companies employing more than 350 BU alums include Google, Oracle, Accenture, IBM, and Amazon Web Services. Of the one-quarter of grads who move directly into graduate school, many are welcomed onto the campuses of elite graduate programs. For example, engineering students found new academic homes at MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia.

• Enrollment: 18,459
• Cost of Attendance: $86,363
• Median SAT: 1430
• Median ACT: 32
• Acceptance Rate: 14%
• Retention Rate: 94%
• Graduation Rate: 89%

New York University

• New York, NY

Academic Highlights: NYU is divided into a number of smaller (but still quite large) colleges organized by discipline; in sum, there are 230 areas of undergraduate study across nine schools and colleges. For its size, a commendable 58% of classes have an enrollment under 20 students. While all schools within NYU have solid reputations, Stern holds the distinction as one of the top undergraduate business programs in the country. For those entering film, dance, drama, or other performing arts, Tisch is as prestigious a place as you can find to study.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of exiting, 94% of Class of 2022 grads had landed at their next destination, with 78% employed and 21% in graduate school. The top industries for employment were healthcare (11%), internet and software (9%), finance (8%), and entertainment (8%). Large numbers of alumni can be found at Google, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, IBM, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Amazon. The mean starting salary is $75,336. In 2022, business, arts and sciences, and law school were the most popular grad school destinations.

• Enrollment: 29,401 (undergraduate); 29,711 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $90,222-$96,172
• Acceptance Rate: 12%
• Retention Rate: 95%
• Graduation Rate: 87%

Florida State University

• Tallahassee, FL

Academic Highlights: A wide range of baccalaureate degrees—103 to be precise—are available at FSU. The student-to-faculty is a 17:1, which translates into somewhat larger class sizes. Ten percent of sections contain more than fifty students, and 4% have more than 100. However, that is balanced by the 66% of sections that contain fewer than twenty students. Twenty-three percent of degrees conferred fall under the business umbrella. The social sciences (15%), psychology (8%), biology (8%), and homeland security (6%) are next in popularity.

Professional Outcomes: Eighty-three percent of job-seeking Seminole grads receive at least one offer of employment within three months of graduation. The top five sectors employing 2022 grads are (in order) finance, technology, marketing, health, and engineering. Roughly one-third of 2022 Florida State grads elected to immediately pursue admission into an advanced degree program; 75% of those who apply receive at least one acceptance. A typical graduating class sees over 100 students accepted into medical schools and over 200 accepted into law schools.

• Enrollment: 32,936
• Cost of Attendance: $25,762 (In-State); $39,692 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1300
• Median ACT: 29
• Acceptance Rate: 25%
• Graduation Rate: 85%

University of Central Florida

• Orlando, FL

Academic Highlights:  With a very high 29:1 student-to-faculty ratio, classes at UCF are fairly large as 23% contain 50 or more students. There are 100+ undergraduate majors at this institution. The most popular majors are business (17%), health professions (15%), psychology (10%), engineering (9%), and the visual and performing arts (7%). The school ranks well for facilitating social mobility and overall value and the engineering, computer science, and nursing programs all rank well on a national level.

Professional Outcomes:  Over two-thirds of recent graduates obtained employment immediately after earning their bachelor’s degree; one-quarter head right to graduate school. The median starting salary is $47,000 and the most commonly entered industries are hospital/healthcare, education, hospitality services, engineering, technology, financial, accounting, and marketing. The most popular graduate degrees pursued were in the sciences, health professions, education, and medicine.

• Enrollment: 58,749
• Cost of Attendance: $24,244 (In-State); $39,269 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1270
• Median ACT: 27
• Acceptance Rate: 41%
• Retention Rate: 93%
• Graduation Rate: 76%

University of Nevada Las Vegas

• Las Vegas, NV

Academic Highlights:  UNLV allows undergraduates to choose from 76 majors and 70 minors, all with an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio. In total, 43% of course sections take place in a smaller setting capped at 19 students. The academic area attracting the most attention is business (23%), although psychology (9%), health professions and related programs (8%), the social sciences (7%), homeland security & law enforcement (7%), and the visual and performing arts (6%) are also quite popular.

Professional Outcomes:  Remaining in the Las Vegas Area after graduating is the most common move for UNLV alum, but sizable numbers also flock to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and Dallas. The companies employing the greatest number of alumni are the Clark County School District, MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Amazon, Wynn Las Vegas, the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, and Resorts World Las Vegas.

