Hospitality Management, B.S. (Berks)

Program Description

Not all options are available at every campus. Contact the campus you are interested in attending to determine which options are offered.

This major helps provide preparation for management positions in hotels, restaurants, institutions, and other hospitality organizations. The program is designed to give the student a broad general education and a strong management and problem-solving orientation balanced with the requisite technical skills, all of them essential for career progression to upper-management positions in the hospitality professions. The program also helps prepare students for graduate study.

Hospitality Management Option

Available at the following campuses: University Park

This option helps prepare students for management positions in any segment of the hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants, institutional or non-commercial operations, clubs, resorts, and casinos. The management focus helps provide students with the analytical, interpersonal, and organizational skills necessary to effectively function as hospitality professionals.

Hospitality Entrepreneurship Option

Available at the following campuses: Berks

(Offered only at Penn State Berks) This option helps prepare students for careers as owners or managers of small independently-owned hospitality operations or as entrepreneurs within large hospitality corporations or management companies in hospitality segments such as a restaurants, hotels, and non-commercial operations. The entrepreneurship focus helps provide students with creative problem solving, opportunity recognition, and leadership skills necessary to effectively manage small or individual unit's hospitality operations.

What is Hospitality Management?

Hospitality refers to the relationship that exists between a host and a guest. The Hospitality discipline prepares students to create value in this relationship, both from the host and the guest’s perspectives. This involves the creation and management of products and services by the hosts for the guests, based on the preferences and behaviors of the guests. Hospitality major is therefore an interdisciplinary field of study that prepares students for a global and diverse, world of management and entrepreneurship opportunities. Hospitality graduates are trained to own and manage hotels, restaurants, resorts, corporate dining, stadiums and arena catering, theme parks, country clubs, cruise ships, casinos, event management, and the vast array of manufacturing and service businesses that support the hospitality industry. From exotic locales to familiar destinations, from international postings to entrepreneurial prospects, from planning events to corporate finance, and from school food service to senior living, the possibilities are endless. This major prepares students for the multi-faceted hospitality industry and for the many career opportunities available to hospitality management graduates.

You Might Like This Program If...

If you enjoy working with people and helping others, have strong interpersonal skills, creativity, and a strong work ethic. Also, if you are looking for a non-traditional, fast-paced career, in a diverse and high-energy environment, that provides you opportunities to work in a variety of locations, within the US and internationally. The program will prepare you to apply a balance of interpersonal and people-management skills, with operations and business analysis abilities in a variety of professional settings.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Entrance to Major

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:

1. attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
2. have third-semester classification.

READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management, a minimum of 120 credits is required:

9-12 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. For the HM option, this includes 12 credits of General Education courses: 6 credits of GQ courses; 3 credits of GS courses; 3 credits of GHW courses. For the Hospitality Entrepreneurship option, this includes 9 credits of General Education courses: 3 credits of GS courses and 6 credits of GQ courses.

Per Senate Policy 83.80.5, the college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. SHM requires students to complete 24 credits for the major through courses taken at University Park. Courses taken at other Penn State campuses may not be counted toward this 24 credit minimum. For more information, check the Recommended Academic Plan for this major.

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol  appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Knowledge Domains

• Arts (GA): 6 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 6 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits

Integrative Studies (may also complete a Knowledge Domain requirement)

• Inter-Domain or Approved Linked Courses: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement    

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Common Requirements for the Major (All Options)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
ECON 102	Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy	3
HM 330	Food Production and Service Management	3
HM 335		3
HM 350	Hospitality Revenue and Profit Optimization	3
HM 380		3
HM 430	Advanced Food Production and Service Management	3
HM 435	Financial Management in Hospitality Operations	3
HM 442	Hospitality Marketing	3
HM 466	Human Resource Management in the Hospitality Industry	3
NUTR 119	Elementary Foods	3
STAT 200	Elementary Statistics	4
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
HM 201	Introduction to Management in the Hospitality Industry	3
HM 202	Colloquium in Hospitality Management	1
HM 203	Hospitality Professional Development Seminar	1
HM 271	Hospitality Information Technology Fundamentals	3
HM 290W	Hospitality Managerial Communication	3
HM 329	Principles of Food Production Management	3
HM 336	Hospitality Managerial Accounting	3
HM 365	Organizational Behavior in the Hospitality Industry	3
HM 490W	Strategic Hospitality Management	3
HM 492	Advanced Professional Seminar in Hospitality Management	1
Requirements for the Option
Select an option		21-28

Requirements for the Option

Hospitality Management Option (28 credits)

Available at the following campuses: University Park

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
HM 355	Legal Aspects of the Hospitality Industry	3
NUTR 100	Nutrition Applications for a Healthy Lifestyle	3
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
HM 480	Applied Hospitality Concepts and Decision Making	3
Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Select 19 credits of HM courses from an approved department list, up to 4 credits of any foreign language, and other courses in consultation with an adviser		19

Hospitality Entrepreneurship Option (21-22 credits)

Available at the following campuses: Berks

Program Learning Objectives

• Have Analytical, Critical, and Strategic Thinking Skills.
• Have Substantive Content Knowledge.
• Have Leadership, Communication, Interpersonal, and Social Skills.
• Be an entrepreneur or an intraprenuer within the hospitality industry.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

Berks

Jennifer Wakemen
Program Coordinator, Lecturer
Gaige 334
Reading, PA 19610
610-396-6123
jvp5@psu.edu

University Park

David Rachau
Academic Adviser
212 Mateer Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-7033
dqr5@psu.edu

Jeff Heim
Academic Adviser/Senior Instructor
213 Mateer Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-7990
jvh4@psu.edu

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2021-22 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition (Note: the archive only contain suggested academic plans beginning with the 2018-19 edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin).

Hospitality Entrepreneurship Option: Hospitality Management, B.S. at Berks Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.

Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.

Career Paths

Careers

Penn State Hospitality Management graduates are placed globally to manage hotels and lodging operations, restaurants, resorts, business dining, college and school food service, casinos, clubs, cruise ships, and senior living communities. They work in positions including meeting and events, revenue management, human resources, sales and marketing, finance and accounting, real estate and asset management, and for the businesses that supply them. Hospitality Management graduates are in demand with the many hospitality employers that visit the School’s in-house Career Placement Center each year. Graduates move quickly to upper management roles, corporate-level positions, and entrepreneurial opportunities.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT CAREERS

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

• M.S.: Prepare students for continued study at the doctoral level or to pursue a career in industry research.

MORE ABOUT THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

• Ph.D.: Prepare students for advanced academic and research positions at the university level.

MORE ABOUT THE PH.D. PROGRAM IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Professional Resources

• Penn State Hotel & Restaurant Society

Contact

Berks

EBC DIVISION
Gaige Building
Reading, PA 19610
610-396-6123
jvp5@psu.edu

http://berks.psu.edu/bs-hospitality-management

University Park

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
201 Mateer Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-1853
dlq3@psu.edu

https://hhd.psu.edu/shm