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THE MAJOR
The Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) major is a program within the College of Business. For more information about Business majors at JMU, view the COB's new promotional video.
Admission and Progression Standards for this major:
Click on the link to learn more about the admission and progression standards of this major: http://www.jmu.edu/advising/snapshots/SSHTM.shtml
Description of Major
The Hospitality and Tourism Management program at JMU prides itself on being a leading Bachelor of Business Administration hospitality degree program in the country. The HTM major emphasizes practical experience through the curriculum and students are encouraged to participate in opportunities to study abroad.
The HTM mission is to develop hospitality and tourism management leaders through sound theoretical coursework, innovative learning activities, mentoring opportunities, exposure to premier hospitality organizations, and interaction with dynamic industry professionals. Together with alumni, students, parents, and friends of the program, JMU HTM will be recognized as the preferred provider of hospitality graduates.
Hospitality and Tourism Management is an extremely dynamic field and students may pursue careers in hotels, resorts, restaurants, private clubs, travel, various food service operations or convention management and meeting planning. To pursue a major under the College of Business (CoB) it is necessary to formally apply for admission and to complete, successfully, lower‑level business requirements. Students interested in pursuing a business major are encouraged to begin taking lower‑division business courses as early as possible.
Tell me more about this field of study.
Hospitality and tourism is one of the world's largest industries. It is America's largest services exporter due to international travelers who spend over $94 billion in the United States. Travel for pleasure equals 897 million trips and business travel equals 272 million trips in the United States alone. This industry is expected to continue to grow as more hotels are built, business travel increases, and domestic and foreign tourism increases. The total employment for professionals in the field of Hospitality and Tourism is over 17 million with a related payroll of $147 billion. The Hospitality and Tourism Management major prepares students, in this dynamic field, for management positions in the hospitality industry. Career paths within the industry could include food and beverage management, rooms management, events and conference planning, club management, sales and marketing, and guest services. Due to the nature of this industry, many hospitality employees work more than 40 hours a week, nights, weekends, and holidays to accommodate the industries' extended hours of service.
Tell me more about specializations in this field.
Individuals can pursue entry level management paths in the hospitality industry. General Managers of clubs, resorts, hotels, and restaurants coordinate a team of managers to deliver exceptional service and a memorable experience, relative to the following: Convention services managers coordinate meetings, conventions, and other special events for a hotel. Food and beverage managers direct the food services of hotels. Front office managers coordinate reservations and train front desk staff to deal with the public. Executive housekeepers insure that guest rooms, meeting rooms and public areas are well maintained and train and supervise housekeepers. Restaurant managers are responsible for all phases of a food service operation.
What common major or minor combinations from other departments complement this major?
There are many compatible combinations with an HTM degree, including: Accounting, Communications, English as a Second Language, Finance, Foreign Languages, Human Resource Development, Nutrition or Psychology.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS
Good business skills, exceptional written and oral communication skill, and excellent interpersonal skills are essential in this field. Individuals must also be able to adapt and work well under pressure in order to solve problems and handle emergencies.
CAREERS
Many graduates choose typical career paths associated with this major. However, some graduates choose unrelated careers that utilize skills and experiences developed during their years in college. Keep in mind, that some fields will require graduate study or further training. The listing below offers a few examples of some career paths taken by recent graduates of the HTM program:
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