• Enrollment: 25,365
• Cost of Attendance: $26,591 (In-State); $47,351 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1120
• Median ACT: 21
• Acceptance Rate: 85%
• Retention Rate: 77%
• Graduation Rate: 47%

Pennsylvania State University — University Park

• State College, PA

Academic Highlights: Penn State offers 275 majors and a number of top-ranked programs in a host of disciplines. The College of Engineering is rated exceptionally well on a national scale and is also the most popular field of study, accounting for 15% of the degrees conferred. The Smeal College of Business is equally well-regarded, earning high rankings in everything from supply chain management to accounting to marketing. It attracts 15% of total degree-seekers. 61% of classes have an enrollment below thirty students.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation, 70% of Nittany Lions have found their next employment or graduate school home. 98% of College of Business grads are successful within three months of exiting, flocking in large numbers to stellar finance, accounting, consulting, and technology firms. Hundreds of alumni work at Citi, Salesforce, and Meta, and more than 500 currently work at each of IBM, Deloitte, PwC, Amazon, EY, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle. 75% of 2022 grads employed full-time earned starting salaries greater than $50k.

• Enrollment: 41,745 (undergraduate); 7,020 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $32,656 (in-state); $52,610 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 55%
• Retention Rate: 91%

Michigan State University

• East Lansing, MI

Academic Highlights: This highly regarded state institution boasts over 200 programs—undergraduate, graduate, and professional—across 17 degree-granting colleges. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio rates in the average range for public universities of MSU’s size and scope. Class sizes are a genuine mix of small seminars and giant lecture halls. 16% of the degrees conferred in 2022 were in the business/marketing category. The next most common degrees were earned in communication/journalism (12%), engineering (11%), and the social sciences (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of strutting across the graduation stage, 56% of Class of 2022 members had landed full-time employment, 27% were pursuing advanced degrees, and 6% were still looking for a job. The top employers of this group included big names like General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Deloitte, Epic Systems, Target, PepsiCo, and Microsoft. The median starting salary earned was $60,000. Among the grads schools favored by recent alumni are the University of Michigan, New York University, Columbia University, and Boston University.

• Enrollment: 39,201
• Cost of Attendance: $27,805 (In-State); $55,189 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1220
• Acceptance Rate:
• Retention Rate: 89%
• Graduation Rate: 82%

University of Massachusetts Amherst

• Amherst, MA

Academic Highlights: 110 majors are offered across eight undergraduate colleges, including the highly ranked Isenberg School of Management. Programs in sports management, architecture, computer science, and nursing are top-rated. Of all degrees conferred in 2022, business/marketing diplomas accounted for 14%, followed by biology (11%), social sciences (10%), psychology (8%), health professions (7%), engineering (7%), and computer science (7%). 47% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students, and 30% engage in undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 65% of newly minted 2022 grads were employed full-time and 26% were attending graduate school part-time. The most populated industries are health/medical professions (13%), internet & software (10%), biotech & life sciences (4%), and higher education (4%). Companies presently employing 100+ Minutemen and Minutewomen include Oracle, Mass Mutual, Amazon, IBM, Google, Intel, Microsoft, PwC, Wayfair, and Apple. Boston is the most popular landing spot for graduates.

• Enrollment: 23,936 (undergraduate); 7,874 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $37,219 (in-state); $59,896 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1380
• Median ACT: 31
• Acceptance Rate: 58%
• Graduation Rate: 83%

George Washington University

• Washington, D.C.

Academic Highlights: GW undergraduates choose from 75+ majors spread across nine colleges. The school’s 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio translates to a mix of small, medium, and large undergraduate sections. Twelve percent of courses have single-digit enrollments, 10% have over 50 students, and the majority fall in the 10 to 29 range. The social sciences (31%) are the area in which the greatest number of degrees are awarded followed by health professions (17%), business (15%), biology (5%), and computer science (5%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving GW, 96% of the Class of 2022 had found their way to gainful employment or graduate school while 4% were still job hunting. Of the 68% of grads already in the workplace, 68% were in a for-profit industry, 25% had entered a nonprofit position, and 8% were working in government. A healthy 27% of those earning their diplomas in 2022 immediately turned their attention to earning an advanced degree. Among that group were 76% seeking master’s degrees, 11% entering law school, 5% pursuing a medical degree, and 3% entering a doctoral program.

• Enrollment: 11,482
• Cost of Attendance: $85,740
• Median SAT: 1410
• Acceptance Rate: 49%
• Retention Rate: 90%

Purdue University — West Lafayette

• West Lafayette, IN

Academic Highlights: Purdue offers over 200 majors at ten discipline-specific colleges, and 38% of course sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer. Engineering and engineering technologies majors earn 34% of the degrees conferred by the university; the College of Engineering cracks the top ten on almost every list of best engineering schools. The Krannert School of Management is also well-regarded by employers; 11% of degrees conferred are in business. Other popular majors include computer science (10%) and agriculture (5%)—both are incredibly strong.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after receiving their diplomas, 70% of 2022 grads headed to the world of employment while 24% headed to graduate/professional school. The top industries entered by grads in recent years are (1) health care, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices; (2) finance, insurance, and consulting; (3) manufacturing and machinery; (4) airline, aviation, and aerospace. Companies employing the greatest number of recent alumni were Amazon, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Labcorp, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft. The average starting salary was $68k across all degree programs.

