Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management

Overview

The MS degree in hospitality and tourism management prepares students to step into numerous mid-level hospitality and tourism management and government policy positions. The program is focused on hospitality business planning, branding, economic management, and development of quality processes to deliver exceptional leadership within many service and corporate settings and at post-secondary academic institutions. The program also provides research-oriented training in the theory and methodologies pertaining to hospitality and tourism to prepare graduates for advanced study at the doctoral level.

Plan of study

The program may be taken on a full- or part-time basis. The length of time required to earn a degree varies according to the student’s undergraduate preparation and the number of graduate courses taken per semester. To earn the MS degree, students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours. The curriculum is a combination of required core courses in hospitality and tourism management and elective courses chosen by the student to meet career interests and objectives. Course offerings generally are scheduled for evenings or via online learning to facilitate part-time students.

Core courses

Core courses explore essential hospitality and tourism business issues such as teamwork, strategic organizational change, financial and service performance metrics, development and marketing of resorts and attractions, and branding. Each course not only introduces the service philosophy but also examines the real differences in hospitality-service management outcomes necessitated by the adoption of a new service paradigm.

Electives

Elective courses provide students with an opportunity to individualize their graduate program in line with their career and professional interests, and are available in areas such as resorts and attractions, travel and tourism, conventions and events, technology, and human resource development, to name a few. With the approval of the department chair or program director students are allowed to take a selection of elective courses from outside the program. Courses may be taken from the service leadership and innovation program, the human resource development program, and Saunders College of Business. Students are cautioned to observe course prerequisites in their selections.

All elective courses must be graduate-level. If previous course work exists, students may request a transfer of credits. A limited number of credit hours may be taken as independent study or practicum courses.

Project/Capstone/Thesis options

Students must successfully complete a graduate project or comprehensive exam as a culminating experience allowing for demonstration of competencies in theory and applications for the discipline. Students work with the program adviser and/or program faculty to determine a topic for the graduate project and must arrange a faculty mentor for the project. The comprehensive exam option is open to all students. Students may request the thesis option, but it must be approved and students must secure a faculty mentor.

Industries

• Hotels and Accommodation
• Food and Beverage
• Human Resources
• Tourism

Curriculum

Hospitality and tourism management (capstone project option), MS degree, typical course sequence

First Year

• GRCS-701 Research Methods
• GRCS-702 Principles of Research Communication
• SERQ-710 Service Design Fundamentals
• HSPT-730 Strategic Hospitality And Tourism Branding
• HSPT-740 Economic Performance Analysis for Hospitality and Tourism
• HSPT-750 Processes and Assessment of Hospitality and Tourism Industries
• Electives

Second Year

• HSPT-797Capstone Project
• Elective

Hospitality and tourism management (comprehensive exam option), MS degree, typical course sequence

First Year

• GRCS-701 Research Methods
• SERQ-710 Service Design Fundamentals
• HSPT-730 Strategic Hospitality And Tourism Branding
• HSPT-740 Economic Performance Analysis for Hospitality and Tourism
• HSPT-750 Processes and Assessment of Hospitality and Tourism Industries
• HSPT-795 Comprehensive Exam
• Professional Electives

Hospitality and tourism management (research thesis option), MS degree, typical course sequence

First Year

• GRCS-701 Research Methods
• GRCS-702 Principles of Research Communication
• SERQ-710 Service Design Fundamentals
• HSPT-730 Strategic Hospitality And Tourism Branding
• HSPT-740 Economic Performance Analysis for Hospitality and Tourism
• HSPT-750 Processes and Assessment of Hospitality and Tourism Industries
• Electives

Second Year

• HSPT-790 Research Thesis

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the MS program in hospitality and tourism management, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Complete a graduate application.
• Hold a baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) from an accredited university or college.
• Submit official transcripts (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work.
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent). Foundation course work with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (if required).
• Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
• Submit two professional letters of recommendation
• International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE. A minimum TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based) is required. A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 is required. The English language test score requirement is waived for native speakers of English or for those submitting transcripts from degrees earned at American institutions.
• After a review by the program chair, applicants whose prior undergraduate work has been in areas other than hospitality or tourism may be required to complete additional courses. Students may choose elective courses with the approval of the program director.