What Will I Learn in a Hospitality Management Degree Program?

Hospitality management is all about making customers feel at home when they're away, and a degree program will give students the skills necessary to run the financial and person-to-person components of the tourism and hotel industries. Because those working in this field must cater to people from a wide range of backgrounds, courses in communication and psychology are a must. Students will also take specific courses in tourism and hospitality management, as well as business law, finance and history to ensure that they are well rounded and have the skills necessary to manage the sometimes varied aspects of working in the hospitality industry. Students can choose concentrations that might include gaming and casino management or global tourism, depending on their personal interests.

AS in Hospitality Mgmt.	BS in Hospitality Mgmt.	MBA in Hospitality Mgmt.

What Can I Do With a Hospitality Management Degree?

Those with an undergraduate degree in hospitality management may work in casinos, resorts, cruise lines, restaurants, hotels, a local chamber of commerce or a federal agency. Many grads end up in management positions, though some choose to work in consumer relations or sales and marketing. More career options open up for those who choose to get a master's degree in the field. Additional education could win grads jobs as senior managers of hotels, resorts, convention centers or travel agencies, as well as work in real estate development or their own independent businesses.

What Is the Career Outlook for Hospitality Management Degree Students?

Job security and growth in the hospitality management field will depend on the concentration the student has chosen. Graduates working in general tourism will see steady growth, but those in the hotel and lodging industries might see a decline in employment opportunities as hotels change the way they do business. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the best employment opportunities will be found at casinos, full-service hotels, and resorts that provide a wide range of services to a diverse clientele. Pay for those in hospitality management can be varied, with an average annual salary of about $46,000, though many could see bonuses and other financial incentives.