Oct 10, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Hospitality Management (BS)


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The curriculum and extracurricular activities offered by the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality are carefully designed to engage and inspire students to acquire the essential attributes necessary to be prepared for a life-long career advancement. The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Hospitality Management offers a broad educational approach to a leadership career in the hospitality industry by transitioning students through employee levels that commence from individual contributors to managerial leaders in their 4 years of study.

The program provides a varied course of study. In addition to the university’s general education requirements, students take classes specific to the industry including an introduction to hospitality, human resources management, organizational behavior, guest experience, law, operations management, leadership, and ethics. Students also study cost control, revenue management, career development, financial accounting, and strategic management. The inclusion of 30 elective credits allow students to customize their educational experience based on personal and professional interests. Although it is not required, students may elect to declare a concentration to provide an opportunity to focus their elective credits toward a specific area of study.

Rounding out the curriculum are senior-level culminating experience classes where students apply managerial and leadership skills learned in the classroom and through work experience in the hospitality industry. This approach offers prospective employers a well-rounded graduate who understands day-to-day operations, has the ability to contribute to strategic planning and can adapt to a multitude of positions. With this expansive knowledge base, students will be ready to be considered for numerous career opportunities upon graduation.

Please see the UNLV College of Hospitality web page at www.unlv.edu/hospitality for information about department programs, faculty and facilities. Degree worksheets and 4/5 year plan for the major are available at www.unlv.edu/degree/bs-hospitality-management.

Available Options

  • Concentration in Event Design and Management
  • Concentration in Gaming Management
  • Concentration in Hospitality Beverage Management
  • Concentration in Human Resource Management
  • Concentration in Innovative Restaurant Management
  • Concentration in PGA Golf Management

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the BS program in Hospitality Management, students should be able to:

  1. Identify career goals and effective strategies for achieving them.
    1. Develop effective interview techniques.
    2. Articulate your personal elevator speech about your career.
  2. Communicate effectively in written, spoken, visual and digital modes to different audiences (e.g. industry leaders, employers, faculty and fellow students).
  3. Manage all forms of capital (e.g., human, financial) in an ethical and sustainable way.
  4. Analyze, understand, and solve human resource problems and challenges. 

  5. Effectively identify and assess the legal risks associated with common hospitality business practices and events and identify appropriate risk management techniques and employment practices to minimize those risks.

  6. Analyze financial, marketing, and operational results and outcomes for hospitality operations.

  7. Develop an understanding of customer segments and key marketing concepts, and apply this knowledge to increase revenue and brand value.

  8. Demonstrate effective management techniques in hospitality operations (hotel, F&B, gaming, meetings, events, etc.). 

  9. Design a sustainable component or practice for a hospitality business (hotel, F&B, gaming, meetings, events, etc.).

Advising


Please see advising information at the UNLV College of Hospitality Advising Center.

Modality: In-Person or Fully Online


This program is available Fully In-Person or Fully Online. A fully online student is one who has committed to pursue their entire degree, minor, certificate, or microcredential exclusively through online education. A fully in-person student is one who has committed to pursuing their entire degree, minor, certificate, or microcredential exclusively through in-person education.

Modality change process: Programs may be offered in more than one modality (instructional mode). If programs offer a fully online option, students may opt for a fully online offering at the time of admission. They will be tagged as a fully online student. A student desiring to change the modality from fully online to fully in-person or vice versa, should visit the appropriate advising centers.

Accreditation


For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.

University Graduation Requirements


Please see Graduation Policies  for complete information.

Hospitality Management (BS) Degree Requirements - Total: 120 Credits


General Education Requirements - Subtotal: 38 Credits


First Year Seminar - Credits: 3


English Composition - Credits: 6


Second Year Seminar - Credits: 3


  • Any approved Second Year Seminar (  or   fulfills this requirement)

Mathematics - Credits: 3


Distribution Requirement: Credits: 19


Please see Distribution Requirements  for more information.

  • Humanities and Fine Arts - Credits 9

  • One course from different Humanities area - 3 credits
  • One course in Fine Arts - 3 credits
  •  

  • Social Science:

  • Automatically satisfied by Major requirements.
  •  

  • Life and Physical Sciences and Analytical Thinking: 10 Credits

  • One course from Analytical Thinking (COM 104 COM 217 PHIL 102 HON 102 
  • Two courses from Life and Physical Sciences category; at least one must have a lab.

Multicultural and International


Multicultural, one 3 credit course required
International, one 3 credit course required

These courses may overlap with general education and major requirements.  A single course may not meet the multicultural and international requirements simultaneously. For the list of approved multicultural and international courses, go to: www.unlv.edu/provost/multicultural-requirements.

General Electives - Credits: 15


Total Credits: 120


Notes


  1. All students must complete 1, 000 hours of work experience in the hospitality industry. It is highly recommended that a portion of these hours be dedicated to the student’s concentration (if applicable), to facilitate entry into that segment of the industry after graduation. Must complete a minimum of 36 credits of upper-division Hospitality (FAB, GAM, HMD, PGM, TCA) courses in resident credit. Cannot earn credit for both FAB 410  and FAB 468  as they are deemed duplicate credit courses.
  2. All culminating courses must be completed at UNLV.
  3. HMD 200  is a Milestone Experience course for Hospitality Management B.S.
  4. FAB 410 , HMD 400 , HMD 410 , HMD 480  and TCA 410  are Culminating Experience course for Hospitality Management B.S. 
    1. TCA 410  is a Culminating Experience course for Hospitality Management B.S. Event Design and Management Concentration.
    2. HMD 410  is a Culminating Experience course for Hospitality Management B.S. Gaming Management Concentration
    3. FAB 410  is a Culminating Experience course for Hospitality Management B.S. Hospitality Beverage Management Concentration
    4. HMD 480  is a Culminating Experience course for Hospitality Management B.S. Human Resource Management Concentration
    5. FAB 410  is a Culminating Experience course for Hospitality Management B.S. Innovative Restaurant Management Concentration

Areas of Concentration


Students who wish to specialize in a particular segment of the hospitality industry can declare a concentration to focus their studies in that field. Concentration courses replace the Hotel College electives in the Hospitality Management Major and must be completed with a grade of C or better. An internship and work experience specific to the area of concentration, is strongly advised to enhance the student’s career opportunities. Four concentrations are available for interested students.

Event Design and Management Concentration


The objective of the Event Design and Management Concentration is to provide general knowledge and skills needed by event professionals.  Students will gain experience in using their imagination and critical thinking skills to design original event experiences.  This concentration is targeted not only to those who will work in the traditional event industry, but also to those who are considering careers in the entertainment, sports, or tourism industries. 

Event Design and Management Concentration- Credits: 15

Event Design and Management Concentration Notes


Event Design and Management Concentration students will complete TCA 410 Meetings/Events Culminating Experience  course as one of the Hospitality Major’s Culminating Experience requirements.

Gaming Management Concentration


The objectives of the gaming concentration is to provide general management knowledge and skills associated with the gaming industry. Students will gain experience in aspects of gaming management. The gaming concentration is targeted not only to those who will work in actual casino operations, but also to students who are thinking about careers in gaming regulations and control, accounting, or as suppliers who will serve the casino industry.

Gaming Management Concentration Notes


Gaming Management Concentration students will complete HMD 410 Integrated Resorts Culminating Experience  course as one of the Hospitality Major’s Culminating Experience requirements.

Hospitality Beverage Management Concentration


The objective of the beverage focused concentration is to provide general management knowledge and skills required to be successful in the beverage industry. Students will gain experience in all aspects of managing beverage operations, both those that are stand-alone and those within other hospitality venues. This concentration is targeted not only to those who will work in beverage operations such as bars, but also to students who are thinking about careers in other related businesses such as nightclubs, wineries, breweries, beverage distributers and cafes.

