Hospitality is a serious business field with broad career opportunities.
From hotels and restaurants to tourism, events, sports venues, and entertainment, hospitality is a people-focused industry built around creating memorable experiences. At USC Upstate, you’ll build the business, leadership, and real-world skills needed for a career that can take you around the globe. You can also stay close to home and use those skills in one of the fastest-growing industries in the Upstate region.
In-person program
2-4 years**
120 Credit Hours
AACSB Accredited
** time to complete depends on multiple factors
Real-world learning for a fast-moving industry
Hospitality is built on experience, and so is the program at USC Upstate. The program is designed to connect students with hands-on learning opportunities, internships, site visits, and industry engagement experiences that help bridge classroom learning with real hospitality and tourism environments. Located in one of the Upstate’s growing business and hospitality corridors, USC Upstate gives students opportunities to build professional connections while learning more about the industries shaping travel, tourism, events, lodging, and guest experience management
Program Details
- Build leadership skills for hospitality and tourism careers
- Gain hands-on experience through internships and experiential learning opportunities
- Learn from faculty with real-world hospitality and resort industry experience
- Combine hospitality training with business and marketing strategy
- Explore hospitality technology and guest experience management
- Study in an AACSB-accredited business program
- Develop skills in event planning and tourism development
- Build professional connections within the growing hospitality and tourism industries
- Apply up to 90 undergraduate credits toward the degree
Curriculum
120 Credits | 40 Courses
You’ll study hospitality operations, tourism, marketing, finance, customer experience, and event management while building a strong foundation in business leadership. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for the evolving hospitality and tourism industry with an emphasis on leadership, guest experience, operational strategy, and emerging hospitality technologies.
What Sets Our Curriculum Apart
• Industry-focused curriculum connected to growing hospitality markets
• Faculty with professional hospitality and resort industry experience
• Strong foundation in business, leadership, and guest experience management
• Experiential learning designed to connect classroom concepts with real-world hospitality environments
Next steps for getting admitted?
First year in college
Students interested in majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management must first be admitted to USC Upstate. To apply, submit:
Minimum Admission Requirement
- 2.2 high school GPA
- Convenient Online application
- Official high school transcript or GED equivalent
- Any required supporting documents
Transfer Students
If you’ve attended another college or university, you may be able to transfer previously earned credits toward your degree.
- Official college transcripts required
- Up to 90 transfer credits may be accepted from accredited institutions
International Students
International students are welcome to apply to any USC Upstate degree program.
English proficiency requirements include:
- TOEFL: 500 paper-based
- TOEFL: 173 computer-based
- TOEFL: 61 internet-based
Visit the International Admissions page for additional requirements and deadlines.
Need Help?
Our admissions team can guide you through every step of the process—from applying and submitting transcripts to scheduling a campus visit.
Program Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Kim
Boran Kim earned her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She also earned her M.S. in Hotel Administration from UNLV, as well as a B.S. in Hospitality Management with a minor in Spanish. Dr. Kim brings over ten years of industry experience in integrated resorts in Las Vegas, which informs both her research and teaching. Her research focuses on the adoption and impact of emerging technologies in the hospitality industry, as well as consumer behavior and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in hospitality and integrated resort settings. She has contributed to peer-reviewed academic journals and taught courses including Hospitality Marketing, Hospitality Information Technology, Facilitating the Hospitality Customer Experience, Introduction to the Customer Experience, and Facilities Management. Dr. Kim is committed to student success and is passionate about mentoring future hospitality leaders through both research and teaching.
Areas of Research
- Adoption and impact of emerging technologies in the hospitality industry
- Consumer behavior in hospitality and service contexts
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in hospitality and integrated resorts
Industry Focus
- Hotel Operations/Integrated Resorts
- Information Technology
- Hospitality Marketing