Program Policy Statement
Hospitality Business
Management
Master of Science
Part I. Program History
1.
Statement of purpose and
expectation of graduate study in the program.
Purpose:
With the advent of the
information economy, knowledge, effective decision making skills combined with
strong analytical backgrounds have become the mainstay of career success in the
hospitality industry. At the undergraduate level, hospitality education primarily
focuses on orientation and operational excellence, but less towards the
analytical side. To respond to these advances, hospitality companies need
professionals who are knowledgeable, and can solve emerging problems using a
wide array of tools and skill sets pertinent to the information economy. The Department of Hotel, Restaurant and
Institutional Management offers a powerful and innovative Master’s program that
integrates the hospitality industry knowledge base with analytical capabilities
for effective decision making in the information age.
In today’s information economy, a clear need has arisen for
individuals who are skilled in managing and analyzing information in the
hospitality industry. The burgeoning mass of information now demands greater
levels of oversight, dynamic decisions and strong analysis to keep firms in the
hospitality industry up to date. Across functional areas of hospitality such as
strategy, finance, accounting, marketing, information systems, the quantity and
quality of information have risen and created demands for knowledge workers who
can effectively make critical decisions. The following are areas of emerging
change that underscore the rationale towards re-positioning the MS in
Hospitality Information Management:
A. Online Media Management: A recent study by
Booz & Co, show that firms are diverting significant resources towards
online efforts such as paid search and social media thereby creating a whole
new class of employees geared towards the management and promotion of content.
Evaluating the scope of consumer-generated content using new tools will require
analytical and domain oriented knowledge pertinent to the hospitality industry.
B. Revenue Management: Revenue management, which is the science of
optimizing revenue based on supply and demand, and was an on-property function
in the 90s is now integrated with channel management and the firm’s overall
distribution strategy. According to the Center for Hospitality Research at
Cornell University, revenue management is fast gaining acceptance in
restaurants, golf clubs, spas, stadiumsetc.
C. Mobility & E-Services: According to
Google Inc., choosing where to eat is now decided using mobile phones than on
traditional desktops. These have indisputably added a new dimension to service
delivery and distribution. The integration of location based services,
smartphone technology and novel distribution models such as group couponing,
demands greater understanding and analysis of the virtual marketspace and the
viability of emerging opportunities.
D. Financial Analysis: The emphasis for most
companies in the hospitality industry today is to educate managers to
understand how and where the enterprise makes money. Knowing how value is created in the
enterprise and the key components that drive that value is critical to the
success of the enterprise in a very competitive hospitality market. Therefore using tools that assist the
hospitality manager to analyze financial statements and using the results of
the analysis to make critical decisions that determine the business’ success
are the skills that recruiters seek when they talk to students.
E. Service Automation: Lastly, a recent
publication from MIT’s Center for Digital Business observes that service
automation has increased with the growth of self-service technologies, and this
in turn demands a new class of professionals who can facilitate service
delivery with technological and analytical support.
In summary, to respond to this fast changing environment, hospitality companies
require professionals who are both knowledgeable and also possess the right
analytical skill sets to make effective decisions.
The
Master of Science in Hospitality Business Management program
provides a stronger foundation and preparation for students to integrate
emerging information age trends across functional areas of the industry, and
enable the application of decision making tools to solve problems and evaluate
business enterprise opportunities. If you have
questions, please contact any of the following faculty and staff:
|
Dr. Francis Kwansa Interim Chair Raub Hall (302)831-6083 |
Dr. Srikanth Beldona Director of Graduate
Studies Raub Hall (302)831-6192 |
Mrs. Donna Laws Assistant to the Chair Raub Hall (302) 831-6747 |
There
is a Graduate Student Orientation meeting scheduled during the beginning of the
fall semester that is designed for new graduate students to meet current
graduate students, faculty and staff.
The students receive a brief introduction to the HRIM department and the
MS in HBM program. Faculty will deliver
brief presentations of their expertise and research interests for students to
make effective decisions pertaining to their research projects. This meeting also offers us an opportunity to
answer questions about such items as student parking, course registration and
so on.
Expectation:
The
expectation of the graduate program is first to develop students for successful
careers in positions demanding strong analytical and decision-making skills
such as consultants, revenue optimization specialists, e-marketing specialists,
social media managers, project managers, business analyst; and second to offer
high-quality, professional-level instruction for current hospitality managers
seeking to further their education by enhancing their analytical and
decision-making capabilities for corporate level positions. It is also designed to provide students
interested in future doctoral work in hospitality and tourism management with a
good foundation toward that goal.
