Masters in Hospitality
Management Online

Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available

Hospitality Management programs will teach you a broad set of skills. Just like most businesses, this field also has two main branches to it: Customer Service and Business Profit. Given that most customers visiting the area of business are most likely on vacation, it becomes essential to make their stay as pleasurable as possible. And this main task involves running several departments within the resort or hotel smoothly. At the same time, the business side of things involves ensuring that every resource is working within a budget, on-time, and highest productivity. Students in Hospitality Management learn a wide variety of skillset. Some students even go for specialization within Hospitality Management.

Common Specializations in Hospitality Management Programs

Difference between Master’s in Hospitality Management and an MBA in Hospitality Management

Many MBA programs offer a specialization in Hospitality Management. However, they vastly differ from a Master’s in Hospitality Management in terms of area of focus and curriculum. An MBA program is designed to focus on business aspects of an organization such as leadership, managerial skills, running day to day of an organization. And in MBA Hospitality Management concentration, there would be some electives for students can choose from, which teach about Hospitality Management. But Hospitality Management is not the core of the program. A Master’s in Hospitality program provides a deep dive into Hospitality Management with all courses designed to teach students about all aspects of Hospitality Management.

Curriculum for Online Master’s in Hospitality Management Programs

Many schools offer Online Master’s in Hospitality Management, and every program is different. The curriculum also varies based on the school, any concentrations that they may be offering, area of focus, region, etc. However, here are some typical courses that you will see in many programs.

Admission Requirements for Online Master’s in Hospitality Management

Applicants to an online master’s in hospitality management degree must satisfy certain entrance requirements that are specific to the program offering school. Although these requirements might be slightly different from school to school, a significant majority of schools need the following from the applicants.

Undergraduate Degree

Applicants must have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0.

Transcripts

Applicants must submit transcripts from their undergraduate degree programs or related courses completed. Most schools typically want this submission in an unopened official transcript.

Prerequisites

Most schools do not need a GRE or GMAT score for admission, but some schools do.

Some schools require 3-5 years of professional experience.

Recommendations

Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. Letters should write by other professionals, past teachers, past mentors, seniors, etc. and they should attest to the applicant’s professional skills and character.

Timeline for Online Master’s in Hospitality Management

Many schools offer this problem 100% online, and they have different requirements for graduation. Some schools let students transfer some credits from another university or would waive certain courses if the student has professional experience or relevant coursework from an undergraduate degree. Some schools also have a thesis requirement before graduation. But, most students can graduate from an online master’s degree in hospitality management between 12 months to 24 months.

Accreditation for Online Master’s in Hospitality Management

Accreditation is essential when choosing an online school for your master’s in hospitality management. Several independent bodies accredit schools for their standards. Some of these accreditation bodies are regional. Some of the schools are accredited by the Council for Higher Education. Read more about what accreditation is, why it matters, and how the accreditation process works on our Accreditation guide.

There are several bodies issue accreditation for online masters in hospitality management programs. If a university is accredited by one of the below accreditation bodies, you can be sure about the school and the high standards of their hospitality management programs:

• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• The American Culinary Federation Foundation’s Accrediting Commission (ACFFAC)
• Accrediting Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA)

While many jobs in hospitality management do not require a graduate degree, having a graduate degree in hospitality management acts as an accelerator of growth for professionals. An online master’s degree in hospitality management helps them apply for senior roles in this industry, along with providing a better opportunity to grow careers within this industry. Here some career titles and salaries that hospitality management graduates have seen.

Source: Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com, Bureau of Labor and Statistics

Online Master’s in Hospitality Management, just like other graduate programs, can get expensive. Many organizations offer various kinds of financial aid, scholarships, and assistance for online master’s students. See the Best Financial Aid Guide to find out more about financial aid and paying for online master’s programs in economics using FAFSA and other sources.

Scholarships for Online Master’s in Hospitality Management

Several institutions offer scholarships, awards, financial aid, and other forms of assistance to online master’s students in hospitality management. Here are some of those organizations:

• NEWH Scholarships – NEWH, Inc provides several scholarships through their regional chapters across the US. The scholarships are offered annually, and the amount varies from chapter to chapter. The scholarships are awarded to the students that are within the region where the chapter is offering the scholarship. The deadline also varies based on the regional chapters. Read more about NEWH Scholarships.
• Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Scholarship – This scholarship is provided to students that are residents of Illinois and pursuing culinary arts and hospitality management degrees. Till date, the Illinois Restaurant Association has issued scholarships worth $3 million over the years. The deadline for the application is April 14. And the award amount varies.
• AHLEF Graduate Scholarship Program – AHLEF has budgeted more than $1.3 million for scholarships. AHLEF offers scholarships to students that are pursuing a degree in Hospitality Management. Students are vetted for their GPA, financial need, hospitality work experience, professional activities, and personal qualities. The scholarships come in multiple forms, with award amounts ranging from $500 to $7,500. The scholarship application deadline is February 15.
• Carol Chorbajian Scholarship Fund – This scholarship is awarded to students that are pursuing education in restaurants, food service, or hospitality management industries. Although first preference is given to Monterey County students, other California residents can apply. The award amount is $2,500, and the application deadline is March 15.
• Harvey & Laura Alpert Scholarship Award– This scholarship is awarded each year to students that are pursuing education in tourism, Hospitality, and travel industry. The award is administered by the International Flight Services Association (IFSA). The award amount is $5,100, and the application deadline is June 20.

While getting an Online Master’s Degree in Hospitality Management certainly enhances your knowledge in the field along with career prospects, it is also essential to network with other people in this industry. This will immensely help in increasing domain knowledge, career prospects but also expose you to the ins and outs of the industry. Here are some resources that will accomplish all of that:

• The Lodging Conference – The Lodging Conference is one of the largest conferences for professionals in hospitality management. At these conferences, you will meet top executives of the hotel industry, attend many speaking and interactive sessions, network with other professionals, and learn about their experiences.
• Green Hotels Association – Green Hotels Association, is a conglomerate of hotels that adopt policies of less carbon footprint at their businesses. This member of this association receives ways to reduce the carbon footprint along with ways to save operations cost, including utility bills, laundry costs, etc.
• International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) – ILHA is a non-profit professional association that is 200K strong. They provide certifications, podcasts, whitepapers to their members. ILHA also provides easy to use job search tools that will be helpful graduates and professionals in Hospitality Industry.
• Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) – NEWH is a women’s hospitality industry network that provides a platform for women to network with other professional women in the hospitality industry. NEWH organizes many association events such as seminars, trade meetings, bulletins, etc. NEWH also provides scholarships, promotes education in the hospitality field, and it is an organization from which women in the hospitality industry can significantly benefit from.
• American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) – AHLA is an association that represents the voice of the hotel industry and its professionals. AHLA’s mission is to provide indispensable resource serving, supporting, and advocating on behalf of the American Hospitality Industry. AHLA provides its members with a job board that helps look for new opportunities within the hospitality industry.