Hospitality Management MBA Degrees in the Culinary Arts

Change has invariably caught up with hospitality industry and consequently, this discipline is now being run in a more structured manner befitting any business where hospitality needs to gel with profitability. It primarily covers hotels, restaurants, travel and tourism and also includes theme parks, amusement parks, casinos, resorts and cruises under its umbrella.

An MBA in Hospitality Management is ideal for students and staff who wish to work their careers up into the top echelons of management in the hospitality management industry. An MBA degree is available through campus and online modes and is especially convenient for those intending to balance study and work commitments. Interestingly, the curriculum of MBA program is mixed with elements of hospitality management and business administration. Course work may involve regular components of MBA programs such as managerial accounting and finance, business management, economics and operations management, strategic planning and implementation. The hospitality courses span food and beverage control, international travel and tourism, tourism planning and marketing, people management, hotel and restaurant accounting information systems coupled with case studies and field exposure.

Career outlook is bright for this industry with Bureau of Labor Statistics projected strong growth in this industry. There is also keen competition for jobs and those completing an MBA program stand to gain immensely. Typical employment opportunities include hospitality manager, hospitality franchisee, hospitality finance director and hospitality management consultant to name a few. Salaries are lucrative and as per US Bureau of Labor Statistics, hospitality managers earned about $38,000 annually as of 2004.

Several top institutions offer Master’s program in Business Administration focusing on Hospitality Management with International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes, Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America and Le Cordon Bleu International leading the group. The French Culinary Institute and The Culinary Institute of America also provide “best in class” education.