Hospitality and Tourism Management, M.S.

The Master of Science degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management is operated by the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and is a specialized approach to graduate education for industry executives. The program is designed especially to meet the needs of mid-career executives who desire the necessary educational acumen for managing complex organizational systems in the hospitality, recreation, and tourism industry. Students in the program have an average of five to 15 years of full-time professional work experience and four to eight years of managerial or equivalent experience in the hospitality, recreation, and/or tourism industry, and bring a wealth of knowledge and industry experience to the classroom. The program allows the faculty to tailor or customize the curricular content to meet student needs for various industry segments based on an initial appraisal or assessment completed prior to registering in classes. New students accepted for the M.S. degree in hospitality and tourism management are fully matriculated in the university and meet all university requirements as established by the Graduate Division. The degree is a 17-month program utilizing a blended instructional model in which students complete courses offered in an online format and also in intensive face-to-face sessions during residency periods on-campus, which are seven days in length and offered at the beginning and conclusion of the program. The fee structure is unique to the program and unrelated to the usual San Diego State University fee schedule. Students should contact the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management office for a program calendar, Class Schedule, and fee summary. In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic requirements for the master’s degree as described in Part Four of this bulletin, students must complete an approved program of study containing 30 units of 600- and 700-numbered courses. These courses will be offered in a predetermined pattern for entering student cohorts. No transfer courses and no substitute courses are accepted. The official programs of all students in any one cycle are identical. Advancement to candidacy requires completion of at least 12 units of coursework listed on the official program of study with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B).