2. Date of Permanent Status (or current status).
The MS in Hospitality
Information Management Program was granted permanent status in 2006.
3. Degrees offered (include brief description of concentrations,
fields, etc.).
Students who
graduate from this program will receive a Master of Science with a major in
Hospitality Business Management. Please
be aware that the University requires that graduate students achieve an overall
cumulative grade point index of at least 3.0 for graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to consult
the UD graduate catalog for all academic requirements and policies.
Part II. Admission
A. Admission Requirements (be specific about GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL
Scores, G.P.A and others).
Qualified
applicants for admission to the MS in Hospitality Business Management program
must:
- Supply all information
required by the University for admission to a graduate program as stated in the
University of Delaware Catalog.
- Hold the
equivalent of a 4-year U.S. Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or
university.
- Submit a
Graduate Admission Application and official transcripts of all previous
academic work.
- Submit
official results of the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or the Graduate
Management Admission Test (GMAT).
- Submit three letters of
recommendation from faculty and/or employers.
- Submit a resume and application
essays on the following topics:
·
What are your career objectives and
how will an MS in Hospitality Business Management help you achieve your goals?
·
Describe a particular challenging
experience and how you handled that experience.
·
Describe any special circumstances
related to your academic record that you think the admissions committee should
consider.
Applications
can be submitted before taking the GRE or GMAT.
Please indicate on your application the scheduled date of your GRE or
GMAT exam. However, late exam submission
will delay application processing and the admission decision.
Admission to
the program is selective and competitive based on the number of applicants and
the limits of available faculty and facilities.
Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed
admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily
precluded from admission if they possess other appropriate strengths. Admission decisions are made by the HRIM Department
Graduate Committee and based upon a number of factors, including the
applicant’s GRE or GMAT, college transcripts, application essays, relevant work
experience and letters of recommendation.
Prospective
full-time candidates are admitted for fall semester only. Part-time candidates may also begin in the
fall semester.
Candidates for
admission need not have majored in HRIM previously, but they will be expected
to possess:
-
Strong
written and oral communications skills
-
A minimum of 160 in Verbal and 148
in Quantitative Reasoning on the GRE is preferred (GMAT scores also acceptable
and a minimum of 550 is preferred)
- Acceptable
evaluation of three (3) letters of recommendation
- Students whose first
language is not English must achieve a minimum score of 100on the Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
B. Prior degree requirements.
Applicants need not have
majored in any specific undergraduate field.
The following should be considered as preferred minimum levels for
admission:
-
A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (out
of 4.0)
-
A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or
university
C. Application deadlines.
Application
deadline is February15 each year.
4. Special competencies needed (i.e., specific courses or
experience).
Incoming students are
expected to have:
- Mathematical
ability (a minimum level of math equivalent to MATH 114)
- An understanding of computer
systems and basic applications, such as word processing and spreadsheets
(equivalent to CISC 101, CISC 105 or ACCT 160)
- Knowledge
of business or industry fundamentals (equivalent to HRIM 187 or BUAD 100).
Appropriate
credit and non-credit courses are available at UD to students with deficiency
in any of these areas.
5. Admission categories (explain other than regular such as
provisional).
In special
cases, provisional admission to the program may be offered with specific
requirements necessary to receive regular standing articulated in advance of
the student’s provisional admission. See
the Graduate Admissions Categories.
Applicants, especially international applicants, may be granted
Conditional Admission while enrolled in the English Language Institute at UD to
complete the English language requirements.
6. Other documents required (i.e., letters of recommendation,
essays, portfolios, interviews, writing assessments, etc.).
Original transcript(s), three
(3) letters of recommendation, official GRE or GMAT scores, work experience
documentation, essays and all other pertinent documentation as outlined in the
Admissions application are required.
Part III. Academic (present all
information separately for each degree)Degree
Requirements List course requirements according to categories such as core
requirements, concentration options, electives, research credits and
dissertation credit requirements. List number of credits in each category and
include total credits required for degree. Give non-registered requirements in
detail; includes residency requirements, qualifying examinations (number and
format), portfolios, seminars, English proficiency, language requirements,
teaching experience, internships, etc. Give procedure for petitions for
variance in degree requirements (e.g., course substitution policies, completion
deadlines, etc.). Define any grade minimums in courses that are different from
University policy. Identify any courses, which may not be used towards the degree
(i.e., independent study, pre-candidacy study). Identify expectations of
facility of expression in English (oral and written) as part of the degree
requirement. B. Committees for exams, thesis, or dissertations Identify initial
procedure for advisor and advisement procedures. Identify each student
committee needed and procedures for selecting committee members. Give deadlines
for establishing and preparation requirements for comprehensive examinations.