• Enrollment: 37,949 (undergraduate); 12,935 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $22,812 (in-state); $41,614 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1330
• Acceptance Rate: 53%
• Graduation Rate: 84%

University of Houston

• Houston, TX

Academic Highlights: Nearly 100 undergraduate majors are offered across 11 different colleges. Programs within the College of Business and College of Engineering are particularly strong, especially petroleum engineering, entrepreneurship, and marketing. The most degrees are conferred in business/management/marketing (28%), psychology (7%), computer science (7%), engineering (7%), biological sciences (7%), and social sciences (6%). 34% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students, and

Professional Outcomes: By graduation day, 29% of recent grads had already accepted a full-time position and 11% had been accepted to graduate school. For those who entered the workforce, top employers were Houston ISD (as well as several other school systems), JPMorgan Chase, Houston Methodist, and Walgreens. Of those continuing their education, the highest percentage stayed at the University of Houston followed by the University of Texas, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M, Texas Woman’s University, and Rice.

• Enrollment: 37,946 (undergraduate); 8,730 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $24,268 (in-state); $39,868 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1230
• Median ACT: 25
• Acceptance Rate: 70%
• Retention Rate: 87%
• Graduation Rate: 65%

Texas A&M University — College Station

• College Station, TX

Academic Highlights: With nineteen schools and colleges and 130+ undergraduate degree programs, Texas A&M is a massive operation. As the name implies, there is a heavy emphasis on agriculture, engineering, and business, which all place well in national rankings and garner deep respect from major corporations and graduate/professional schools. Class sizes trend large, but 24% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students and personal connections with professors are entirely possible, particularly through the research-oriented LAUNCH program.

Professional Outcomes: On graduation day, 54% of students had already received at least one job offer and 22% were heading to graduate/professional school. Many Aggies go on to work at major oil, tech, and consulting firms; more than 500 are employed at each of ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Chevron, EY, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, Accenture, and PWC. Starting salaries were strong—on average, College of Engineering grads made $80k and College of Agriculture & Life Sciences grads netted $54k. A&M is also the eighth-largest producer of law students in the entire country.

• Enrollment: 57,512 (undergraduate); 16,502 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $31,058 (in-state); $59,336 (out-of-state)
• Median ACT: 28
• Acceptance Rate: 63%

University of South Carolina

• Columbia, SC

Academic Highlights: UofSC is a massive enterprise, with 16 colleges/schools within the larger university. Even so, 70% of all sections contain 29 or fewer students. 32% of students take the opportunity to earn a degree in the business/marketing realm from the superb Darla Moore School of Business. The international business program is also top-ranked. Other popular disciplines include health services (11%), biology (10%), engineering (6%), and communication and journalism (6%).  The South Carolina Honors College is extremely hard to get into and is one of the finest in the entire country.

Professional Outcomes: 79% of recent grads landed at their next destination within six months with an average starting salary of over $55,000. Within the School of Business, 87% of 2023 grads were employed within three months and the average starting salary was $69k. Top employers of recent classes included KPMG, IBM, Aramark, Bank of America, Vanguard, PwC, and Marriot. The majority of those continuing their studies in a graduate/professional degree program did so at the University of South Carolina; other popular landing spots are Duke and Wake Forest.

• Enrollment: 27,343 (undergraduate); 8,310 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $38,696 (in-state); $60,942 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1280
• Acceptance Rate: 64%
• Graduation Rate: 78%

University of Delaware

Academic Highlights: The University of Delaware offers 150 bachelor’s degree programs. Nearly one-third of students pursue a degree in either business (21%) or engineering (9%), two of the school’s highest-ranked departments. Nursing is popular, with 11% of degrees conferred being in the health professions. Other frequently pursued majors include the social sciences (10%), biology (7%), and education (5%). 62% of courses enroll fewer than 30 students. The university also has the oldest study abroad program in the nation, with 30% of undergrads participating.

Professional Outcomes: 94% of Class of 2022 grads quickly found their next destination. 66% were employed, with 74% taking jobs at for-profit companies, 16% at nonprofits, 7% in K-12 education, and 4% with a government entity. The greatest number of newly minted alums were hired by JPMorgan Chase & Co., KPMG, EY, ChristianaCare, and Deloitte. The median starting salary for this cohort was $62,000. 28% immediately pursued an advanced degree, with 62% entering master’s programs, 20% entering a professional program, and 9% beginning a PhD.

