Hospitality and Tourism Management, B.S.

Departmental Requirements

The admission of students to the undergraduate programs in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management is based upon the general admission requirements of the University.

Students wishing to pursue a major in Hospitality and Tourism Management must meet all University of Maryland Eastern Shore entrance requirements. Freshmen must take a Basic Skills Test during their first semester as a major and demonstrate ability at a determined grade level. In order to remain in good standing in Hospitality and Tourism Management Department degree programs, the student must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 with no grade less than “C” in major coursework and general education courses, where required. Transfers into the major must present an overall GPA of not less than 2.0. All majors must show progress in major and professional course work, attend and actively participate in the Student Professional Association (Eta Rho Mu) and demonstrate interest in the hospitality industry.

All Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) majors are required to complete 1000 hours of hospitality work experience as a requirement for graduation.

Specific business attire, culinary uniform requirements and related requirements are available in the HTM Student Handbook.

Students majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management must complete a total of 120 hours of University courses. This includes 41 credit hours of General Education Requirements, 66 hours of major core requirements, 3 credit hours of supportive courses and -10 hours of departmental electives.

Career Opportunities

The bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management at UMES prepares graduates for a wide variety of entry-level management positions in the hospitality industry. These include hotel front office, housekeeping, and marketing positions, as well as banquet, restaurant and special event management. Broader foodservice areas include contract operations, quick service to upscale freestanding restaurant management, and private catering as lucrative career paths. The prevalence of major overlapping skill sets in the hospitality industry means that graduates will also be prepared for a selection of complimentary management career paths in travel/tourism, entertainment and related supportive industry services. While preparation for management is at the core of the HTM curriculum, sufficient emphasis is placed on entrepreneurship for those individuals who are motivated to own their own business and create long-term wealth.