Academic Catalog

Applied Business | Bachelor of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management

Do you love to travel and immerse yourself in diverse cultures? Whether sailing the seas on a cruise ship, running a hotel, restaurant, quaint bed and breakfast, or working in a corporate office, the tourism and hospitality management program prepares students to succeed in the world of travel and tourism - one of the world's fastest growing industries.

Tourism and Hospitality ranks in the top three industries in all 50 states. Travel and tourism in the United States is a $1.3-trillion industry and is among the nation's largest employers with 13 million direct travel-related jobs. If you are interested in organizing events, making sure conferences go smoothly, and ensuring that hotels run like a well-oiled machine, tourism and hospitality management is the program for you!

Possible Careers:

  • Cruise Director
  • Casino Manager
  • Event Planner
  • Restaurant Owner
  • Meeting and Convention Management

Hays Daily News, the local newspaper, interviewed Dr. Stacey Smith, the Tourism and Hospitality Management Director. Check out what they had to say!

To graduate with a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management, you must complete the following:

For a digital format of the degree program for students admitted for Fall 2023 and after, please click here.

Program Summary

General Education Requirements34
College of Business Core24
Tourism and Hospitality Management Core23
Required Electives12
Cognate11
Open Electives 116
Total Hours120

Program Requirements

General Education

All undergraduate degrees require completion of the Kansas Systemwide General Education

Courses identified with GE on this page may satisfy a general education requirement in addition to the identified degree requirement.  Students who apply a degree requirement to satisfy a general education requirement will typically add an equal number of hours to the the university elective category.  This flexibility may allow you to complete a minor or certificate within the 120 hour degree.  Transfer students and students majoring in programs with approved exceptions are especially encouraged to select these courses in completing General Education requirements to maximize the likelihood of completing the degree with 120 credit hours.  

General Education34-35

Courses required in the major include MATH 250 Elements of Statistics, MLNG 225 Beginning Spanish I, and ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics or ECON 202 Principles of Macroeconomics.  These courses can be used to satisfy general education requirements.

College of Business Core
ACCT 203Principles of Accounting I3
BCOM 210Business Communication for Professional Development3
BCOM 300Spreadsheet Applications3
BCOM 301Strategic Business Communication3
GBUS 204Business Law I3
MGT 301Management Principles3
MGT 611Human Resource Management3
MKT 301Marketing Principles3
Tourism and Hospitality Management Core
THM 620Tourism and Hospitality Management3
THM 621Tourism and Hospitality Marketing3
THM 622Service and Operations Management3
THM 625International Tourism & Hospitality3
THM 629Tourism & Hospitality Industry Internship3
THM 632Sustainable Tourism and Event Management3
MLNG 226Beginning Spanish II5
Required Electives
Select 12 credits of the following:12
Special Topics in THM
Special Topics in THM (Foundations of Wine)
Meetings, Conventions, & Events Management
Hotel and Resort Management
Food and Beverage Management
Casino Management
Health and Wellness Tourism
Spa Facility and Destination Management
Special Topics in THM (Revenue Management)
Social Media Marketing
Suggested Open Electives27
Introduction to Business
Global Marketing
Global Business Communication
Intro to Public Relations and Advertising
Business and Professional Speaking
Persuasion
Discovering Entrepreneurship
Concept to Creation
Entrepreneurship by Design
Venture Launch
Introduction to Leadership Concepts
Introduction to Leadership Behavior
Field Work in Leadership Studies
Business, Society, and Ethics
International Business
Business-To-Business Marketing
Cognates
MATH 250Elements of Statistics GE3
MLNG 225Beginning Spanish I GE5
Economics Choice
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics GE3
or ECON 202 Principles of Macroeconomics

Degree Requirements

All bachelor degrees require:
GPA of 2.0 on FHSU courses & 2.0 on all coursework (Higher program requirements prevail over the 2.0 when set)
A minimum of 30 hours earned from FHSU with a grade of D, C, B, or A
Successful completion of an upper division Writing and Information Literacy course (Most majors contain a course designated)
A minimum of 45 hours of recognized upper division credit
A minimum of 120 hours of recognized college credit
Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
FallHours
SGE060 - Arts Humanities Discipline Area 3
SGE010 - English Discipline Area 3
SGE020 - Communication Discipline Area 3
UNIV 101 Freshman Seminar 1
SGE050 - Social Behavioral Sciences Discipline Area 3
THM 620 Tourism and Hospitality Management 3
 Hours16
Spring
SGE070 - Institutionally Designated Area: Personal and Professional Development 3
SGE040 - Natural Physical Science Discipline Area 4
SGE010 - English Discipline Area 3
SGE060 - Arts Humanities Discipline Area  
Modern Languages 1, GE 5
 Hours15
Sophomore
Fall
SGE050 - Social Behavioral Sciences Discipline Area  
ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics 1, GE 3
SGE070 - Institutionally Designated Area: Critical Thinking 3
Modern Languages 5
BCOM 210 Business Communication for Professional Development 3
Directed Choices 3
 Hours17
Spring
MGT 301 Management Principles 3
MKT 301 Marketing Principles 3
ACCT 203 Principles of Accounting I 3
Directed Choices 3
Open Electives 3
 Hours15
Junior
Fall
SGE030 - Math Statistics Discipline Area  
MATH 250 Elements of Statistics 1, GE 3
Directed Choices 3
MGT 611 Human Resource Management 3
BCOM 301 Strategic Business Communication 3
Open Electives 3
 Hours15
Spring
THM 629 Tourism & Hospitality Industry Internship 3
BCOM 300 Spreadsheet Applications 3
GBUS 204 Business Law I 3
THM 621 Tourism and Hospitality Marketing 3
Open Electives 3
 Hours15
Senior
Fall
Directed Choices 3
THM 631 Medical Tourism 3
Open Electives 9
 Hours15
Spring
THM 622 Service and Operations Management 3
THM 625 International Tourism & Hospitality 3
Open Electives 6
 Hours12
 Total Hours120
1

Suggested General Education course, which also fulfills a major requirement

Academic Degree Maps are term-by-term sample course plans that specify milestones, courses, and special requirements that are necessary for facilitating on-time completion. Degree Maps are examples and are not prescriptive. Individualized choices such as concentration options, transfer credits, optional minors, advisory programs (certificates), etc. can alter the recommended coursework. Course offerings are subject to change. Students should consult with their academic advisors for additional guidance on course planning.

To determine courses to take in the directed choices (often listed as Program Elective Course) and directed elective course blocks see the overview tab for courses. To locate approved courses in General Education areas (Undergraduate Programs) see the general education section of the catalog.

The undergraduate course maps typically advise the most efficient route for students to complete the general education requirements. Courses that are required in the major may be listed as fulfilling relevant general education requirements. This will result in more open elective course hours in some maps than is listed on the degree overview page.