MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Admission
Applicants to the School must submit a Graduate Application for Admission to the University and must follow the regular University admission procedures described in the FIU Graduate Admissions web site (the 'Admissions & Applications' link on the left navigation bar leads to the site). Applicants must be eligible for admission to the University before admission to the School.

Admissions standards for the Master of Science degrees in Hospitality Management and Tourism Studies are an earned 4-year bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale. Students who have completed a 3-year bachelor’s degree program will be required to complete additional education before qualifying for entry into the University Graduate School. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 written, 213 computer-based, or 80 internet-based (iBT) is required for international applicants.

An applicant who feels the earned GPA is not indicative of his or her ability to be successful in a graduate degree program may also submit scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) which will be taken into consideration by the admissions committee in its evaluation of the application.

Applicants who meet admissions criteria, but do not have undergraduate preparation in Hospitality Management or Tourism Studies, may be required to complete a series of undergraduate preparatory courses. Specific courses will depend upon the individual’s undergraduate preparation. Fifteen credit hours of preparatory courses for Hospitality Management or twenty-one credit hours of preparatory courses for Tourism Studies normally will be required. Undergraduate prerequisite courses may be taken at FIU in combination with required graduate courses. A maximum of six semester hours of related graduate credit may be transferred from another university or from the graduate programs of this University.

There is a requirement that all students complete 1000 hours of practical training work experience in the Hospitality or Tourism Industry in addition to the Graduate Internship of 300 hours. A minimum of 800 hours of the total 1300 hours must be completed while enrolled at FIU. Work experience documentation is required. All graduating students are required to attend the “Life After College” Workshop.

Cost
The cost of the program is based on tuition per credit hour and University fees. Click here to view the Tuition Chart.

Degree Requirements
To be eligible for a Master’s degree, a student must:

1. Satisfy all University requirements for a master’s degree.
2. Complete a minimum of 39 semesters credit hours of graduate level course work in the Hospitality Management curriculum.
3. Earn a minimum grade point average of ‘B’ (3.0) in all approved courses in the student’s graduate program of study.

No courses, in which a grade below ‘C’ is earned, may be counted toward the Master’s Degree. However, all approved work taken as a graduate student will be counted in computing the grade point average, including courses graded ‘D’ or ‘F’.

Undergraduate Prerequisites: 15 credit hours
    ENC 3311 Advanced Research Writing (3)
    FSS 3230C Introductory Commercial Food Production (3)
    HFT 3403 Accounting for the Hospitality Industry (3)
    HFT 3503 Hospitality Marketing Strategy (3)
    HFT 4464 Financial Analysis in the Hospitality Industry (3)
    Attendance at Dean’s Lectures is required for all graduate students

Core Requirements: 27 credit hours
    HFT 6245 Hospitality / Tourism Service Operations Analysis (3)
    HFT 6246 Organizational Behavior in the Hospitality Industry (3)
    HFT 6296 Strategic Management for Hospitality and Tourism (3)
    HFT 6299 Case Studies in Hospitality Management (3)
    HFT 6446 Hospitality Enterprise Technologies (3)
    HFT 6477 Financial Management for the Hospitality Industry (3)
    HFT 6476 Feasibility Studies for the Hospitality Industry (3)*
or
    HFT 6478 Restaurant Development (3)*
    HFT 6586 Research and Statistical Methods (3)
    HFT 6697 Hospitality Law Seminar (3)
    HFT 6946 Graduate Internship (0)

*In place of HFT 6476 or HFT 6478 and two electives, the student may choose to complete HFT 6916, the Hospitality Industry Research Project, which carries a nine credit hour requirement. An additional graduate statistics course will be required.

Graduate Hospitality Management Electives: 12 credit hours

Graduate Internship
Required for all graduate students unless prior experience warrants a waiver of this requirement (see advisor for information).

Industry Experience Requirement: 1300 hours
1000 hours of hospitality related practical training work experience is required plus 300 hours for the Graduate Internship. A minimum of 800 hours must be completed while enrolled in the graduate program at FIU. Work experience documentation is required.

Thesis Track
Undergraduate Prerequisites: 15 credit hours
ENC 3311 Advanced Research Writing (3)
FSS 3230C Introductory Commercial Food Production (3)
HFT 3403 Accounting for the Hospitality Industry (3)
HFT 3503 Hospitality Marketing Strategy (3)
HFT 4464 Financial Analysis in the Hospitality Industry (3)
Attendance at Dean’s Lectures is required for all graduate students

Core Requirements: 39 credit hours
HFT 6245 Hospitality/Tourism Service Operations Analysis (3)
HFT 6246 Organizational Behavior in the Hospitality Industry (3)
HFT 6296 Strategic Management for Hospitality and Tourism (3)
HFT 6299 Case Studies in Hospitality Management (3)
HFT 6446 Hospitality Enterprise Technologies (3)
HFT 6477 Financial Management for the Hospitality Industry (3)
HFT 6697 Hospitality Law Seminar (3)
HFT 6xxx Thesis (9)
HFT 6946 Graduate Internship (0)
STA 5206 Design of Experiments (3)
STA 6166 Statistical Methods in Research I (3)
STA 6167 Statistical Methods in Research II (3)

Graduate Internship
Required for all graduate students unless prior experience warrants a waiver of this requirement (see advisor for information).

Industry Experience Requirement: 1300 hours
1000 hours of hospitality related practical training work experience is required plus 300 hours for the Graduate Internship. A minimum of 800 hours must be completed while enrolled in the graduate program at FIU. Work experience documentation is required.