Give policies for dates of examinations, grading of committee examinations and
retake options.
一.
Give guidelines for approving
research proposals involving human or animal subjects.
一.
Define procedures for
thesis/dissertation approval in the department (e.g., role of department chair,
dean, etc.).
一.
Define departmental and student
obligations for finding committee members.
一.
Define departmental and student
obligations and procedures for changes in committee members.
一.
C. Timetable and definition of
satisfactory progress towards the degree
一.
Academic load (full &
part-time) expectations. Define normal progress. Define departmental review
procedures for evaluating normal progress and evaluation of performance.
一.
Grade requirements (general and
specific). Include any special departmental expectations such as minimum grades
in specific courses, limits on special problem courses, etc.
一.
Thesis/dissertation progress
timetable guidelines.
一.
Thesis/dissertation defense
guidelines.
一.
Forms required.
一.
Identify consequence for failure to
make satisfactory progress.
一.
Protocol for grievance procedure if
student has been recommended for termination for failure to make satisfactory
progress.
The MS in Hospitality Business
Management requires 30-credit hours made up of the following;
24 credits
focusing on the hospitality industry and 6 credits that are general business
oriented and can be applied to the hospitality domain. Of the 24 hospitality
industry credits, 3 credits will focus on industry fundamentals and structure,
12 credits specific to functional domains in the hospitality industry namely,
marketing, finance, strategic management and information technology, 9 credits
focusing on data analysis and project management applications and one research
project. Of the 6 credits from general
business, 3 will focus on decision making and support and the other 3 credits
will serve as an elective for students to choose an additional skill. All
hospitality credits will focus on imparting content pertaining to the
hospitality industry domain knowledge and analytical tools for decision making.
When enrolling for the semester
in which the degree will be conferred, check with the graduate office in
Hullihen Hall to complete process for graduation.
Program Planning Guide
HOTEL, RESTAURANT
AND INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT
MASTER OF SCIENCE
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT
*Tentative Planning Guide – Fall 2012*
Name of Student:
_______________________ GPA: ____________
Student ID #:
___________________________ Catalog
Date: ___________
Name of Advisor:
_______________________ Date
Advised: ___________
|
Fall |
||
|
___ ___ Advanced Hospitality & Tourism Product
Management |
HRIM601 |
3 |
|
___ ___ Management Systems in the Hospitality
Industry |
HRIM687 |
3 |
|
___ ___ Project Management Applications in
Hospitality |
HRIM642 |
3 |
|
___ ___ Interactive Hospitality Services Marketing |
HRIM602 |
3 |
|
Total |
12 |
|
|
Winter |
||
|
___ ___ *Special Problem (Individual Research
Project) |
HRIM866 |
3 |
|
Total |
3 |
|
|
Spring |
||
|
___ ___ Data Analysis in the Hospitality Industry |
HRIM648 |
3 |
|
___ ___ Issues in Hospitality Finance Management |
HRIM604 |
3 |
|
___ ___ Strategic Management in the Hospitality
Industry |
HRIM603 |
3 |
|
___ ___ Lerner College Elective |
******* |
3 |
|
Total |
12 |
|
|
Summer |
||
|
___ ___ Decision Support and Analysis |
MISY830 |
3 |
|
Total |
3 |
|
|
Program Total |
30 |
|
*As part of the Special Problem–
Individual Research Project course, candidates will be expected to develop a
research question in consultation with a HRIM faculty member to be approved by the
Graduate Director. The candidate will, in consultation with the chosen faculty
member, conceptualize, develop and conduct a research study. A grade of B- or higher will be required for
successful completion of the course and will be assessed by the designated
faculty member. This course must be completed by the end of the spring
semester. Please note: The overall GPA
requirement is a 3.0 or higher to remain in good academic standing. Students
who donot meet 3.0 GPA requirement in the Fall semester will go on probation,
but will have the Spring semester to make up for the shortfall in the GPA. In
the event that a student does not meet the GPA requirement, the student will be
dismissed from the program.
**Suggested Lerner
College Electives – See next page.
