M.S. in Tourism & Hospitality Management

Admissions Requirements | Curriculum | Graduate Faculty | Graduate Program Guidelines | THEM Graduate Forms | Contact Us

The Master of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management (THM) is a 30-credit-hour degree and offers two concentrations and two specializations. The THM degree provides coursework focused on Tourism, Tourism Analytics, Destination Development and Crisis Management and Natural Resource Recreation. Students can choose between three options: 1) Thesis 2) Non-Thesis with Practicum, or 3) Non-Thesis with Professional Paper.

Why Study Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Florida?

University of Florida’s Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management has world-class programs and an internationally renowned, diverse faculty. The University of Florida campus is located “where nature and culture meet” – in the city of Gainesville, which has been repeatedly named one of the top places to live in the U.S. The state of Florida has a dynamic hospitality and tourism industry that receives more than 100 million visitors annually. It is a great place to live, study and make lifelong friends, professional connections and research collaborations.

Master's degrees in Tourism and Hospitality Management are also available online. Click HERE to learn more.

Virginia Brubaker is a THEM Online student graduating with her MS in Tourism and Hospitality Management. Listen to how she enjoyed her experience at UF. 

Admissions Requirements

• A recognized baccalaureate, graduate or professional degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution. 
• A minimum grade point average of B (3.0), calculated from all grades and credits after the semester where the applicant reached 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours.
• As of July 1, 2020, the application packet for admission to our M.S. in Tourism and Hospitality Management program will not require the GRE or GMAT test results.
• Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires the inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Please ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé.

Any specific questions regarding the application process should be directed to the graduate coordinator: THEMgrad@hhp.ufl.edu

>>Application instructions can be found here.

Curriculum

Graduate Faculty

• Dr. Rachel J.C. Fu
• Dr. Heather Gibson
• Dr. Jin-Won Kim
• Dr. Andrei Kirilenko
• Dr. Svetlana Stepchenkova
  
• Dr. Yao-Chin Wang
• Dr. Oscar (Hengxuan) Chi

Graduate Program Guidelines

Below are some important guidelines and information necessary for completing your Master's Degree in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management. If you have any questions, please contact your advisor or Graduate Coordinator.

Jinwon Kim | jinwonkim@ufl.edu
Assistant Professor; Interim Graduate Coordinator

Advisors and Supervisory Committee

The Graduate Coordinator will assign the student to a graduate faculty advisor prior to his/her first semester of enrollment. The student has until the end of the first semester of enrollment to select a different supervisory committee chair if desired. There must be a minimum of three supervisory committee members for thesis students and a minimum of two committee members for non-thesis master students (this includes the supervisory committee chair).  Note that each member must hold graduate faculty status. It is strongly recommended that the supervisory committee members be selected by the end of the first semester of enrollment. However, in no case shall they be selected later than the end of the second semester of enrollment.

If the student selects the thesis option, one supervisory committee member must be from outside the student’s major department. If the student selects a minor, one supervisory committee member must be from the minor department.  If the student desires to change his/her supervisory committee chair or members, he/she must petition to the department graduate committee, who makes a recommendation to the Department Chair for final approval.

Minimum Committee Member Requirements

• Non-Thesis: Chair + 1 Member
• Thesis: Chair + 1 Member + 1 External Member
• THEM Supervisory Committee Form

Elective Coursework

The student and advisor select elective coursework based on the student’s career or research interests. Projects relating to interest areas can be completed as non-lecture coursework. Coursework taken outside of the THEM department must be approved by the student’s advisor.

Undergraduate courses (1000-2000) may not be used as any part of graduate degree requirements. All 1000- and 2000- level courses may be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis to enhance one’s background knowledge, if enrolled as a graduate student, but do not count towards the credits needed for an MS degree.

Six credits of upper level undergraduate courses (3000-4000) outside the THEM department may count when taken as part of an approved graduate program. Consult your Academic Advisor/Committee Chair before registering to determine if the proposed course is acceptable to your degree plan. Enrollment without approval may result in the course being evaluated as inadequate to count towards the MS degree.

