Cruising toward your degree in hospitality management

If you're looking for an enjoyable work environment with flexible hours and the opportunity to meet new people, then a degree in hospitality management could be the right choice for you.

Hospitality and Travel: An Industry of Titanic Proportions

From cruise ships to business trips, leisure and hospitality is a multi-billion dollar industry. The hospitality sector contributed 13.1 million jobs to the U.S. economy in 2006 and is projected to grow to 15 million jobs by 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The hospitality and travel industry can be divided into three main segments:

• arts, entertainment and recreation
• hotels and accommodations
• bar and food services

Within these segments are a variety of career options. Hotel managers are responsible for all of the day-to-day operations of the hotel. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wages for hotel managers were $45,380 in May 2008. In the bar and food services segment, median annual wages of salaried workers were $46,320.

The Next Port of Call: Your Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management

Although there is no federal requirement to be certified or licensed as a hospitality management professional, top employers in the field do require you to have a bachelor's degree in hospitality management. Whether you pursue an on-campus or online bachelor's degree in hospitality management, you will have to complete core course requirements. At many schools, the bachelor's degree in hospitality management is within the school of business. Core requirements reflect a business curriculum:

• introduction to commerce and enterprise
• introduction to managerial accounting
• principles of statistics
• business communications
• business finance

Exotic Destinations: Hospitality Management Internships and Study Abroad Opportunities

You will also take elective courses to complete your bachelor's degree in hospitality management. These may include more specialized courses in subjects like Property Management or Food and Beverages Operations. Whether you pursue a campus-based or an online bachelor's degree in hospitality management, the program generally takes about four years to complete and may include an internship in addition to regular coursework. Many schools offer exciting study abroad opportunities as a part of your degree in hospitality management, giving you the chance to work in a hotel, restaurant, or cultural attraction in another country.

If you are already working in the hospitality industry, then you may want to consider an online bachelor's degree in hospitality management. The benefit of an online program is that it offers you the flexibility to continue to earn a paycheck at the same time you are gaining valuable experience in your field.

Anchors Away! Your Hospitality Management Degree is on the Horizon

If you think that helping people have a good time is a good time, then you are likely to succeed in your hospitality management degree program, and in your future career.

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