Hospitality Management Graduate Programs

Hospitality Management Graduate Programs and Curriculum

Other than having the propensity to be willing to learn a variety of skills, a good candidate for a hospitality management master’s should have the following traits:

• Willingness to work in a fast-paced and often chaotic environment
• Decisiveness
• Ability to multi task
• Creative and enterprising thought process
• Driven to succeed, specifically in meeting and exceeding client expectations
• Team player
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organization skills

It is highly recommended that prospective students have some related experience in the field of hospitality before applying for a graduate degree in hospitality management.

While students have the option to take courses specific to their area of interest (i.e., food service, lodging management, tourism management, casino and gaming services), a few topics that will be covered in all areas of hospitality management include courses in the following:

• Finances, financial strategies, and accounting
• Human resources, communication management and conflict resolution
• Global marketing and international tourism
• Technological and economic trends
• Facility and operations management
• Demographics

Many programs also include an internship and thesis. Some schools, however, offer a non-thesis option.

Most graduate programs in hospitality management require the completion of an undergraduate degree. While some schools prefer that your undergrad degree be in hospitality management or business, others do not have this specification. Most schools look for experience in the field of hospitality management and certain preparatory coursework. As such, applicants from a non-business background should check programs of interest for specific requirements to see what particular prerequisites may be needed. Prerequisites may include courses in areas such as business, economics, accounting, and statistics.

Hospitality Management Career Paths

A master’s degree in hospitality management from an accredited university generally prepares graduates to enter the field as an assistant manager, a manager or a position of some managerial or supervisory capacity in a corporate office. Some graduates choose to open their own establishments. There are many industries in which a hospitality manager can work, the graph illustrates the most popular.

Data according to

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics

Hospitality Management Future Job Outlook

The average yearly salary in the two major fields, food and beverage management and lodging management, was approximately $46,000 according to the most recent data gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2008. It is important to remember that this is a baseline approximation because it’s well known that many hospitality professionals earn a six figure salary.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment predicts that job opportunities in the two largest areas of hospitality management - food and beverage management and lodging management - will see a growth rate of 5 percent by 2018. Positions in lodging management may become limited as privately owned establishments are bought by larger chains. However, new areas of hospitality management such as sustainable tourism are beginning to emerge, and established areas such as casino and gaming management are predicted to have healthy growth rates. These hospitality fields could provide new areas of employment.