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Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality and Event Management prepares leaders for the hospitality industry. The curriculum combines specialty classes in hospitality and business management, preparing graduates for well-compensated positions as managers in restaurants, hotels and resorts, cruise ships, amusement parks, destination marketing organizations, convention centers, country clubs and many more.

The Hospitality and Event Management major comprises three concentrations, each encompassing two of the following three focus areas. Students must choose one concentration that matches their interests and career preferences.

• The Event Management focus area emphasizes planning and managing events — from large to small and from corporate to personal — in addition to following protocols and ensuring safety and security during the events.
• The Hotel and Resort Management focus area emphasizes business skills such as managing staff and revenue, as well as the specific skills such as managing clubs and casinos.
• The Food and Beverage Management focus area emphasizes the business side of food, such as ordering and inventory, managing budgets and planning and pricing menus. In addition, students learn food science, food production and the pairing of food and beverages.

Admission Requirements

Applications to B.S. in Hospitality and Event Management at the Ashtabula Campus are not being accepted starting with the fall 2025 admission term.

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the .

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's .

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.

Current Kent State and Transfer Students: Active Kent State students who wish to change their major must have attempted a minimum 12 credit hours at Kent State and earned a minimum 2.000 overall Kent State GPA to be admitted. Students who have not attempted 12 credit hours at Kent State will be evaluated for admission based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Transfer students who have not attempted 12 credit hours of college-level coursework at Kent State and/or other institutions will be evaluated based on both their high school GPA and college GPA.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Identify and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for hospitality and tourism operations
2. Develop and integrate a core set of business skills necessary to successfully operate a hospitality and tourism organization
3. Demonstrate competence in the communication skills necessary for hospitality and tourism management
4. Formulate business decisions in hospitality and tourism management
5. Evaluate leadership principles necessary in the diverse and global hospitality and tourism industry

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

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A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

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A minimum 3 credit hours of practicum experience must be in one of both of the concentration focus areas. A maximum 6 credit hours of HEM 43092 may apply towards major requirements.

Event Management/Food and Beverage Management Concentration Requirements

Event Management/Hotel and Resort Management Concentration Requirements

Food and Beverage Management/Hotel and Resort Management Concentration Requirements

Progression Requirements

Students must complete 400 hours of industry experience prior to taking HEM 33050 and HEM 43092.

Graduation Requirements

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Ashtabula Campus *
  • Kent Campus

* Applications to B.S. in Hospitality and Event Management at the Ashtabula Campus are not being accepted starting with the fall 2025 admission term.

Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration