Best Master’s in Hospitality Management Programs 2021

As the fastest growing university in the nation, the University of South Florida has soared from the number 181st spot among all universities to number 103. This institution offers a Master of Science degree in Hospitality Management that will better prepare its students to take on the challenges the hospitality industry faces. The program requires 30 credits to graduate.

Our second top school for hospitality management also comes from the great state of Florida. The University of Central Florida can be found in Orlando, Florida, and is a large public university, with 9,654 graduate students enrolled. It has been ranked as one of the Top 20 Most Innovative Colleges and a Best-Value College by Forbes and The Princeton Review.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a small, public institution that contains at least 170 graduate degree programs, including one in Hospitality Management. This Blacksburg, Virginia college will provide students the opportunity to get their hands dirty with first-hand career experience through one of their internship programs, field studies, and interactions with top industry experts.

Oklahoma State University has been the college of choice among students from over 100 different countries. This mid-size school has some famous alumni, including Garth Brooks, Barry Sanders, Anita Hill, and T. Boone Pickens. The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management teaches its students how to use critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills to solve some of the world’s biggest problems.

The Riverside campus of the prestigious University of California has been pioneers in the fields of economy, social impact, and science for more than 150 years. It has been ranked number 12 among all universities, as well as being in the top 1% of all world universities. The Tourism and Hospitality Management program requires 23 credits to graduate and will teach a broad spectrum of subjects, including business, marketing, and event planning.

Founded in 1858, Iowa State University is a public, land-grant institution that offers more than 800 student organizations, internships, and study abroad programs. This large college is located in Ames, Iowa, and was described by previous students as a university that “prepared me for the real world.”

George Washington University is a private institution located in Washington, DC. It is a large university that strives to educate students with world-class faculty, high-impact research, and distinguished graduate programs. The Hospitality Management Master’s degree will provide students with investment advice in hotel development, as well as management techniques to solve some of the world’s toughest issues.

Ranked as one of only 16 Carnegie-ranked Tier One research institutions designated as a Hispanic-serving university, the University of North Texas is known for its culturally diverse campus life. This college has become highly ranked by numerous publications, including being listed as one of America’s 100 Best College Buys and having 89 academic programs rank among the nation’s Top 100.

Florida International University has grown its reputation across the United States as one of the Top 50 Public Research Universities, with over $200 million in annual expenditures. This Miami, FL school offers a Master’s degree in Hospitality Management that has been ranked as one of the Top Hospitality Schools in the World as a result of its dedicated faculty and world-class curriculum.

With over 15,000 students from more than 130 countries, Boston University has gained national recognition as one of the Most Innovative Universities. Due to the fact that BU has connections to prominent hospitality companies, as well as industry professionals who have helped the students by providing career advice and hands-on internship opportunities.

With a history that dates back as far as the year 1743, the University of Delaware is one of the oldest universities in America. The Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics offers a Hospitality Business Management degree that has been named one of the top ten programs in the U.S. It is a 30-credit program that will prepare students to use analytical and operational skills to help create a thriving economic future for the hospitality industry. The program also includes a 1-week “Industry Immersion Program” of workshops by leading industry professionals.

Founded in 1884, Temple University is a top-tier public research institution that is located in Philadelphia. Although there are almost 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at this college, class sizes are small, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1. The Hospitality Management program concentrates on three areas: event management, hospitality operations management, and tourism and hospitality marketing. It can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis and is expected to be completed in four years.

With 36 research centers, over 2,600 faculty members, 108 master’s degrees, and more than 47,000 students, the University of Houston continues to flourish as one of the best colleges in America. The graduate programs from UH were described by previous students as competitive and intense, while the campus atmosphere was described as friendly.

Morgan State University began in the year 1867 as a private university and was on a mission to train young men in ministry. Since then, it has become a mid-sized, preeminent public urban research university that has educated tens of thousands of men and women. This Baltimore-based institution provides a hospitality management master’s degree that complies with the Associate to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in order to create a strict, effective education for graduate students.

The Morgan State Master of Science in Hospitality Management is a two-year AACSB accredited course of study designed for individuals who seek career and strategic business leadership opportunities in the hospitality industry. The program develops future leaders equipped with the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to identify, analyze and provide solutions to real world challenges within the hospitality industry. The program provides customized professional development and career coaching, a combination of theoretical, case based and practical “real-world” learning, and collaborative, innovative & flexible courses. Some facilities at the Graves School of Business and Management include the FinTech & Capital Markets Laboratory, a hospitality training suite, and a marketing focus group laboratory. Employer Partners include Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Caesars, and Lord Baltimore Hotel. Professional Development Partners include the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, AHLA, NABHOOD, and Visit Baltimore.

Program Objectives:

• Develop effective leadership & teamwork skills
• Data analysis for effective business decisions
• Technology training for professional growth
• Understand the global competitive marketplace
• Expose students to executive mentoring network

Specialization/Concentration:

• Accounting or Finance
• Marketing
• Human Resources
• Supply Chain or Project Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Hospitality

Graves School MBA applicants must meet the following Admissions requirements:

1. Submit the following: three (3) Letters of Recommendation, one (1) Professional Goals Essay, and one (1) Resume
2. Must have obtained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (Applicants with < 3.0 GPA may be considered for conditional admission)
3. Provide all Transcripts (International Students; WES or ECE required)- REQUEST Electronic Submission
4. Visit: Graves School of Business YouTube page, for additional information

Here is a testimonial from Michael Cheek, a 2019 MS Hospitality Management Graduate:

“I want to take the time to thank the faculty of the Hospitality Management Master’s Program for empowering me to become the best Business Professional I can be. Working full-time as a Custodian at Morgan State University, this program helped me to better position myself and market my knowledge, skills, and abilities to improve my quality of life. A quote that has inspired me during my academia, ‘Even in the midst of our struggles, our forefathers knew that part of our advancement and growth began with a sound education’, (Author unknown).”

Lasell University is a private institution that can be found in the Boston area. It has small class sizes, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1, as well as offering online and blended course formats to fit the schedules and needs of all students. The Hospitality and Event Management graduate program can be completed in as little as 12 months and is taught by industry professionals that have the knowledge and skills to lead graduates down a successful career path after graduation.

Drexel offers a BS in Hospitality Management and a BS in Hospitality Management/MBA accelerated program. Students learn the fundamentals of hospitality, customer experience and business and explore all facets of the hospitality industry to find the area that best suits their interests and goals. The program offers coursework in event planning, lodging, tourism, food and beverage, gaming and more. The programs are designed to make valuable connections with the hospitality industry before graduating.

Founded in 1942, Fairleigh Dickinson University is the largest private university in New Jersey, with over 11,000 students from 32 states and 72 countries. This college has been ranked as one of the Top 50 in the North Region, number 16 in Best Value Schools, and was named one of “The Best Colleges For Your Money.” Students will have an edge over the competition among graduating because they will be able to join the network of more than 3,000 alumni who can serve has connections in the hospitality industry. The degree can also be completed in as little as 12 months.

Rochester Institute of Technology has been educating students on its Rochester, New York campus since 1829, with Global Campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai and Kosovo. RIT is a culturally diverse school with over 19,000 students and 135,000 graduates from all 50 states and more than 100 nations. It is internationally recognized for its exceptional education while its National Technical Institute for the Deaf is home to the world’s first and largest technological college for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

The Master of Science degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management is offered by Saunders College of Business at RIT where a minimum of 30 credits are required and it can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. The program helps students draw conclusions about models and theories associated with hospitality and tourism in a global environment; and analyze, evaluate, and apply hospitality and tourism data from diverse sources in this dynamic degree program. Graduates are prepared for multiple mid-level service management and training director positions as you create and present new hospitality and tourism services through effective interpersonal, oral, and written communication. Graduates are ready to step into multiple service management and training director positions.

What began as South Carolina College in 1801 as a way to unite South Carolinians after the Revolutionary War transformed into a large university that offers 110 programs, 5 of which are online. The University of South Carolina is a Carnegie top-tier institution and has also been named a Best Value Public College, Top 10% Public University Graduation Rate, the Nation’s Best Public University Honors College, and the Top 3% in the nation for the number of African American graduates. Its Hospitality and Tourism Management program has also been ranked in the Top 10 in the nation.

Roosevelt University can be found in the bustling city of Chicago and focuses its efforts on preparing graduates to become socially conscious leaders in their industries. This institution is mid-sized and offers more than 50 graduate programs, including a Master’s in Hospitality and Tourism Management. Through the university’s partnership with the Marriott Foundation, students will have a number of internship opportunities available to help prepare them for the real world.