Rochester Institute of Technology

What you'll study

The curriculum combines core business disciplines with hospitality-specific subjects to develop both managerial judgement and practical operational skills. Typical modules include hospitality operations and facilities management, food and beverage management, lodging management, service marketing, hospitality accounting and finance, human resource management for service organisations, revenue management and distribution, hospitality law and ethics, event and conference management, and sustainability in service operations.

Study is heavily experiential: coursework is reinforced by laboratory exercises, simulations, case studies, and project work with industry partners. Students complete a substantial industry placement, cooperative education experience or internship, and typically finish with a capstone project that integrates strategy, operations and finance.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a recognised secondary-school qualification. Admissions take into account academic performance across core subjects, particularly English and mathematics; consideration is also given to evidence of interest or experience in hospitality, customer service or business through part‑time work, volunteering or extracurricular activities.

International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through an approved test or equivalent school record. Applicants transferring from other post‑secondary institutions should provide full transcripts and details of prior coursework. Personal statements and references may be requested to assess suitability for the programme.

Career prospects

Graduates move into a broad range of roles across hotels and resorts, restaurants and foodservice, event and conference management, tourism operations, casinos, cruise lines and corporate hospitality functions. Typical job titles include operations manager, food and beverage director, front office manager, events manager, revenue or yield manager, sales and marketing executive, and guest services manager. Many graduates also pursue roles in consulting, hospitality technology firms, real estate and asset management, or start their own hospitality ventures. The degree also provides a foundation for postgraduate study in business, hospitality management or related fields.

Why study at Rochester Institute of Technology

RIT emphasises career-focused education with a long-standing co‑operative education and internship tradition that gives students extended, paid industry experience as part of their degree. The institute’s interdisciplinary approach links hospitality studies with business, technology and service design, reflecting contemporary industry needs such as digital distribution, revenue analytics and sustainability.

Students benefit from RIT’s employer networks, dedicated career support services, and applied learning opportunities with industry partners, which help translate classroom learning into immediate workplace skills and professional contacts for launching a hospitality career.