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Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management Program

The event industry is yours to conquer!

This specialized business degree prepares you for leadership roles in the dynamic, service-oriented hospitality industry. Traditional business courses in accounting, economics and law are complemented by hospitality marketing, meeting/event management, lodging management, hospitality facilities management, food and beverage management and international tourism. All of these courses help to give you a solid foundation required for any number of hospitality specialties.

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Degrees
Hospitality Management
Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management (B.S.)

SDSU offers a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management.
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Events and Facilities Administration Minor

A minor in events and facilities administration will strengthen students’ preparation to work in careers that involve event planning and facilities administration (political events, celebrations, education, promotions, commemorations, trade shows, conferences, exhibitions and conventions)

Opportunities

We stress experiential learning in our program. All undergraduates must complete two internships, accumulating more than 500 hours of work experience in two distinct areas of hospitality. These two experiences provide a great opportunity to explore different and unique facets of the industry, and to expand your knowledge and discover your ideal career path. Whether on campus or off campus, part time or full time, job or internship, you can choose the work experience that best suits your schedule and interests.

Our goal is for each of our graduates to be qualified for an intro-level management job (or management training position) upon graduation.

Some of the many areas you can focus your career within hospitality management:

  • Bar and beverage management
  • Casino management
  • Club management
  • Cruise management
  • Event management
  • Hotel management
  • Resort management
  • Restaurant management
  • Tourism management
  • Venue management
  • Sport coordinator
  • Healthcare hospitality
Mission, Goals and Outcome Data
Mission

The mission of the hospitality, tourism and event management program is to develop visionary leaders and successful professionals in the hospitality, tourism and event industry. The program provides a comprehensive and challenging curriculum that includes courses in general education, business, hospitality, tourism and event management, combined with relevant operational and management experience under the supervision and guidance of industry professionals and program faculty.

Goals

At the conclusion of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Identify and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for hospitality and tourism operations.
  2. Develop and integrate a core set of business skills necessary to successfully operate a hospitality and tourism organization.
  3. Demonstrate competence in the communication skills necessary for hospitality and tourism management.
  4. Formulate business decisions in hospitality and tourism management.
  5. Evaluate leadership principles necessary in the global hospitality and tourism industry.

With a Bachelor of Science in hospitality, tourism and event management from ºù«Ӱҵ, the hospitality, tourism and event industry is yours to conquer. We are dedicated to making the hospitality, tourism and event management program at SDSU one of the leading professional management-related programs in the Midwest.

Outcome Data

The hospitality, tourism and event management program had a 66.7% retention rate (from Freshmen to Sophomore) for the 2023-2024 academic year, and 100% of our students were employed in the hospitality industry or a related field upon graduation. In the academic years of 2022-2023, 2021-2022 and 2020-21, retention rates were 75%, 20% and 50% respectively. While the hospitality industry continued to have jobs available in the hospitality field for any student searching, students in hospitality, tourism and event management learn numerous transferrable skills and are sought-after for, and excel in, positions in a wide variety of industries. Given that, 85.71%, 91.67%, and 75% of our students were employed in the hospitality industry or related field and 14.29%, 8.33%, and 25% of our students were continuing their education in 2022-2023, 2021-2022 and 2020-2021 respectively.

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Learning Experiences
Special Events

Throughout the fall/spring, students participate in learning experiences with the hospitality club and in their courses.

Upcoming events:

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Program Highlights
Wagner Cafe

A student-run cafe featuring homemade sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts. Operates seven to nine weeks each spring semester.

Wagner Cafe

Accreditation

Since Winter of 2016, the hospitality, tourism and event management program has held professional accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA) for its educational quality and for upholding nationally recognized standards in the hospitality profession.

Faculty and Staff