Hospitality Beverage Management Concentration Notes


Hospitality Beverage Management Concentration students may complete FAB 410 Food and Beverage Culminating Experience  to satisfy the six credits of Hospitality Major’s Culminating Experience. Students may opt to take FAB 468 Food and Beverage Concept Development  as three credits of the Hospitality Major’s Culminating Experience requirements. Cannot earn credit for both FAB 410  and FAB 468  as they are deemed duplicate credit courses.

Human Resource Management Concentration


The objective of the Human Resource Management Concentration is to gain general knowledge and skills needed by human resources professionals. The courses are designed to promote HR as a career track in the hospitality industry.
Concentration Outcomes:

  • Communicate effectively in written, spoken, visual and digital modes to different audiences.
  • Develop knowledge of and problem-solving skills related to the global and multicultural hospitality industry.
  • Apply critical thinking to human resource management problems.     

Human Resource Management Concentration- Subtotal: 15 Credits

Human Resource Management Concentration Notes


  1. Human Resource Management Concentration students will complete HMD 480 - Hospitality Industry Projects Culminating Experience  .
  2. Students should contact the College of Hospitality Advising Center and Boughner Career center if they are able to arrange an HR Internship. Then HMD 400  could be used as an elective for the concentration and your second culminating experience.

Innovative Restaurant Management Concentration


The objective of the restaurant focused concentration is to provide general management knowledge and skills associated with the foodservice industry. Students will gain experience in all aspects of managing a restaurant. This concentration is targeted not only to those who will work in restaurant operations, but also to students who are thinking about careers in other foodservice operations such institutional foodservice, in-flight catering, and food suppliers. Concentration Outcomes: Communicate effectively in written, spoken, visual and digital modes to different audiences. Develop knowledge of and problem-solving skills related to the global and multicultural restaurant industry. Apply critical thinking to the development of sustainable practices in the restaurant industry. Solve problems related to the management and operations of restaurants.

Innovative Restaurant Management Concentration -Credits: 15

Innovative Restaurant Management Concentration Notes


Innovative Restaurant Management Concentration students may completeFAB 410 Food and Beverage Culminating Experience  to satisfy the six credits of Hospitality Major’s culminating experience. Students may opt to take FAB 468 Food and Beverage Concept Development  as three credits of the Hospitality Major’s culminating experience requirements. Cannot earn credit for both FAB 410  and FAB 468  as they are deemed duplicate credit courses. 

PGA Golf Management Concentration


The PGA Golf Management Concentration provides students with the academic knowledge and experience necessary for a career in the golf industry. The PGA Golf Management concentration consists of 23 credits within the hospitality management major. Sixteen months of internship at approved golf facilities and successful completion of the PGA’s player’s ability test and qualifying levels: 1, 2, and 3.

Completing the hospitality management major with the PGA Golf Management concentration qualifies students for membership in the PGA upon receiving a background check and eligible employment in the golf industry. Concentration fees include extensive golf course playing and practice privileges and access to the PGA knowledge center.

Admission to this concentration requires admission to the university plus a golf handicap of 12 or less verified by the United States Golf Association, Professional Golfers’ Association of America, PGA golf professional, high school golf coach, or successful completion of the PGA playing-ability test.

The program will provide a challenging and comprehensive academic experience, preparing students to successfully meet all requirements to obtain PGA Membership.

Students will develop a solid foundation in general education, hospitality management, and PGA education.

Students will be supported through PGA Golf Management concentration courses geared specifically to the learning objectives and requirements necessary to obtain PGA membership.

Students will develop leadership skills and be involved in industry service activities through the support of the PGA Student Association.

PGA Concentration - Total Credits: 23

PGA Golf Management Concentration Notes


PGA Playing-Ability Test must be successfully completed prior to program completion.

PGA Golf Management Concentration students will complete PGM 402 PGA Teaching and Coaching Level 3  as three of the six credits required in Hospitality Major’s culminating experience courses.

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