• Enrollment: 18,066 (undergraduate); 4,557 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $33,718 (undergraduate); $57,358 (graduate)
• Acceptance Rate: 72%

Florida International University

Academic Highlights: Florida International offers 120 undergraduate degree programs across eight different colleges, from business, engineering, and architecture to hospitality & tourism management. The international business program is especially well-regarded and nationally ranked. Popularity-wise, the most degrees are conferred in business/management/marketing (24%), psychology (13%), multi/interdisciplinary studies (10%), biological sciences (7%), and the social sciences (7%). 37% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Those who graduated in 2024 had largely positive outcomes, with 62% employed, 12% pursuing a volunteer activity, 6% taking additional coursework, and 2% joining the military. Across all majors over the past five years, the most alumni have go on to work in the following sectors: operations, education, healthcare services, sales, administrative, business development, and community and social services. Top employers include Florida International University, Baptist Health, Miami-Dade Public Schools, Amazon, and Apple.

• Enrollment: 44,045 (undergraduate); 10,040 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $26,016 (in-state); $38,414 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1150
• Median ACT: 23
• Acceptance Rate: 59%
• Retention Rate: 92%
• Graduation Rate: 70%

James Madison University

• Harrisonburg, VA

Academic Highlights: JMU offers 75+ undergraduate degrees to a very happy student population; surveyed undergrads report a stunning 93% satisfaction rate. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio does not fully capture how generally modest class sizes tend to be at the university. Thirty-seven percent of sections enroll fewer than 19 students and the average class size is 25 students. 19% of all degrees awarded are in nursing. Next in popularity are business/marketing (15%), communication/journalism (9%), and the social sciences (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of 2022 grads had obtained full-time employment, 22% were continuing their education, and 4% were still figuring out their next step. More than 25 recent grads were hired by each of KPMG and Deloitte. Dukes found employment at 1,610 organizations around the world and the average starting salary was $57,615. Among the almost one-quarter of recent grads who matriculated directly into a graduate school program, the most popular location was JMU itself.

• Enrollment: 20,346
• Cost of Attendance: $32,248 (In-State); $49,482 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1240
• Median ACT: 26
• Acceptance Rate: 78%
• Graduation Rate: 81%

Washington State University

• Pullman, WA

Academic Highlights: At WSU, students can choose from 95 majors, 86 minors, and more than 100 in-major specializations and also enjoy a stellar 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. That level of support leads to 35% of courses enrolling 19 or fewer students versus 19% that enroll 50 or more. 21% of all degrees in 2022 were conferred in the area of business/marketing. Also popular were engineering (10%), the social sciences (10%), biology (9%), and psychology (8%).

Professional Outcomes:  Graduates of WSU tend to concentrate in Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The greatest number of alumni are presently employed by Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, SEL, Starbucks, Amazon Web Services, T-Mobile, Google, Nike, Meta, and CBRE. Many students who enroll immediately in an advanced degree program do so at Washington State itself. They offer 140 graduate programs and certificates.

• Enrollment: 22,612
• Cost of Attendance: $29,944 (In-State); $45,628 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1140
• Acceptance Rate: 83%
• Retention Rate: 81%
• Graduation Rate: 62%

Cal Poly – Pomona

Academic Highlights:  Cal Poly Pomona is a massive institution with 1,076 faculty members at over 25,000 undergraduate students. The average size for an undergraduate class section is 32 students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 25:1. While a polytechnic institute, the most commonly conferred degree in 2022 was actually business (29%). Next up are engineering (18%), the social sciences (9%), science technologies (6%), and agriculture (4%).

Professional Outcomes:  An excellent 91% of the Class of 2023 had already achieved positive outcomes within six months of leaving campus. The employers locking down the largest number of recent Cal Poly Pomona grads were Accenture, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bloomberg, DraftKings, Meta, Morgan Stanley, NIH, Nike, PwC, and Tesla Motors. The graduate destinations of Class of 2023 members included Harvard, Brown, Duke, Stanford, Oxford, Yale, USC, UPenn, and Georgia Tech.

• Enrollment: 25,181
• Cost of Attendance: $29,226 (In-State); $41,406 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: N/A
• Median ACT: N/A
• Graduation Rate: 66%

University of Denver

Academic Highlights : There are 200 total degree programs at the University of Denver, with small class sizes being the norm as 55% of sections contain no more than 19 students, and 80% enroll a maximum of 29 individuals. The Daniels College of Business is highly respected by employers and attracts the greatest number of undergraduates. 32% of the degrees conferred in 2022 were in business/marketing, 16% were in the social sciences, 9% in biology, 9% in psychology, 8% in communication/journalism, and 7% in the visual and performing arts.

Professional Outcomes: 90% of 2022 Pioneer grads successfully entered the world of employment or graduate school within six months of earning their bachelor’s degree. 59% were employed full-time with a mean starting salary of $62k. Top employers included KPMG, Brown Brothers Harriman, Lockheed Martin, Epic, and Oracle. Other corporations employing 70 or more DU alums include CenturyLink, Charles Schwab, Comcast, Deloitte, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. 27% of 2022 graduates elected to continue their education in a graduate program.

