Online MBA in Hospitality Management Programs
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“Hospitality helps you understand people better by providing strong interpersonal competencies that give you an edge in any business endeavor.”
Peter Ricci, EdD, Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program, Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
A master of business administration (MBA) program that focuses on hospitality management consists of a core curriculum that covers practical business subjects, similar to most accredited MBA programs. These subjects include finance, information technology, human resources, management theory, and accounting. Outside of these fundamental business courses, students also take targeted hospitality classes such as hotel management, restaurant management, tourism management, and event planning.
Also, students can choose to specialize in sub-sectors of the hospitality industry (e.g., hotel management). Students may have the option to partake in internships, which complement coursework in practical ways and add valuable on-the-job experience.
For students interested in hospitality management who want to further their studies to go beyond a bachelor’s degree, an MBA is a great option. The hospitality industry comprises many connected businesses and sectors, each offering an extensive range of products and services. With an MBA, graduates can find employment in industries like leisure and recreation, spa and wellness, food and beverage, hotels, tourism, and event planning. MBA degree holders have an advantage over other professionals thanks to their expanded skill base, making them more attractive to larger companies and significant enterprises. Cruise lines, hotel chains, and casinos, in particular, are looking for advanced training in their new hires.
Students who obtain an MBA degree in hospitality management can move into new leadership positions such as hotel manager, restaurant manager, director of food and beverage, resort general manager, casino manager, and hospitality information systems manager, as well as business-focused roles such as gaming consultant, financial consultant, and marketing strategy consultant.
There are MBA programs in hospitality management available on campus, online, and as a hybrid of both. This guide lists and details distance-based MBA in hospitality management.
Meet the Expert: Peter Ricci, EdD
Dr. Peter Ricci serves as director of the hospitality and tourism management program at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Dr. Ricci has published more than 70 industry/academic articles. He also maintains numerous hospitality industry certifications and has a career spanning over three decades.
Dr. Ricci is a distinguished alumnus of the University of Florida’s College of Health and Human Performance with bachelor’s and master’s degrees plus a doctorate from the University of Central Florida. Recent recognition includes being among the “50 Most Influential Educators in Global Hospitality” and the “50 Most Inspirational People in Global Hospitality and Travel,” both from the International Hospitality Institute.
Dr. Ricci’s proudest accomplishments include having a scholarship named in his honor from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) over 10 years ago and his creation of a hospitality industry certificate designed to keep hospitality workers engaged during the dark days of the pandemic. To date, the certificate is held by over 100,000 people from 175 countries and continues to be updated every two years with fresh, relevant content.
BSchools.org: What is something you wish the public understood about the intersection of business leadership and hospitality?
Dr. Ricci: An MBA with a hospitality specialization will benefit you no matter how you choose to apply it post-graduation. Hospitality helps you understand people better by providing strong interpersonal competencies that give you an edge in any business endeavor.
In turn, a baseline of business mixed with hospitality skills leads you to a more successful business career and higher profitability for your chosen business, whether or not that business is within the hospitality industry itself.
BSchools.org: What should potential candidates be looking for in an MBA program that offers a concentration in hospitality?
Dr. Ricci: Look at the faculty and what they’ve done both in the real world and in academia. They should have industry experience, terminal degrees, plus top industry certifications. Those types of people come with their own personal networks that can take MBA candidates far.
BSchools.org: What does the future of this area look like to you?
Dr. Ricci: I think hospitality will always grow. It will have trials and tribulations – it always has. But this is an industry that’s survived it all: SARS, Zika, 9/11, Covid. The human spirit continues to want to travel and see the world.
Featured Online MBA in Hospitality Management Programs
The Carson College of Business at Washington State offers an online MBA degree with five tracks: general, marketing, finance, international business, and hospitality business management. This program is ranked among the best online MBA programs in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report and is ideal for students who are looking to learn at their own pace or work part- or full-time while enrolled.
Students who opt for the hospitality business management concentration learn about business operations in the hospitality sector through courses in service management; international tourism strategy and planning; and hospitality operations analysis. The school’s concentrations are also each available as a standalone nine-credit MBA certificate. The foundational portion of the program includes classes in operations management, business law, financial and managerial accounting, marketing, economics, finance, and data analysis.