**Suggested Lerner College Electives
BUAD840 - Ethical Issues in Domestic and Global Business Environments
BUAD811- Globalization and Business
BUAD872 - Organizational Development and Change
MISY850 - Security and Control
MISY87 - High Technology Seminars
ECON801 - Microeconomics
ECON802 - Macroeconomics
FINC850 - Financial Management
ACCT804 - Database Design, Networks and Implementation
ACCT805 - Current Issues in Management Information Systems
ACCT840 - Contemporary Issues in Accounting
BUAD800 - Strategic Thinking for the Executive Leader
Progress towards Degree
Maintenance of steady,
reasonable progress towards the degree is the responsibility of the
student. A normal load for a regular
full-time student will be 12 credits in the fall semester, 3 credits in winter,
12 credits in the spring semester and 3 credits in the Summer semester.
UD policy requires a graduate
student to complete the MHBM within 10 consecutive semesters, beginning
at the date of matriculation. A student may
request an extension of this time limit by submitting a written request to the
Director of Graduate Studies. The Director then forwards the request to the
Office of Graduate Studies and that office ultimately notifies the student of
the decision to grant or not to grant the extension.
Graduate students are
expected to be registered in school continuously while matriculated. However, a student may request a leave of
absence for medical or professional reasons.
Such request must be sent to the Director of Graduate Studies explaining
the reason for the request and duration of the proposed leave. The Graduate Studies Director, in
consultation with the Graduate Committee, will forward the committee’s
recommendation to the Office of Graduate Studies.
Graduate students must
maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to remain in good academic standing. GPA requirements are monitored by the Office
of Graduate Studies according to the Graduate Studies Academic Probation
Policy.
Effective Date and
Notification to Students:
The requirements and
guidelines stated herein are in effect for students entering the graduate
program as of September 1, 2012.
All students applying for
admission should receive this set of guidelines and information.
Copies are available in the
Department office.
List of Potential Research Advisors in HRIM for HRIM 866 (Individual Research Project):
The following current
full-time faculty members in the HRIM Department that are qualified to serve as
advisors forresearch projects:
|
·
NaveedBaqir,
Ph.D. |
Assistant Professor |
Hospitality Information
Systems |
|
·
Srikanth
Beldona, Ph.D. |
Associate Professor |
Hospitality Marketing |
|
·
Fred
DeMicco, Ph.D. |
Professor |
International hospitality management, strategic management |
|
·
Francis
Kwansa, Ph.D. |
Associate Professor |
Financial management,
accounting |
|
·
Robert
Nelson, Ph.D. |
Associate Professor |
Tourism development,
tourism policy |
|
·
Brian
Miller, Ed.D. |
Associate Professor |
Use of technology in education and training, project management |
|
·
Ali Poorani,
Ph.D. |
Associate Professor |
Human resource management, Entrepreneurship, leadership |
|
·
Joanne Yoo |
Assistant Professor |
Convention marketing, consumer behavior, tourism |
|
·
Ron Cole |
Assistant Professor |
Food and beverage management, |
|
|
|
|
Part IV. Assessment Plan Indicate how the program will be evaluated and assessed. Every
learning outcome needs to be assessed in at least two ways. One measure must be
a direct measurement (where you can see the student demonstrate their
learning). Other measures can be direct or indirect (such as a survey). Success
should be measured against the criteria listed including the stated learning
outcomes and against whatever objectives have been set forth in the first
section of the proposal. Academic units are encouraged to consult with the
Center for Educational Effectiveness to develop appropriate learning outcomes,
assessment criteria, and benchmarks for success.
Part V. Financial aid
Financial Aid:
Students are encouraged to
explore external funding opportunities through their employers or through other
granting agencies.
If a student does receive
assistantship support or tuition funding, it will be provided in a manner
consistent with UD statement on Graduate Student Funding. In particular, “funding may be available for
selected students on a continuing basis if the student maintains satisfactory
progress toward the completion of the degree.”
There are 5 aspects of satisfactory progress.
1. Academic
performance/grades; a cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be maintained in course work
each semester throughout the program;
2. Full
compliance with the University’s Code of Conduct;
3. Fulfillment
of degree requirements, making timely progress in required course work;
4. Satisfactory
performance in assistantship assignments;
5. Submission
of student initiated annual progress reports signed by the MS in Hospitality
Business Management Director.
Evaluation of students on
contract:
Students on contract will be
reviewed at the end of each semester by their assigned faculty member and by
the Director of Graduate Studies.
Student reviews will be based on the quality and quantity of work they
performed for the faculty member.
General Student
Responsibilities:
-
Students are required to furnish the Department
of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management with current addresses and
phone numbers. All PNPI data will be
maintained in the Department office files.
-
Students are expected to monitor their UD email
account. Official notices and program
information will be sent via UD email.
-
Students are responsible for being familiar with
the University Academic Regulations for Graduate Students published in the
Graduate Catalog.
Part VI. Departmental Operations
A. General student responsibilities
Up-to-date addresses, etc.
