Mar 29, 2024  
2012-2013 Graduate Catalog 
    
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Hospitality Administration Ph.D.


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The Ph.D. program is a multi-conceptual and research-based degree program designed to produce top quality hospitality and tourism educators and researchers. It focuses on preparing students to be excellent teachers at the university level, and engages them in scholarly research in hospitality and tourism management. Upon graduation, students will be able to teach and conduct research at the university level, and work at industry research institutions. The Ph.D. program is highly competitive, seeking motivated individuals who are committed to pursuing academic and research careers in hospitality and tourism. The program is partly supported by the Ace Denken Co. Ltd. Endowment.

Admission Requirements

The student must satisfy the minimum admission requirements of the Graduate College and the Harrah Hotel College including:

 

  1. Completed online application found in the upper right-hand column of the Graduate College home page and payment of required application fee.
  2. Official transcripts sent directly from all educational institution(s) attended after high school are required by both the Graduate College and the Harrah Hotel College Graduate Studies Office. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded to the online application. Please 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 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 should be sent to both the UNLV Graduate College and the Harrah Hotel Graduate Studies Office.
  3. Master’s degree from an accredited institution with at least 24 credits in hotel administration, food service administration, tourism-convention administration, or a closely aligned field.
  4. An overall GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for all work completed at the post-baccalaureate level.
  5. Three or more years of management/supervisory experience in the hospitality industry.
  6. GRE or GMAT test results sent directly from the testing center to the Harrah Hotel College Graduate Studies Office. Students must make a satisfactory composite score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (dept code 5199), minimum score 1150 or 50th percentile—with at least 35% on the verbal portion; on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) (dept code ZSC 37-32), minimum score 550.
  7. A statement of 500 words outlining what the applicant expects to accomplish during the Ph.D. program and his/her particular research interests.
  8. Current resume (must have three or more years of management/supervisory experience in the hospitality industry).
  9. Three Letters of Recommendation are required. It is preferred that these letters come from two college faculty members and one current or former employer. However, recommendations from one faculty member and two employers will suffice.
  10.  A master’s level thesis or the equivalent.
International applicants: if English is not the applicant’s native language and his/her baccalaureate degree was not from a school where English was the language of instruction, the applicant must complete one of the language tests listed below with the minimum score indicated or above:

TOEFL:                                       Paper-based Test: 550 (minimum writing score: 58) 

Computer-based Test: 213 (minimum writing score: 24)

Internet-based Test: 80 (minimum writing score: 21, minimum speaking score: 21).

Michigan Test:                           85% (minimum scores: 40 out of 50 speaking,

40 out of 50 writing)

IELTS:                                        7

Pearson English Language Test: 65

 

 

Addresses

Graduate College
4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 451017
Las Vegas, NV 89154-1017
702-895-3320
http://graduatecollege.unlv.edu
 

Graduate Studies Office
William. F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 456017
Las Vegas, NV 89154-6017
702.895.3321
hotelgrad@unlv.edu
http://hotel.unlv.edu
 

Application Deadline: 

Fall: February 1
This program does not admit for the spring semester. All documentation and application materials must be in the Graduate College and the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration Graduate Studies Office by the deadline for the application to be considered.

 

Degree Requirements


Total Credits Required for the Hospitality Administration Ph.D.: 60
All requirements listed below must be completed successfully as defined by the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration and the Graduate College.
 
Required Core Courses (Total Credits: 12)

 

(to be repeated three different semesters - one credit each)

 

 
 
 
Required Quantitative Methodology and Qualitative Methodology (Total Credits: 9)
 
 
 
 
Required Statistical Analysis - two courses from the following (Total Credits: 6)
 
 
    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Major and Minor Area of Study (Total Credits: 15)
Courses to be approved by student’s chair and the academic advisor.
Major area course: 3, 3-credit courses
Major area course: 2, 3-credit courses
 

Electives (Total Credits: 6)           

 
Can be used to fulfill a prerequisite if the courses are at the 700 level or higher.
 
Dissertation (Total Credits: 12)
 
 
  1. Must have at least 24 credits in the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration (excluding dissertation credits) and 12 credits outside of the Harrah Hotel College. All credits must be from 700-level courses.
  2. Successful completion of all courses approved on the student’s graduate program of study with a 3.00 or better. Any credits completed with less than a 2.00 may result in the student’s termination from the program.
  3. After the first year of course work, but before the end of the fourth semester, a qualifying exam must be passed.
  4. The student must file an approved degree plan before the start of the third semester after admission to the program. The degree plan must be developed in consultation with the student’s Doctoral Advising Committee Chair, the Doctoral Advising Committee, the Director of the Ph.D. Progam, and the Executive Director of Graduate Studies and Research.
  5. Simultaneous to the last semester of content-related course work (non-dissertation credits), the student must pass a major and minor area comprehensive exam. This exam is designed by the student’s Doctoral Advising Committee under the direction of the Doctoral Advising Chair. This exam must be taken within five years of the admission date.
  6. The student must successfully write and orally defend his/her dissertation proposal and the completed dissertation. The dissertation must be of substantial quality and length, original in thought and research, and make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of hospitality administration. Upon approval of the Doctoral Advising Committee, the student will orally defend both the dissertation proposal and the completed dissertation.
  7. All students admitted to the program may spend the equivalent of two semesters completing an approved internship if necessary.

For additional information, please contact Dr. James Busser, Director of the Ph.D. Program, William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, at (702) 895-0942, or by email at james.busser@unlv.edu.

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