The school also offers an optional international field study, where MBA students can travel to Prague in the Czech Republic for a week-long residency to learn about some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. A GMAT is required for admission, but this may be waived for those who exceed the minimum MBA admission requirements.
| Location: Pullman, Washington |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International); Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) |
| Format: Online with an optional international one-week residency |
| Expected Time to Completion: 22 to 29 months |
Florida Atlantic University’s online MBA offers several concentration options in hospitality and tourism management; finance; international business; health administration; business analytics; operations management; management information systems; accounting; and marketing. Ranking among the best programs in the nation by US News & World Report, this 100 percent online program allows students to access courses from any location and at any time through recorded online lectures, discussions, chats, and presentations. The program is taught by the same faculty members and involves the same curriculum as the University’s campus-based programs.
Consisting of 40 to 46 credits, the hospitality and tourism management concentration prepares graduates to become service industry leaders ready to join the thriving regional, global, and local hospitality network.
Designed to be completed in 16 to 23 months, the program’s core curriculum includes courses such as financial accounting concepts; financial management; global environment of management; advanced analysis of accounting data; operations management; and global business strategy. Courses in the specialization include contemporary issues in hospitality marketing; strategies for excellence in guest service management; meetings and events management; and directed independent study (DIS) in hospitality management.
| Location: Boca Raton, Florida |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: 16 to 23 months |
FHSU’s online MBA program offers a concentration in tourism and hospitality management. Students learn about the principles, practices, and trends of the tourism and hospitality industry, as well as the fundamentals of the business world. The program consists of 33 credits with an additional four foundation courses (12 credits) for students without an undergraduate degree. Students who have graduated from this program have landed at large corporations such as Walmart, Koch Industries, IBM, and GE, as well as governmental and non-profit organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Students take eight classes to complete their core coursework in areas such as advanced managerial accounting; marketing management; information systems for management; managerial economics; advanced corporate finance; and strategic management. For those in the tourism and hospitality management track, classes include principles and practices in tourism and hospitality management; tourism and hospitality marketing; service operations; meetings, conventions, and event management; hotel and resort management; and international hospitality.
In the online program, students can connect with classmates and professors across many platforms, including online discussion boards, Skype, WebX, YouTube, Blackboard, and Google Docs. Applicants must submit a current resume, official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.
| Location: Hays, Kansas |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: 12 months for full-time students and three years for part-time students |
Lynn University offers an online MBA program in hospitality for students wishing to go on to work in event planning, food service, lodging and resort management, and hospitality. The program is designed for professionals to progress into management and business positions as they will learn about successful financial protocols and reporting practices through real-world case studies.
Lynn’s program is unique because of its many different specializations. Apart from the hospitality management specialization, the university offers ten different concentration options, including aviation management; entrepreneurial management; financial valuation and investment management; healthcare management; human resource management; international business; leadership and management; marketing; media management; and sports management. The GMAT or GRE is not required for admittance into the program. This is a 37-credit MBA program that can be completed in as little as one year and comprises 22 credits for foundation courses, nine specialization credits, and six elective credits.
All students enrolled at Lynn receive an iPad that provides various educational resources and related apps. Students within the online program must check in with their professor daily and be available for scheduled online discussions with faculty or fellow students.
Core courses include leadership and management of organizations; business modeling; marketing management in a global economy; managerial accounting; and operations management. The hospitality specialization includes courses such as food service administration; resort development and management; and service management.
| Location: Boca Raton, Florida |
| Accreditation: International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Full-time (12 months); part-time (24 months) |
Admission Requirements for Online MBA Programs in Hospitality Management
There are many application requirements for online MBA programs in hospitality management. Below are some common requirements derived from the programs above:
- Completion of prerequisite courses
- A competitive GPA from a bachelor’s degree in a related field
- A GMAT score; GMAT scores may be waived under certain conditions
- Personal statement of goals and objectives
- Multiple letters of recommendation
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university
- Admission essays
- Relevant work experience
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for international students
Accreditation
Accreditation means a particular school or program offers a curriculum that abides by established standards in a discipline. A third-party accreditation agency performs the accreditation process. Several accrediting organizations are common for hospitality programs.
The Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) helps to promote and improve programs in business administration and management, as well as related courses like hospitality, human resources, and operations. It recognizes the importance of faculty research and secure knowledge foundations for students enrolled in various business programs. Over 900 business schools across more than 50 countries are accredited by AACSB.
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of six CHEA-approved regional entities, accredits several colleges and universities throughout the country, with a mission of serving the common good through the assurance and advancement of the quality of higher learning. The HLC was founded in 1895 to provide accreditation to degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions that rely on peer reviews and relationships with the federal government and other organizations.
Lastly, because most students are interested in pursuing more advanced and professional hospitality management titles after graduation, some schools follow standards recognized by state or national hospitality organizations such as the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the National Tourism Association, and the National Restaurant Organization.