• Enrollment: 6,160 (undergraduate); 7,583 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $80,614
• Median SAT: 1310
• Median ACT: 30
• Retention Rate: 88%
• Graduation Rate: 77%

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Blacksburg, VA

Academic Highlights : Eight undergraduate colleges that offer 110+ distinct bachelor’s degrees are housed within Virginia Tech. 33% of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 21% of recent graduates report participating in some type of undergraduate research experience. Engineering is the area where the greatest number of degrees are conferred (23%), but business (20%) is a close second. Both disciplines are among the most respected at Tech, along with computer science. Other popular majors include the family and consumer sciences (8%), social sciences (8%), biology (8%), and agriculture (4%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 56% of the Class of 2022 were employed and 18% were in graduate school. One recent class sent large numbers to major corporations that included Deloitte (67), KPMG (44), Lockheed Martin (39), Capital One (30), EY (28), Booz Allen Hamilton (18), and Northrop Grumman (12). The median salary for 2022 graduates was $67,000. Among recent grads who decided to pursue an advanced degree, the greatest number stayed at VT, while others enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, William & Mary, Columbia, Duke, and Georgia Tech.

• Enrollment: 30,434 (undergraduate); 7,736 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $37,252 (in-state); $58,750 (out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 57%

The Ohio State University — Columbus

• Columbus, OH

Academic Highlights: There are 200+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. Business sees the greatest percentage of degrees conferred at 18% followed by engineering (15%), health professions (10%), and the social sciences (9%). It makes sense that so many flock to the business and engineering schools as they are among the highest-rated undergraduate programs in their respective disciplines. 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and approximately 20% of students gain research experience.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 56% of Class of 2022 graduates were entering the world of employment while 17% were already accepted into graduate or professional school.  Hordes of Buckeyes can be found at many of the nation’s leading companies. More than 2,000 alumni work for JPMorgan Chase, more than 1,000 are employed by Amazon, and more than 600 work for Google and Microsoft. Of the grads who directly matriculate into graduate or professional school, many continue in one of OSU’s own programs.

• Enrollment: 45,728 (undergraduate); 14,318 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $27,241 (in-state); $52,747 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1340-1450
• Median ACT: 29-32
• Graduation Rate: 88%

College of Charleston

• Charleston, SC

Academic Highlights : Undergrads can choose from 67 majors, 81 minors, and 4 certificates across seven schools: the School of the Arts, the School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Health Sciences, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs, and the School of Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering. By degrees conferred, popular majors include speech communication/rhetoric (8%), psychology (8%), biological sciences (8%), and business (7%). 38% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 78% of the Class of 2022 was employed and 18% were attending graduate/professional school. 5% were volunteering, serving in the military, or pursuing a paid internship. Of those employed, popular sectors included science, technology, engineering, and math; health services; and marketing/sales. Top employers for alumni who exited in the past five years include the College of Charleston itself, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston County School District, and Booz Allen Hamilton.

• Enrollment: 10,660 (undergraduate); 1,069 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $33,007 (in-state); $58,119 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1210
• Retention Rate: 82%

Iowa State University

Academic Highlights:  With more than 100 majors available across six undergraduate colleges, Iowa State has no shortage of academic pathways to explore. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1, yet, courses are a mix of large and small. 31% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students and 22% enroll more than 50. In terms of sheer popularity, engineering wins the day accounting for 23% of degrees earned in 2022. Business (18%), agricultural fields (10%), biology (5%), and education (5%) also see high volume.

Professional Outcomes: Graduates of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are employed in fairly large numbers by the likes of John Deere, Principal Financial Group, and Amazon. Overall, the most alumni work for Wells Fargo, Bayer, Corteva Agriscience, Collins Aerospace, Cargill, and Microsoft. Most remain in Iowa after graduation but many also move to Minnesota, Chicago, California, or Texas. The average starting salary for an engineering grad was $74,716 in 2023.

• Enrollment: 25,241
• Cost of Attendance: $24,204 (In-State); $41,390 (Out-of-State)
• Median ACT: 24
• Acceptance Rate: 90%
• Retention Rate: 86%
• Graduation Rate: 74%

Temple University

• Philadelphia, PA

Academic Highlights: Temple offers 100 undergraduate programs, including those at the well-regarded Fox School of Business. Other programs with strong national reputations include criminal justice, public health, and kinesiology. The most undergraduate degrees are conferred in business (22%) followed by communication/journalism and health professions (tied at 11%), the visual and performing arts (8%), biology (7%), psychology (6%), and computer science (5%). 42% of classes have an enrollment of 19 or fewer students, and 71% contain no more than 29 undergraduates.