Non-lecture coursework

To register for independent study, internship, or supervised research courses, students must complete and submit a THEM Special Course Registration Form or to their advisor for approval, and then to the Graduate Program Assistant for processing.

Practicum - LEI6944

• Should be completed during final 2 semesters of study
• Every 48 clock hours = 1 credit hour of coursework
• Registration credits vary from 1-3 credits with a maximum of 6 credits
• The student’s supervisory committee chair/advisor will assist with the practicum placement and serve as the university practicum supervisor
• LEI 6944

Professional Paper - LEI6905

• Should be completed during final 2 semesters of study
• THEM Special Course Registration Form
• TRM Professional Paper Syllabus

Non-thesis Capstone Project

The purpose of the Capstone Project is threefold:

• Documents that the student is able to take newly acquired knowledge and skills and apply them to professional practice
• Helps the student understand their weaknesses and strengths when seeking employment
• Prepares the student in organizing information that will help them in seeking employment by effectively promoting themselves
• Should be completed during final semester of study
• TRM MS Capstone

Thesis Procedures

• The student develops a prospectus.
• The supervisory committee chair approves the prospectus.
• The student works with his/her advisor to select the additional supervisory committee members.
• The student writes the first three chapters (Introduction, Review of Literature, and Methods) and presents the proposal in a public forum.
  
  • THEM Proposal/Defense Announcement Form
• The student completes and defends the thesis in a public forum.
  
  • THEM Proposal/Defense Announcement Form
• All forms must be completed and submitted per the university’s schedule.
  • Thesis Checklist
  • THEM Grad Thesis Defense Packet

NOTE: Students must defend their Thesis during their last 2 semesters of study.

Concurrent Degree Programs

The Department of Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management is able to develop a concurrent plan with several other programs on campus. The purpose of a “concurrent” program is to allow students to pursue more than one graduate degree at the same time, with the opportunity to share credits. We strongly prefer our concurrent degree students to take at least 1-2 THEM classes each semester or alternate semesters.

Any student interested in pursuing two master’s degrees in two different programs or two master’s degrees in the same program concurrently should discuss the proposed study with Graduate Student Records before applying. Written approval is needed from each academic unit and the Graduate School Dean. The student must be officially admitted to both programs through regular procedures. No more than 9 credits from the first program may be applied toward the second.

• Concurrent Degree Program Application

Transfer of Credit

Only graduate-level (5000-7999) work with a letter grade of B or better is eligible for transfer of credit. A maximum of 15 transfer credits are allowed. This total can include no more than 9 credits from institutions approved by UF, with the balance obtained from post-baccalaureate work at the University of Florida. Credits transferred from other universities are applied toward the degree requirements, but grades earned are not computed in the student’s grade point average. Acceptance of transfer of credit requires approval of the student’s supervisory committee and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Petitions for transfer of credit for a master’s degree must be made during the student’s first term of enrollment in the Graduate School.

The supervisory committee is responsible for using established criteria to ensure the academic integrity of coursework before accepting graduate transfer credits.

Time Limitation

All work (including transferred credit) counted toward the master’s degree must be completed within 7 years before the degree is awarded.

Leave of absence

Any student who will not register at UF for a period of more than one semester needs prior written approval from the supervisory committee chair for a leave of absence for a designated period of time. This approval remains in the student’s departmental file. The Graduate School does not require notification. The student must reapply for admission upon return. Click here for the Readmission Application.

THEM Graduate Student Forms

• Graduate Practicum Registration
  
  • LEI 6944
  • THEM Supervisor Evaluation Forms
• Program Forms
• TRM MS Non-Thesis Program Plan
• TRM MS Thesis Program Plan
• THEM MS Capstone
• TRM Professional Paper Syllabus
• THEM Supervisory Committee Form
• THEM MS Handbook
• THEM Special Course Registration Form (for non-lecture coursework)
  
• THEM Proposal/Defense Announcement Form
• Graduation Checklist