Masters in Hospitality Management Programs

If you have a desire to work in a leadership capacity within the hospitality industry, a Masters in Hospitality Management Program may prepare you for a variety of potential careers in this broad field. Hospitality Management encompasses many different industries and businesses, and the growing trend is to favor candidates with formal and relevant education.

For upper level management positions, extensive job training and work experience are often required. These are only a few of the factors that might motivate you to pursue a Hospitality Management Masters Degree!

Admissions standards vary among Masters in Hospitality programs, degree levels and schools. However, all those interested in earning a master’s degree must have a bachelor’s degree while applicants seeking a doctoral degree must possess a master’s degree in hospitality or in a related field of study. 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.

Schools often require prospective masters students to submit resumes and, in some cases, documentation of any managerial experience they have in the industry. Recommendation letters, graduate test scores and personal statements might be required as well. Many programs also include an internship and thesis. Some schools, however, offer a non-thesis option.

Students may want to verify whether the program they are selecting is accredited with the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration.

What is a Masters in Hospitality Management Program?

Masters in Hospitality Management involves taking on a position of responsibility in the hospitality industry, which includes various types of businesses, such as hotels, spas, restaurants, casinos, resorts, tour agencies and airlines. A masters in hospitality management prepares students to assume a managerial role and provide leadership skills in settings such as:

• Hotels
• Food and beverage industry
• Travel and tourism
• Entertainment and sport venues
• Resort and spa services
• Casinos

What is Hotel Management?

Masters in Hospitality Management programs typically include instruction in hotel administration, accounting, marketing and sales, housekeeping, food service management and catering, and hotel maintenance and engineering. System’s training is also an integral part of many hotel management degree programs, since hotels use hospitality-specific software for reservations, billing, and housekeeping management.

How to Choose a Hospitality Masters Degree Program

GradSchools.com has easy to use search tools to help you review Masters In Hospitality programs and find the one that aligns with your interests. If you are looking for a campus program, choose to start out with a location search to determine which city, state or country has a program you might gravitate to.

You can also search by program format. Busy working professionals who are returning to University to improve their credentials might want to look into a hybrid program which combines campus and online study into one flexible and low residency format. Others might find that a master’s in hospitality or hotel management online program might be a more convenient format.

Hospitality management is often classified as its own field, but is sometimes classified as a division of business management studies, so you may find masters of business administration with concentrations in hospitality as well as specific Hospitality Masters degree programs.

Some of the listings might include a Master of Tourism Management (MTM), Master of Science in Entertainment Business, MBA in International Business Hospitality and Services Industries Management or Master of Science in Hospitality Management Studies.

FUN FACT: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), lodging managers held about 51,200 jobs in 2021. More than half were employed in the traveler accommodation industry, which includes hotels and motels.

What Type of Courses Are Part of a Hospitality Management Curriculum?

A master’s degree program in hotel management provides students with the skills and technical knowledge on how operate hotels, manage finances and provide creative marketing for the hospitality industry. As with any business, hospitality has a growing need for innovative leaders who can guide the industry forward. Some of the courses that students may take might include:

• Brand Management & Guest Experience
• Business Models
• Marketing Decision Analysis
• Development & Asset Management
• Global & Regional Standards
• Sales and PR
• Information technology
• Industry operations
• Statistics and research to best understand the industry

What Type of Concentrations Are Available for Hospitality Management?

Students who choose to focus in one specific area will find a number of courses that focus just on their concentration. Possible areas of concentration may include the following:

• Hotel Management
• Restaurant Management
• Casino Management
• Food and Beverage Management
• Lodging Management
• Tourism Management

Important Qualities of Mangers in the Hospitality Industry

If you aspire to work in the hospitality industry, you may be in for a full-time, on-call and stressful type of job. So, if you handle responsibility well and can keep calm amidst the storm, consider whether you also have a few important skills such as:

• Business skills to motivate and manage a team
• Customer-service skills to maintain client loyalty
• Interpersonal skills to be able to interact with staff, clients and service providers
• Leadership skills to maintain a productive work environment
• Listening skills go hand in hand with customer care and managing staff
• Organizational skills to keep track of schedules, budgets, and human resources
• Problem-solving skills that involve creativity and practicality

Potential Careers in Hospitality Management

With a Masters degree in hospitality management, graduates may be ready to start their own businesses or take on a managerial role within existing hospitality corporations.

Some career paths within hospitality management might also include:

• Human Resources Managers
• Property Managers
• Food Services Managers
• Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers

If you are drawn to a career in management and are passionate about the hospitality industry, earning a Masters degree in a specialized field such as hotel management may be what sets you apart from the competition, especially if you hope to work in an upscale establishment. Start reviewing the masters programs on GradSchools.com to find the one that aligns with your interests and goals!

GradSchools.com offers 92 Grad Schools with Hospitality Management Masters Degree Programs