Hone your tourism, strategic and conceptual skills
Students in the Master of Science in Hospitality Management learn how to play a vital role in addressing the changes and challenges in the hospitality industry. They also hone their strategic and conceptual skills, technological abilities and become even more effective communicators. Passionate students gain hands-on experience to become a leader at a top hotel, restaurant, resort or hospitality organization in Florida and beyond!
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About the Program
The MS in Hospitality Management is designed for professionals seeking to lead and innovate in a dynamic industry. Offered in a flexible in-person format on the Tampa campus, the program combines experiential learning, case studies, research projects, and real-world partnerships to help students reach their career goals.
Students gain strategic, conceptual, and technological skills, along with enhanced communication abilities—essential for addressing the evolving challenges in hospitality. A thesis or internship option allows for deeper specialization and practical experience.
Program Highlights
- In-person with flexible course scheduling for working professionals
- Enroll in fall or spring to match your schedule
- Opportunity to take business courses
- Strong industry connections with McKibbon Hospitality, Aramark, Mainsail, and others
- Lowest-cost out-of-state tuition in Florida
- GRE or GMAT preferred, but not required
- Thesis or internship options for hands-on learning
Application Deadlines
- Fall: June 1
- Spring: October 15
Future Careers
A degree in hospitality management prepares students for a leadership position in the top hotels and restaurants in the hospitality industry. Some of USF hospitality graduates have landed careers as:
- General managers
- Food and beverage managers
- Executive chefs
- Bar managers
- Event planners
- Travel agents
- Sales and marketing professionals
- Human resources managers
Graduate Practical Work Experience
The MS in Hospitality Management program blends classroom learning with real-world experience. Taking advantage of USF’s location and industry partnerships in Tampa Bay, students can gain hands-on experience while earning their degree.
Work Experience Requirement
Students must complete 1,300 hours of hospitality or tourism industry experience. This includes:
- 1,000 hours of practical work as a prerequisite for the Graduate Internship (HMG 6946)
- 300 hours completed during the internship course
A waiver may be granted for students with documented 1,300 hours of prior management-level experience (advisor approval required).
How It Works
- Year 1: Complete hours through on-campus or off-campus work
- Year 2: Enroll in the Graduate Internship, with placement coordinated by the program
International Students
International students in F-1 status complete the practical experience through placement on-campus during their first academic year. After one academic year, students can be placed in hospitality and tourism companies off-campus. Availability may be limited—advising is recommended.
Year One
During year one, in order to participate in the on-campus practical experience, international students need to:
- Complete New Student Immigration Check-in and enroll in courses for the semester.
- Apply for an on-campus work job and secure a position
NOTE: During the first two academic semesters (Fall and Spring), international students may only work 20 hours per week in on-campus jobs at the campus listed on their I-20. - Receive a signed job offer letter.
- Complete the Social Security Letter eform in iStart to receive the required letter for an application for the Social Security Number (SSN).
- After receiving the above letter from Office of International Services, apply for a SSN at the local Social Security Office
Year Two
During year two, in order to participate in the Graduate Internship (HMG 6946), international students need to:
- Secure a placement from an off-campus hospitality company.
- Collect a signed job letter from the organization providing the practical experience.
- If the experience is off-campus, they need to request Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization by going to iStart to complete the CPT application.
NOTE: students cannot work until they have the authorization on their I-20 from the Office of International Services.
Questions?
All questions regarding SSN and CPT application can be directed to the Office of International Services by e-mailing cptopt@usf.edu.
Students
view Laur-Ann Daley bio
With over seven years of service in the hospitality industry Laur-Ann has a passion for delivering consistent exceptional customer service. Though she has spent time in a myriad of disciplines namely foodservice, catering & events management, concierge and front office, general operations management and food safety auditing, navigating the maintenance of hotel quality control systems has remained a favorite. Laur-Ann is meticulous and goal-oriented but practical and supportive.
view Halyna Horpynich bio
I was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. My first Master's degree is in The instruction of Foreign languages and Literature from Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University. I've 7 years of hospitality experience in different departments (sales, marketing, reservation, SPA & recreation) and countries Ukraine, Germany. I've completed multiple professional courses: Hilton’s The Elevate 1 Program for future managers; The Social Media Marketing course at Kyiv Academy of Media Arts; Media Marketing Strategy at Social Media Marketing School. I'm confident that this program would enable me to offer a unique set of experiences to the hospitality industry worldwide.
view Dogukan Guven bio
Hello! This is Dogukan Guven. I am from Turkey. I have always been a social person and I love to go and explore new places and to meet with new people. That is why I studied Tourism Administration at my country and now I am doing my Master's Degree at USF Hospitality Management. Being a part of this faculty is great. There are lots of different cultures and you can learn different things from each one of them. I would like to thank USF for providing this opportunity for us. Go Bulls!