What You'll Study in Hotel Management Colleges

Getting an education in the field of hospitality administration or hotel management ensures that you'll emerge well-trained in the vital financial and managerial subjects specific to running a hotel business.

What you'll learn in a hospitality degree program depends, of course, on whether your ultimate goal is a certificate, an associate's, a bachelor's or even a master's degree. A certificate or associate's degree usually prepares the graduate for entry-level management positions, offering core courses in property management, sales and marketing, and basic finance. Often, an internship or externship program is required, providing valuable work experience for fledgling managers.

Hotel management colleges that offer bachelor's degrees will go into more depth with their curriculum. You can expect similar core courses and externship opportunities, but you can also further specialize in areas of hotel management such as marketing, human resources or food and beverage management. Some typical courses offered at the bachelor's-degree level include:

• Sales and Marketing
• Hospitality Accounting
• Human Resource Development/Leadership
• Resort Management
• Casino Operations Management
• Hospitality Franchising and Licensing
• International Lodging Management
• Strategic Planning
• Hospitality Law and Ethics

In the end, with a 4-year degree you'll enter the field with more knowledge under your belt, and be less likely to start out at the bottom of the management ladder. Similarly, a master's degree—usually a master of business administration (MBA) in hotel or hospitality management—prepares you for more advanced managerial positions.

If you're not sure whether you have time to pursue a degree, don't forget that some hotel management colleges offer online programs. Online degree programs offer the same curriculum and even the same internship and externship opportunities that in-person programs do, but you can complete your coursework on a more flexible schedule. Lectures, discussions and even textbooks are accessible via the internet—an ideal setup for those already working full time.

Just be sure to confirm that the hotel management program is accredited—either by a regional accreditation agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education or by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA). Accreditation ensures that a school or program meets standards of educational quality and rigor. In other words, it guarantees you'll be getting a comprehensive and valuable education from a legitimate institution.

Accredited hotel management colleges don't just confer a degree on a piece of paper, though—they confer a set of advantages that enable you to advance quickly in your career.

Find hotel management colleges near you to get started today.