Professional Outcomes: 51% of recent grads quickly secured employment and another 18% were enrolled in graduate school. Hundreds of Owl alumni can be found at big-time companies such as Merck, Comcast, Vanguard, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, and Bristol Myers Squib. Within six months of graduating, 91% of Fox School of Business 2021 graduates were employed or had started their own businesses. The median salary for all graduates of that school was $57,000.

• Enrollment: 24,106 (undergraduate); 9,124 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $41,828-$46,866 (in-state); $56,092-$65,618 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1245
• Acceptance Rate: 80%
• Retention Rate: 84%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Hospitality Managament to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including:

• AP Score Calculators 
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• Best Summer Programs 
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• Best Colleges by Major

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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Hospitality and Tourism Management

Prepare for a fast-paced career

SRU readies students for a dynamic careers

Find your dream job

Train for a career working in hotels, resorts, and cruise lines

Experience new adventures

Slippery Rock graduates work in unique settings around the world

Slippery Rock University’s Hospitality and Tourism Management (HATM) program prepares students for exciting careers in hotels, resorts, casinos, parks, and much more. Through practical experiences, HATM majors gain crucial skills that can’t be learned through traditional lectures. They also develop the knowledge and field experience to meet the demands of this fast-paced, exciting field.

Through organizations such as the Hospitality and Tourism Student Society, students can network and meet others who have the same passion for management. HATM majors are also partnered with advisors to help them succeed at SRU and after graduation.

Why Major in Hospitality and Tourism Management?

Studying for a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management teaches you how to lead, program, plan, administer, and manage hospitality and tourism programs while developing hospitality and guest relations skills. These proficiencies are beneficial in any role of hospitality, but for a career path that focuses on management and customer service, these are indispensable in both finding a job and advancing in the industry.

What Will You Learn?

HATM students begin with introductory classes such as Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry and eventually advance to higher-level courses. Administration for Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism, for example, focuses on the business and financial aspect of hospitality. The program culminates with a 12-week internship at a hospitality or tourism-related agency. Internships are available at resorts, hotels, cruise lines, and community/municipal recreation centers.

Careers In Hospitality and Tourism Management

Working in the hotel, tourism, or recreation industry is exciting and potentially financially rewarding, as well. Whether you’re managing a team at a hotel or answering a customer’s questions about a cruise, you’ll be able to make a positive impact on someone’s experience. Our graduates work in a variety of agencies, including:

• Amusement/theme parks
• Country clubs
• Cruise lines
• Destination campground
• Gated communities
• Public Recreation agencies
• Ski and golf resorts
• Visitor and convention bureaus

You’ll be even more prepared for these careers by earning your degree at Slippery Rock. Our focus on career readiness is evident by our 90-100 percent job placement record after graduation. SRU graduates have worked locally in Pennsylvania and across the country in Florida, Oregon, and beyond.

Earn your Hospitality and Tourism Management Degree at SRU!

Slippery Rock University’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program provides internship experience, a proven curriculum, and endless career possibilities. Interested in learning more? Request more information today !

Related Programs

Minor in Business Administration : The business skills you'll learn in the minor assist you in the day-to-day operations of your job.

Contact Information

Hospitality and Tourism Management 724.738.4915 [email protected]

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Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Hospitality Management

Hospitality Management

What You Will Learn

Are you looking for a degree program that provides you with hands-on dining room, food and beverage management, and service experience? Then consider enrolling in the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Hospitality Management program. This popular program is de signed for degree-seekers wanting to learn the academic and practical training needed for future management positions.

If you are an aspiring professional already employed within the hospitality industry, come to CCM to elevate your skillset even higher and become more marketable to leading employers or venture to launch your own business.

Our Hospitality Management program features an impressive 39-credit Hospitality and Business core with courses in An Introduction To Food, Food Management, Food Production, Introduction To Hospitality Industry, Accounting For Hospitality, Human Resource Management In The Hospitality Industry, and Food And Beverage Purchasing and Cost Controls, plus a capstone and choice of restricted electives or an internship is required.

Restricted electives include an Introduction to Business, Principals of Marketing, Marketing and Event Planning, and Hotel Operations. A 45–100-hour internship provides additional hands-on experience and rounds out your curriculum at CCM.

Download a Curriculum Checksheet

Select your starting term

Careers in the Field

An associate degree in hospitality management is a perfect starting point for the following career pathways:

• Food service operation management including restaurants, banquet halls, cafeterias and other food establishments
• Lodging management including luxury, casino, convention, allsuite and resort hotels
• Menu preparation
• Recreation and leisure, entertainment, attractions, and special events management
• Sales and marketing in the food service field
• Senior living services, health care and retirement community management
• Supply ordering and accounting
• Travel and tourism
• The support infrastructure of the hospitality industry which includes human resources, accounting, purchasing, physical plant maintenance, sales and marketing, and property management Upon completion of the associate degree from CCM, you may transfer to a four-year institution to further your education and achieve an advanced degree in hospitality management or other studies. CCM Transfer Services is here to help you with this process.

