Online Hospitality and Tourism Degree Program Course Offerings

Hospitality & Tourism is the second largest industry in the US and has countless opportunities within the global market as well. Since this area of study is so vast, there are many career fields in which to choose from. The opportunities are great, yet to carve out a successful and profitable career within this industry, you will need to get a Hospitality and Tourism degree. If you already work in this field, gaining valuable hands-on experience, you may think that going back to school is an impossibility. But now there are many Hospitality and Tourism degree courses online, allowing you to complete your degree without ever setting foot inside a classroom, which is the ultimate in convenience when working in such a fast-paced industry.

This industry does not have a one-size-fits-all career track, and getting your Hospitality and Tourism degree online gives you just as many choices as a traditional program. Many online programs will allow you to specify a track or tailor your elective courses within these categories of a Hospitality and Tourism degree:

• Casino Management

• Club Management

• Financial Management & Technology

• Food and Beverage Management

• Lodging and Hotel Management

• Tourism, Convention, and Event Management

• Travel & Tourism

While it's exciting to think about the wide variety of possibilities within this field, it's important to understand the type of coursework you'll need to complete for this degree. A Hospitality and Tourism Degree includes courses based in business, finance, and law. Basic courses in Math, Science, History, Humanities, and Behavioral & Social Sciences are also required; many programs will allow you to transfer these basic credits from another university or even community college. Check with the program you choose, but this can save you time and money and allow you to jump right into your specific Hospitality and Tourism courses.

The following list will give you a good idea of the type of courses you'll need to complete to earn your online Hospitality and Tourism degree. While this list does not include every single course, what you see are the basic courses present in almost any online program within this field. Look over the titles and descriptions, and if these seem of interest to you, then this may be the perfect field in which to get your degree.

Hospitality Management
Here, you will be introduced to the management structure found in hotels, restaurants, clubs, cruise ships, and casino hotels. You'll also gain knowledge in areas such as business ethics, franchising, management contracts, human resources, marketing & sales, and advertising.

Hospitality & Tourism Law
Learn how to prevent legal violations, and therefore minimize lawsuits, within the industry.

Hotel Operations and Management
In this course, you will understand the unique issues and problems of resort management and operations. Topics such as activity programming, guest safety and security, corporate and meeting planning, and hiring & management of seasonal employees are covered.

Introduction to the Hospitality & Tourism Industry
In this course, you'll learn about the history and the future of this vast industry, learn how this industry is impacted from a global perspective, get a general idea of the diverse markets affected and targeted within the industry, and explore the various career paths within the industry.

Managing in the Service Environment
You will study how to manage in this industry by emphasizing overall quality of services and customer satisfaction. Learn how to deliver quality customer service in the many areas of hospitality management.

Managerial Accounting for Hospitality & Tourism
In this course, you will learn how to apply basic accounting and financial concepts to the decision-making process vital to the hospitality and tourism industry. Study areas such as cost behavior, operating leverage, profitability, planning and budgeting, capital investments, financial statements, and cash flows.

Revenue & Cost Management
Learn how to exercise cost control, revenue forecasting, accounting, human relations, and facilities management. Study how to increase your bottom line and keep overhead low.

Safety & Sanitation in the Industry
Learn how to develop and implement systems to address public health concerns, reduce sanitation risks, and ensure satisfaction for guests in your area of hospitality & tourism. You'll study such regulations as the FDA Food Code, Sanitation Risk Management (SRM) programs, and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. You'll gain knowledge about keeping foods safe, eliminating the risk of food-borne illnesses, and reducing sanitation risks while receiving, storing, preparing, and serving food.

There are more courses within online Hospitality and Tourism degree programs, but the above list gives you a good idea of what to expect in a variety of programs. One thing lacking from most online programs is an internship in which you can gain practical experience within this vast field. You may want to round out your degree program by applying for an internship through your school; many schools which offer Hospitality and Tourism degrees online also have physical campuses which offer such programs. You may want to gain invaluable experience and expand your resume by working within the industry. If an internship is not something you can do right now, look for local opportunities to work and learn within the specialized area of the hospitality and tourism industry you wish to study.

Sources:
CanyonCollege.edu
ColumbiaSouthern.edu
Hospitality.fiu.edu
UMassOnline.net
Universities.com