Hospitality and Tourism Management 

Robert Morris University boasts the top-ranked hospitality and tourism program among private schools in the United States and one of the top 12 programs among all schools in the nation. Studies lead to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) degree with a concentration in hospitality and tourism management.

Program Overview
The World Travel and Tourism Council reports that the hospitality and tourism economy employs 300 million workers and accounts for $4 trillion in revenue worldwide. By the year 2010, hospitality and tourism is expected to account for one in every eight jobs in the United States.

Today's dynamic hospitality and tourism industry demands the leadership of professionally educated individuals. Graduates find positions in amusement parks/attractions, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, car rental firms, casinos, commercial campgrounds, cruise lines, dude ranches, forests and recreational lands, hotels and motels, state and national parks, national forests, extended stay and retirement homes, railroads, resorts and spas, retirement centers, riverboats, tour operators and guides, tourist boards, travel agencies, travel trade associations, airlines, country clubs, convention exposition, and meeting planners.

Curriculum
The 126-credit hour curriculum has six components:

1. Robert Morris University Core - 42 credits
         These are the traditional liberal arts requirements of the University. Studies in humanities, communications skills, and social, behavioral, natural and quantitative sciences are included.
2. Non-Business Requirements - 6 credits
         This component consists of required courses in statistics and ethics.
3. Business Foundations Courses - 27 credits
         These are required of all students earning a B.S.B.A. degree and include courses in accounting, finance, marketing, management and other business administration areas.
4. Concentration (Hospitality and Tourism Management) - 24 credits
         This is the major field of study, and required courses include an introduction to hospitality and tourism management, food and beverage operations, cost control systems, and marketing and sales.
5. Business Electives - 12 credits
         Students may select any four courses within the School of Business offerings to broaden their skills in some business area of interest.
6. Non-Business Electives - 15 credits
         Students may select five courses offered outside the School of Business to broaden their skills in some area of interest.

• Check Sheet - Required Courses

Tuition
Tuition information can be found at Tuition Fees & Schedules.

Admission Criteria
The following are required for admission:

• Robert Morris University application for admission - Apply Now!
• Official transcripts from high school and any post-secondary instituitions attended

Internship Opportunities
Hospitality and tourism management students are strongly encouraged to participate in at least one internship experience. Internships provide students with valuable work experience and lead to assistance in career planning, employer references and fulltime job opportunities. Students are eligible for internships after the completion of 75 credits and may participate in more than one experience.

Faculty
The RMU hospitality and tourism faculty has a wide range of expertise and specific emphasis within the industry.

Denis Rudd, Ed.D., CHA, FMP, CTP, is a University professor and director of hospitality and tourism at RMU. He is a fifth generation hotelier who began his career in a family hotel in Windham, N.Y. He was with the Breakers and Biltmore Hotels in Palm Beach and served as a club and slot officer in Germany. He was a consultant to SUMA Corp. (Howard Hughes' Casino Holdings) in Las Vegas and chef/owner of the Equinox Sky Line Resort in Manchester, Vt. He has done research and presentations on bed and breakfast innkeeping, the Americans with Disabilities Act, restaurant management, the senior market, gateway Canada, and hotel and casino operations and management.

Sam Karadag, Ph.D., is an associate professor of hospitality and tourism management, has over 16 years of experience in the industry as an accountant and hotel financial controller. He has worked in such well-known international properties as Hotel Conrad, Ramada International and Regent Hotels. His teaching areas include cost control systems, computer information systems, supervision, and sales and marketing.

Richard Mills, Ph.D., is an associate professor and a certified chef of the American Culinary Federation. He has conducted research and taught classes in quantity food production, food and beverage operations, cost control and restaurant operations.

Opportunities for Graduates
Every graduate of the RMU hospitality and tourism degree program is currently employed. They hold positions at hotels, restaurants, resorts, attractions, airlines, parks, cruise lines, hospitals, retirement centers and casino and gaming concerns.

Bachelor-Level Internship Employers
ARA, Armstrong's Restaurant, Best Western, Buca di Beppo, Cedar Point, Circus Circus, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Delta Air Lines, Disney World, Duquesne Club, Eat'n Park, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Hyatt Hotels, Longhorn Steak House, Marriott, Max & Erm's, MGM Grand, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, North Field Club, Parkhurst Dining Services, Pizza Hut, Primanti Brothers, PSA Airline, Radisson, Ruby Tuesday's, Sheraton, Six Flags, TGI Friday's, Trump Taj Mahal, Wooden Angel, US Airways, United Airlines, Van Guard Air, William Penn Hotel, Wyndham.

Bachelor-Level Hiring Organizations
ARA, Buffalo Marriott, Chipotle, Duquesne Country Club, Eat'n Park, Eddie Bauer, FedEx Services, Harvey's Hotel and Casino, Hyatt Hotels, Landry's Seafood, Marriott, MGM, Norwegian Cruise Line, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel, Sodexho, Spring Hill Suites, US Airways.

Salary Information
2006 national mean bachelor-level starting salaries for selected employers and job functions: