1) What Types of Online Hospitality Management Degrees and Programs Are Available?

  • AAS/GT&HM: Associate of Applied Science in Global Travel and Hospitality Management: A two year program combines academic and industry-specific courses. Students are taught the fundamentals of sales, the reservation system, terminology, and management. 
  • BSB/HM: Bachelor of Science in Business with a Concentration in Hospitality Management: This degree develops student’s knowledge in lodging management, food and beverage management, facilities management, and events planning.  Students learn about the impact of travel and tourism while examining hospitality issues and trends, e-business implications, and operational structures. 
  • BS/HRM: Bachelors of Science in Hospitality and Restaurant Management: Learn how to lead a restaurant, hotel, or similar business with the help of this degree. Students take various food preparation and safety courses, as well as many business themed ones.
  • BBA/HRM: Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Hospitality and Restaurant Management: Be prepared to oversee the everyday operations of resorts, gaming venues, and banquet facilities with this degree. Or you can manage specialty event-planning departments of schools, healthcare organizations, and businesses.
  • MBA/HM: Master of Business Administration in Hospitality Management: This program is ideal for students considering entering management straight away. In addition, students are taught the legal, economic, ethical, and social dynamics within modern organizations.

     

2) What Education, Training, Certification, and Experience is Required to Become a Hospitality Manager?

The vast majority of workers in the hotel industry are employed in service and office and administrative support occupations and may be promoted in-house. However, those with a degree may bypass this step and begin in management positions in the front office, kitchen, dining room, and various other departments.

Experience in the industry is also helpful. Students are encouraged to take part time jobs in the restaurant, hotel, or hospitality field during their studies. Knowledge of a second language, especially Spanish, is also helpful when applying for a hospitality management position. Online marketing of facilities is also catching on and students who know this area may also have an edge.

Those looking for an entry level management position in a smaller area may be able to obtain all the training and skills needed with an Associate’s degree. Those with a Bachelor’s degree will have expanded knowledge and should have an advantage in a competitive job market. Graduates seeking higher level positions in a shorter period of time, such as a regional or general manager, will prefer an MBA.

3) What to Consider When Choosing a Hospitality Management Career:

When seeking a school for a Hospitality Management degree, accreditation is vital. The Office of Postsecondary Education lists a ton of accrediting agencies that can help you find a school. There are also various accrediting agencies for different aspects of hospitality management.

Specialty accrediting agencies can also help you in various fields. For example, The American Culinary Foundation lists dozens of postsecondary programs across the nation. They even award a blue seal for exemplary programs.

Costs for this degree are on par with similar degrees, costing anywhere from $300 to $400 per credit hour from a four year university and may be less with a community college. Students who work in the industry can check with their employers to see if there are any scholarships or pay-for-study programs.

Career placement opportunities with a Hospitality Management degree can be in the fields of airlines, car rental agencies, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, restaurants, and travel agencies. Positions can vary from tour operator to convention manager and even banquet coordinator.

4) What Schools Offer Online Hospitality Management Degrees?

Kaplan University

Associate of Applied Science in Global Travel and Hospitality Management

Completion of this degree prepares students to meet the standards to obtain the national Travel Agent Proficiency credential. A total of 90 hours, with 15 in core classes and 65 in majors plus electives, are required.

New England Culinary Institute

Bachelors of Science in Hospitality and Restaurant Management

Requirements for admission include an Associates Degree. They also require that students be actively employed in an industry-related field or have two years supervisory experience in the industry.

University of Phoenix

Bachelor of Science in Business with a Concentration in Hospitality Management

Eighteen credit hours are required in Hospitality Management concentration, along with three

additional business elective courses within the Hospitality Management concentration. Other courses required include accounting, business communication, and critical thinking.

DeVry University

Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Hospitality Management

Earn your bachelor’s degree in as few as three years if you attend class year-round. Take online or at one of their many locations across the nation.

South University

Master of Business Administration in Hospitality Management

This university features an online MBA in several specialties, including Hospitality Management. Requirements for admission include an undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.7 or an undergraduate degree with a minimum combined GMAT score within the 50th percentile.

5) What Career and Salary Opportunities are Available to Students With a Hospitality Management Degree?

Job opportunities are expected to be good for those with service skills and experience in the food service or hospitality industries. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, hotels and other accommodations provided 1.8 million wage and salary jobs in 2006 and are expected to rise by 13.6% by 2016. General and operations managers accounted for 5.1% of these jobs and are expected to rise by 17.1% in the same time period.

Salaries differ on the specialty a hospitality management graduate decides to enter. Entry level position such as Front Desk Manager and Restaurant Manager earn median salaries of approximately $42,000 and $47,000, respectively according to salary.com. Those who move up to a position such as Meeting/Event Planner can earn $56,000. Finally, graduates who make it all the way to Hotel Manager can expect a median salary of $95,700.

Managers may also earn bonuses ranging up to 50 percent of their basic salary depending on the hotel, casino, or restaurant they work for.  In addition, managers can get free meals, parking, laundry, and other services.  Some hotels even offer profit-sharing plans, tuition reimbursement, and benefits such as discounted or complimentary stays.