Why Study Hospitality Management at CCM?

• Recognized as a Top 10 Best Culinary School in New Jersey and a Top 20 Best Culinary School on the East Coast by Best Choice Schools.
• The Teaching Kitchen and Dining Room at CCM is your learning lab and one of the best in the area. It features individual workstations to provide a multitude of state-of-the-art learning experiences.
• Our faculty are well-trained and knowledgeable in their respective area, and share their current and past career experiences, allowing you to develop and refine your skills and be prepared for the challenges of the industry.
• Gain practical, hands-on instruction in food and beverage management, as well as the customer service experience.
• The department has a wide range of impressive credentials and institutional memberships:

– National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

– International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education

– American Culinary Federation

– Chaine des Rôtisseurs

• As of 2023, the college anticipates breaking ground on campus for the new Center for Entrepreneurship and Culinary Science (CECS) to provide more innovative learning spaces.
• CECS will also be home to the new Culinary and Hospitality Arts Institute of New Jersey (CHAI-NJ). The institute will focus on training executive chefs for the region’s many restaurants and provide a pipeline of qualified and well-educated employees.
• Meet and connect with fellow like-minded students. Be a part of a community that also offers a plethora of campus life excitement and opportunity!
• As part of its service-learning projects, the department manages Titans Table — the food insecurity program at CCM. This project provides groceries and snacks to students and employees in need. All students are encouraged to volunteer with our department at the Interfaith Food Pantry to help serve the community!

Paying For Your Hospitality Management Education

Earning an associate degree in hospitality management is a powerful investment that is a springboard to both increased earnings and job satisfaction. But what is the upfront cost and how do you afford it?

There’s good news: Money is available to help you pay for school!

The following scholarships are available:

• ABG (Alpha Beta Gamma) Business Honor Society Scholarship ( https://abg.org/awards.asp )
• FDU Scholarship
• John and Mary Linda Scholarship
• Michael Marino, Sr. Scholarship
• NJSCPA Hospitality Scholarship
• NRAEF ManageFirst Program Scholarship

Our Financial Aid staff can also provide lots of information about the process of finding funds to help pay for your CCM education.

Featured Courses

Introduction to the Hospitality Industry

A survey course of the Hospitality Industry which provides students with an overview of the role of management within the profession. The four primary areas of the Hospitality Industry (food services, accommodations, recreation, and entertainment sectors) are all introduced. Also studied are basic concepts of event planning, ownership, human resources, marketing, cost controls, facilities management, and customer service.

Food and Beverage Purchasing and Cost Controls

A more advanced course dealing with the concepts of selection and procurement in the hospitality industry. Special emphasis is given to food cost, the purchasing function, procurement and inventory controls. In addition, forecasting, budgeting, cash management, and profit and loss statements also are studied. Included in the course is the opportunity to receive one NRAEF certificate (Inventory and Purchasing) towards the Manage First Certification.

Principles of Travel and Tourism

Principles of travel and tourism offer Hospitality Management majors, other students, and aspiring travel and tourism professionals a comprehensive overview of the principles, practices and philosophies of this interdisciplinary segment of the hospitality industry. Major concepts, including the economics, history, career opportunities, global perspective, worldwide organizations, modes of travel and related services, providers and destination pursuits, are studied.

Hospitality Management – Spanish

Your Hospitality Management Faculty Advisor

Mark Cosgrove Professor

Email: [email protected]

Office: Student Center-SCC241A

Office hours: M 10:30-11:30am T/W/TH/F 10:30-11:00am

Phone: 973-328-5652

Specialization: Department Chair

Department: Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts

What's Happening?

Take CCM with you this summer

CCM President Anthony J. Iacono Named an Influencer in Higher Education by ROI-NJ

CCM Student Artwork Honored with Public Exhibit 

Culinary & Hospitality Arts Institute of New Jersey (CHAI-NJ)

Mark Cosgrove | Department Chairperson

973-328-5652

Roberta McGrath | P/T Office Assistant

973-328-5629

Emily Macrae | Hosp. Mgmt. Lab Coordinator

973-328-5609

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Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism

6 Degree Options

Our unique programs focus on engaging students in integrated teaching, research, and outreach programs to create skillful leaders in the field. Graduates are prepared for careers in this leading and quickly evolving industry.

Expanding Internship Areas

This department prioritizes the human experience in novel and transformative spaces, connecting people to places, and enhancing understandings of humans and the places they visit. Our internships include locations in Texas and around the world.

300+ Enrolled Students

We embrace a modern experience within the life sciences and agriculture, exploring new places and experiences – bringing together expertise from across the College and spanning social science, management and life sciences.

New department name, same foundation.

