Hospitality Management Studies MHMS

The Master of Hospitality Management Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University is designed for professionals with a passion for hospitality, a desire to build leadership skills, and an ambition to expand their career opportunities.

The Master of Hospitality Management Studies degree, which consists of 30 credits, is structured to meet the educational needs of adult learners working as managers, entrepreneurs, educators or other professionals in the hospitality industry. It is designed to provide a hospitality management education with an academically rigorous, yet flexible, program of study that meets the requirements for a professional master’s degree. For working adults seeking to upgrade their professional skills to enhance their careers, the degree program increases analytical, managerial and leadership competencies and will provide graduates with the requisite preparation for career advancement in various hospitality-related professional areas.

Program Outcomes

• Global Competency: An ISHSTM graduate will demonstrate competency in matters of global significance including global economics and the environment as they relate to the hospitality industry.
• Cultural Competency: An ISHSTM graduate will interact effectively within multi-cultural organizations and will exhibit an appreciation for the dynamics of cultural identity and differences essential for leading in a diverse workplace.
• Managerial Competency: An ISHSTM graduate will demonstrate the ability to lead and manage organizational change in the workplace by applying leadership techniques including motivating, embracing diversity, mutual problem-solving, team-building, and communication to ensure that the organization’s vision and mission are achieved.
• Quantitative Literacy: An ISHSTM graduate will demonstrate the ability to interpret and apply mathematical methods including but not limited to statistical analysis, managerial accounting, and finance to solve business-related issues.
• Strategic Orientation: An ISHSTM graduate will demonstrate the ability to develop, implement, coordinate and/or manage a strategic plan through a collaborative process.
• Oral and Written Communication: An ISHSTM graduate will demonstrate the ability to prepare and deliver effective oral presentations and/or write documents that present and evaluate information and opinions in a logical and analytical manner, incorporate research and documentation, and use style, grammar, mechanics, and format appropriate to an educated audience.
• Information Literacy: An ISHSTM graduate will demonstrate the ability to evaluate and critique scholarly articles, apply qualitative and quantitative research methodology and conduct effective information search strategies utilizing the internet and other research engines and subsequently examine, assess and integrate the information into formulating an analysis for a case study and special project.

Admission Requirements

Candidates for admission to the Master of hospitality management studies degree program could be managers, business owners, or educators or hold other professional positions related to the hospitality industry. The credentials required for admission as a matriculated student include the following:

• A graduate application for admission and a nonrefundable application fee.
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative grade point ratio (GPR) of 2.75. (Applicants with a GPR of less than 2.75 may be admitted as pre-matriculated students on probation).
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended.
• English-language proficiency, both written and verbal.
• Industry work experience preferred (applicants without industry work experience may be required to take foundation courses HRTM 6100 and HRTM 6200 upon evaluation).
• Personal statement of 400 words explaining reasons for pursuing hospitality graduate studies.

Additional classes may be required as a prerequisite for acceptance into the program. Applicants who are unable to provide official documents at the time of enrollment may register as non-matriculated or non-degree students with the approval of a graduate faculty adviser.

Degree Plan

• Completion of a minimum of 30 graduate credits.
• Cumulative grade point ratio of 3.00 for the degree program of study.
• Must earn a grade point ratio of 3.00 in each of the 3 required hospitality management courses.
• Minimum of 27 credits completed at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
• Maximum of seven years to complete the master’s degree requirements.

Up to six credits of graduate coursework may be transferred from another college or university if completed within the six-year period. Courses submitted for transfer credit will be reviewed and evaluated by the director of the International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. In assessing requests for transfer credits, the faculty may require students to complete additional coursework to update their knowledge and skills to meet master’s degree requirements.

Prerequisites: Graduate Foundation Courses (6 credits)

These classes are offered for those students who do not meet all of the Graduate Program admission requirements listed above, each class is worth 3 credits:

• HRTM6100  Hospitality Operations Management
• HRTM6200  Tourism Destination Management

The following are the specific program requirements for the master’s degree. These curriculum areas and credit distribution requirements are designed to provide students with flexibility in planning a program of study within a focused framework of professional development.

Required Hospitality Management Courses (9 credits)

• HRTM7715 Special Project
• HRTM7751 Research Methodology I
• HRTM7752 Research Methodology II

Supporting Hospitality Management Courses (15 credits)

• HRTM7713 Financial Management
• HRTM7714 Advanced Human Resource Management
• HRTM7716 Service Management
• HRTM7734 Global Marketing
• HRTM7771 Organizational Behavior & Leadership

Elective Courses (6 Credits)

Elective courses are to be chosen by students with approval from an adviser. Choose 6 credits from the following:

• HRTM7717 Discovering the World of Wine
• HRTM7718 Advanced Global Seminar
• HRTM7722 Advanced Human Resource Management
• HRTM7723 Hospitality Education Practicum
• HRTM7725 Curriculum and Instruction for the Hospitality Educator
• HRTM7726 Educational Organization for the Hospitality Educator
• HRTM7728 Graduate Internship
• HRTM7729 Training and Development
• HRTM7732 Hospitality Law – Legal Issues in Hospitality
• HRTM7733 Advanced Practicum in Conflict Resolution and Collaborative Negotiation
• HRTM7736 Accounting for Hospitality Managers and Administrators
• HRTM7737 Global Tourism Development
• HRTM7740 Advanced New Venture Management
• HRTM7742 International Tourism
• HRTM7745 International Tourism Internship
• HRTM7746 Entrepreneurship and You
• HRTM7997 Communications for Casino Industry Professional
• HRTM7998 History of Casino Gaming
• HRTM7999 Casinos’ Social and Economic Approach
•  

Comprehensive Exam

Students in the MHMS program must pass a written comprehensive exam prior to their final semester in the program. The comprehensive exam consists of theoretical and applied questions related to all courses completed prior to the final Special Project semester.