Apr 25, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Master of Science - Hotel Administration


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Plan Description


The Master of Science degree in Hotel Administration will prepare you for a successful career as an upper-level executive in the hospitality industry or as an instructor/researcher in a hospitality education program.  Students will select at the time of admission if they plan to complete the “Professional” or “Thesis” Track.

The “Professional” track is for students interested in securing an industry position upon completion of the program.

The “Thesis Track” is for students interested in research and/or want to complete a PhD degree. Students in the “Thesis Track” will secure a thesis chair by the start of their second semester and work with the chair to finalize a research topic. Copies of the completed thesis must meet the guidelines of the UNLV Graduate College and be completed according to published deadlines.

For more information about your program including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements


Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

The student must satisfy the minimum admission requirements of the UNLV Graduate College and the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. 

Applicants need to meet the following requirement below to be considered for the program.

  1. A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale, or 3.00 or higher in the last two years of study. Note: It is preferred (not required) that applicants have a minimum of one-year of full-time work experience in a management/supervisory capacity in the hospitality industry, or three years of full-time, front-line experience. 
  2. Complete and submit the online UNLV Graduate College admission application and pay the required admission application fee.
  3. Submit of all post-secondary transcripts from all institutions attended. Unofficial copies of these transcripts must be uploaded into the online application system. Note: it is a requirement of the UNLV Graduate College that students with class credits and/or degrees from educational institutions outside the United States must provide a course-by-course evaluation of those credentials by a Graduate College approved NACES Evaluation Agency. This is to obtain an evaluation of the courses, verification of degrees, and establish accreditation of the schools and/or universities. A copy of this evaluation must be uploaded into the online application system by the application deadline.
  4. GRE or GMAT scores are not required. It is recommended and can strengthen an applicants’s application. 
  5. International applicants must complete the requirements listed in the UNLV English Proficiency page .
  6. Submit a Statement of Purpose (approximately 500 words) that outlines your career goals and how your hospitality employment background has prepared you for graduate study.
  7. Submit two letters of recommendation. It is highly recommended that one letter is from a supervisor of an internship experience and one from a college faculty member. If the applicant has been out of school for a while and is no longer in touch with faculty members, letters from two employers will suffice.
  8. Submit a resume that outlines internships, full-time jobs, and leadership experiences (i.e. officer in a club/organization, undergraduate research, mentoring programs, and volunteer/community service). Resumes should be one to two pages.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements: All application documents must be submitted through the online application system by the application deadline.

If an applicant has questions about the application process, please email mygradfuture@unlv.edu for assistance from one of the staff members in the Hospitality Office of Graduate Programs. If admission is offered to an international applicant who is requesting F-1 or J-1 visa eligibility documents is required to submit Proof of Funding documentation.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements


See Subplan Requirements below:

Subplan 1: Thesis Track

Subplan 2: Professional Track

Subplan 1 Requirements: Thesis Track


Total Credits Required: 31

Course Requirements


Required Courses – Credits: 16


Complete 16 credits by completing all of the following courses:

  • HOA 701 Hospitality Industry Overview 

  • HOA 734 Research Methods for Industry & Academia

  • HOA 742 Marketing Practices: Leading During Times of Change 

  • HOA 752 Advanced Hospitality Management I: Legal & Ethical Human Resources Management

  • HOA 753 Advanced Hospitality Management II: Financial Literacy and Revenue Optimization

  • HOA 768 Hospitality Leadership I: Change Management and Ethics

  • HOA 769 Hospitality Leadership II: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Competencies

  • HOA 776 Current Issues in Hospitality and Tourism

Research Methods Requirement - Credits: 3


Statistics Requirement - Credits: 3


Students must complete a 3-credit Statistics course. It is recommended for students to complete HOA 730 or an equivalent course per advisor’s approval.

Culminating Experience Requirement – Credits: 3


  • HOA 786 Culminating Experience

Thesis – Credits: 6


Degree Requirements


1. Successfully complete a minimum of 31 graduate-level credits, of which no less than 24 are in Hotel Administration. This allows for a variety of supplemental tracks including business and education. At least 27 credits must be at the 700-level.

2. An oral examination is required of all students completing this track.

3. Successfully complete any conditional coursework outlined at the time of admission prior to graduation. It is preferred that any conditional coursework is completed in the first semester.

4. In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a thesis committee of at least three departmental members and a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.

5. Students are encouraged to complete an internship during the summer term between their first year and second year in the program. International students must receive approval to be on CPT before starting an internship experience. All internships must be secure directly by the student and carries no academic credit.

Graduation Requirements


The student must submit and successfully defend their thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public. After the thesis defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their thesis to the Graduate College for format check. Once the thesis format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for thesis defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.

Subplan 2 Requirements: Professional Track


Total Credits Required: 31

Course Requirements


Required Courses – Credits: 16


Complete 16 credits by completing all of the following courses:

  • HOA 701 Hospitality Industry Overview 

  • HOA 734 Research Methods for Industry & Academia

  • HOA 742 Marketing Practices: Leading During Times of Change 

  • HOA 752 Advanced Hospitality Management I: Legal & Ethical Human Resources Management

  • HOA 753 Advanced Hospitality Management II: Financial Literacy and Revenue Optimization

  • HOA 768 Hospitality Leadership I: Change Management and Ethics

  • HOA 769 Hospitality Leadership II: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Competencies

  • HOA 776 Current Issues in Hospitality and Tourism

Statistics Requirement - Credits: 3


Students must complete a 3-credit Statistics course. It is recommended for students to complete HOA 730 or an equivalent course per advisor’s approval.

Elective Courses – Credits: 9


Complete nine credits of advisor-approved elective coursework.

Culminating Experience - Credits: 3


  • HOA 786 Culminating Experience

Degree Requirements


1. Successfully complete a minimum of 31 graduate-level credits, of which no less than 24 are in Hotel Administration. This allows for a variety of supplemental tracks including business and education. At least 27 credits must be at the 700-level.

2. An oral presentation of the culminating project is required of all students completing this track.

3. Successfully complete any conditional coursework outlined at the time of admission prior to graduation. It is preferred that any conditional coursework is completed in the first semester.

Graduation Requirements


The student must successfully complete the culminating experience course.

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.

Plan Graduation Requirements


Refer to your subplan for Graduation Requirements.

Subplan 1: Thesis Track

Subplan 2: Professional Track

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