Hospitality and Tourism Management, M.S.

The Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management program is an advanced degree program to better prepare future leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry. It is designed to enhance students’ knowledge of the industries that operate under the rubric of global tourism; widen their horizons in regard to unresolved issues in the field; and further develop their analytical abilities and communication skills.

The program prepares students for professional careers in both the private and public sectors of global hospitality and tourism and it also serves as a foundation for more advanced studies. Students are provided a broad preparation in the important operational aspects of the organizations that comprise the hospitality and tourism industries. Emphasis is placed on the development of problem solving and decision-making abilities as well as the acquisition of basic research skills. The program can be completed either on campus or online. The program is designed to satisfy the needs of students with undergraduate degrees in any field who want to be better prepared for careers in hospitality and tourism.

Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for MS Hospitality & Tourism Management Learning Objectives (AACSB)
1	Hospitality and Tourism Knowledge - Students will demonstrate knowledge of advanced hospitality concepts relevant to restaurants, hotels, attractions, and events.
2	Technology Skills - Students will be able to develop an advanced understanding of research methods, theories and their application in the hospitality and tourism industry.
3	Professional Communication Skills - Students will compose professional communication messages and reports across oral, written and visual mediums.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the M.S. program should meet the minimum standards for admission to the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

*HRT 6301 must be taken near the end of the course of study.

**HRT 7000 must be taken over the last two semesters of study (3 credits per semester) and with approval of the department.

HRT 6001 - Survey of Hospitality & Touris - Credits: 3 *
HRT 6200 - Hosp & Tourism Ops Analysis - Credits: 3
HRT 6202 - Hosp and Tourism Research Meth - Credits: 3
HRT 6203 - Marketing App for Hosp & Tour - Credits: 3
HRT 6205 - Change Mang for Hosp & Tourism - Credits: 3
HRT 6207 - Work Experience HTM - Credits: 3
HRT 6250 - Tourism Destination Developmnt - Credits: 3
HRT 6300 - Hospitality & Tourism Rev Mgt - Credits: 3
HRT 6301 - Hosp & Tour Indus Strtg Mang - Credits: 3 **

Required credits for all students: 24

Electives - Non-Thesis (two of the following)

HRT 6102 - Technology Tourism & Hosp Mgt - Credits: 3
HRT 6204 - Hospitality & Tourism Intern - Credits: 3
HRT 6491 - Indep Study in Hosp & Tourism - Credits: 3
HRT 6495 - Spec Top Hospitality & Touris - Credits: 3
Business Elective Credits: 3

Non-Thesis Option Total credits required: 30

Additional Degree Requirements - Thesis Option

HRT 7000 - Thesis Research - Credits: 1 - 9 (Variable) ***

Master of Science Thesis Option: 6 Credits

Must take two additional Research Methods/Statistics courses (for a total of 6 additional credits).

Students must have approval from the HRT Graduate coordinator prior to registering for the appropriate courses.

Courses may be selected from:

EDFR 6705 - Quant & Qual Research Design - Credits: 3
EDFR 6710 - Descriptive Statistics - Credits: 3
EDFR 6720 - Appl Regr & Analy Covariance - Credits: 3
PSYC 6311 - Advanced Statistics I - Credits: 3
PSYC 6312 - Advanced Statistics II - Credits: 3

Total Credits Required Thesis option: 39

Students choosing the non-thesis option will need a minimum of 30 credit hours to complete the course requirements for the program.
Students choosing the thesis option are required to take HRT 7000 (six credit hours). In addition, students will also need six credits of Statistics/Research Methods a minimum of 39 credit hours to complete the course requirements for the thesis option.
The Master of Science program consists of a minimum of ten courses and a total of 30 credit hours. The thesis option will require an additional nine credit hours.