Laboratories and research
equipment.
Hazardous Chemical Information Act.
Vehicles.
Keys, offices, mail, telephone,
copy machine, computer terminals, etc.
B. Student government and
organizations (both student and professional).
C. Travel
for professional meetings or presentations
DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFORMATION
|
NaveedBaqir |
Assistant Professor |
(302) 831-6188 |
207 Raub Hall |
|
|
Srikanth Beldona |
Associate Professor |
(302) 831-6192 |
216 Raub Hall |
|
|
Ron Cole |
Assistant Professor |
(302) 831-6514 |
208 Raub Hall |
|
|
Joanne Yoo |
Associate Professor |
(302) 831-6207 |
209 Raub Hall |
|
|
Fred DeMicco |
Professor |
(302) 831-6077 |
115 Raub Hall |
|
|
Joe DiGregorio |
Instructor |
(302) 831-0501 |
Vita Nova |
|
|
Debbie Ellingsworth |
Instructor |
(302) 831-0501 |
Vita Nova |
|
|
Francis Kwansa |
Associate Professor |
(302) 831-6083 |
116 Raub Hall |
|
|
Bernd Mayer |
Instructor |
(302) 831-0500 |
bmayer@udel.edu |
Vita Nova |
|
Brian Miller |
Associate Professor |
(302) 831-6186 |
211 Raub Hall |
|
|
Robert Nelson |
Associate Professor |
(302) 831-6455 |
105 Raub Hall |
|
|
Venka Pyle |
Director of Restaurant
Operations |
(302) 831-0500 |
Vita Nova |
|
|
Ali Poorani |
Associate Professor |
(302) 831-6353 |
201 Raub Hall |
|
|
Paul Sestak |
Associate Professor |
(302) 831-8553 |
206 Raub Hall |
|
|
Paul Wise |
Professor Emeritus |
(302) 831-6834 |
212 Raub Hall |
|
|
Bill Sullivan |
Adjunct Faculty |
(302) 831-6077 |
Courtyard |
|
|
Donna Laws |
Asst. to the Chair |
(302) 831-6747 |
104 Raub Hall |
|
|
Edna Johnson |
Staff Assistant |
(302) 831-6077 |
|
Raub Hall |
DEPARTMENTAL
Operations
Graduate students are
encouraged to use the copy machine for work related to their graduate
assistantship and the department. Please
ask the staff for assistance with a duplicating request. The photocopying
machine is delicate, so care must be taken when operating it. If any doubt exists as to its proper usage,
please ask the secretarial staff for assistance.
Because of the high volume of
material that needs to be duplicated, use of the departmental copier by
graduate assistants must be limited to "official business"
copying. Many other duplicating machines
are located on campus to accommodate your copying needs. This includes copying
of class materials, papers, projects, theses and dissertations.
The University mail service
is to be used only for University related business. Mail service is not to be used for projects,
theses or dissertations unless part of a faculty supervised project. All graduate students will have assigned
mailboxes in the department and they should check them to retrieve departmental
and other mail daily.
Letterhead stationery is to
be used for official business only.
Approval from a faculty member is required for its use.
A graduate office is
available on the second floor for use by all graduate students. It is equipped with furniture, telephone and
computers. All graduate students will
have keys to Raub Hall. A nominal fee of
$5 is charged for each key. The key is
not transferable to another person and it is the responsibility of the student
to notify the Assistant to the Chair if the key is lost or stolen. Undergraduate and non-HRIM students and are
not allowed in the building after hours.
Graduate students are free to
use the telephone in the grad office for local phone calls; however, long
distance calls are not to be made from any of the office telephones. The following are the phone numbers to the
department:
HRIM Department (main
line): 302-831-6077
Graduate Office: 302-831-6184
Fax (HRIM Dept.): 302-831-6395
All new, incoming graduate
students are required to complete a brief training session related to safety
during their first month on campus. The
following options are available to students to complete this requirement:
1. a scheduled HRIM departmental
session (see Professor Sestak)
2. a scheduled session through the
office of Occupational Health and Safety
3. completing this requirement
individually online
For option #3 above, contact:
www.udel.edu/OHS/safetytraining.html and click on "New Grad Student
Orientation". Regardless of the
option used, all grad students are required to file a certificate of completion
online.
All graduate students,
especially graduate assistants, are considered to be representatives of the
HRIM department. This consideration
carries with it a certain responsibility for professional conduct. Actions or conduct, considered by the faculty
to be against the best interest of the department, will be cause for release
from the assistantship, and or disciplinary action.