Building upon our proud 57-year history as the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, we will continue to prioritize the study of how people connect with the places and spaces around them. We are ideally placed to expand our scientifically-based approach to creating enhanced hospitality experiences.  

We have a strong foundation to expand our educational mission into hospitality, with experiential learning at the heart of our approach.  

Brian King, Ph.D. Department Head

New Name, Same Foundations

Hospitality, hotel management and tourism welcome video.

Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism News

Texas A&M students let their imaginations roam free during Disney Week

A group of students from the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recently gained valuable insights on the hospitality industry from one of the world’s most iconic brands.

Hospitality expert with international teaching experience brings entrepreneurial perspective to students

An expert with wide-ranging hospitality, international teaching and entrepreneurial experience, Wen Chang, Ph.D., has joined the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism as an assistant professor.   

Read more news on AgriLife Today…

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Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management ranked in world’s top 1% by QS World University Rankings

Program moves two spots to #6 in the U.S. in hospitality & tourism education

By Ivonne Yee-Amor

April 23, 2024 at 11:16am

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Today’s front page, Sunday, April 21, 2024

Alarming rise of hotel rates threatens growth of PHL tourism industry

• BusinessMirror Editorial
• April 22, 2024
• 3 minute read

The high cost of travel and accommodation in the Philippines has been a long-standing concern for domestic tourists, destination management companies, and lawmakers. The situation has reached a point where many people now prefer to travel abroad, where they can get more value for their money. The issue is not limited to expensive domestic airfare; even hotels, especially those in Metro Manila, have significantly raised their room rates, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Unfortunately, this trend is projected to continue in the medium term, posing a serious threat to the government’s goal of attracting 12 million international arrivals by 2028. (Read the BusinessMirror story:  ‘Keys Muna’: Imminent hotel room shortage—and resulting higher room rates—could derail PHL’s ambition to lure more visitors, April 20, 2024).

According to a recent briefing by Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC), there is an impending hotel shortage in the country. Only 87 properties are in the pipeline from 2025 to 2028, adding a mere 25,000 hotel rooms to the supply. This means that by 2028, there will be a total of 308,000 hotel rooms available. To achieve the target of 12 million inbound tourists by 2028, there needs to be an annual growth rate of approximately 10 percent. However, the growth in hotel keys during the same period is expected to be less than one percent, significantly limiting the country’s ability to reach its tourism goals. As a result, room rates and occupancy rates will undoubtedly increase, making travel more expensive for both locals and foreigners.

The majority of the new hotels (40 percent) are concentrated in Metro Manila, with the rest distributed among popular destinations such as Cebu, Boracay, Davao, and Palawan. While this development is promising, it may not be sufficient to meet the growing demand for accommodations. Furthermore, factors such as a high inflation rates and the cost of funding pose significant challenges to hotel development. High inflation rates make borrowing and financing more difficult, hindering the construction of new hotels.

The pandemic has also played a role in delaying hotel constructions. Many ongoing projects were halted, leading to a shortage in available rooms. Additionally, the current cost of funding, as reflected in lending rates, further contributes to the impending hotel shortage.

Inflationary pressures are expected to drive the average daily rates (ADR) of hotels to continue rising, outpacing occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR). While ADR typically lags behind occupancy growth, hotels have been focusing on increasing rates to offset higher operating costs driven by inflation. Luxury hotels in Metro Manila have already experienced significant ADR growth, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This trend, coupled with the slow return of international travelers and rising operational costs, has made it challenging for hotels to generate profits.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has projected inbound arrivals to reach 11.5 million and domestic trips to reach 137.5 million by 2028. However, the current National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) lacks a clear identification of the number of hotels needed to accommodate these projected numbers. To address this, the DOT is working with the Philippine Hotel Owners Association to develop a strategic action plan for the hotel industry. The plan aims to identify incentives for hotel investments, required facilities, and suitable locations for construction.

It is crucial for the government and relevant stakeholders to address the rising cost of vacationing in the Philippines to ensure sustainable tourism growth. Efforts should be made to encourage the construction of more hotels, especially in popular tourist destinations beyond Metro Manila. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses the challenges faced by the hotel industry, such as inflationary pressures and high funding costs. Additionally, exploring measures to promote competitive pricing, improve infrastructure, and enhance the overall tourism experience can help attract both domestic and international travelers.

The Philippines has immense potential as a tourist destination, offering diverse attractions and natural beauty. However, the stakes are high, as a shortage of affordable, quality accommodations could severely constrain the growth of the tourism industry—a critical driver of economic development, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings. Decisive action is needed now to avert this looming crisis and unlock the full potential of the Philippines as a premier travel destination.

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Creating connections through arts and culture

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Editorial Cartoon April 19, 2024

Addressing the delayed pandemic compensation for our health workers.

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Non-deployment as basis for total and permanent disability benefits

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