UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State School of Hospitality Management has launched a one-of-a-kind graduate degree program in hospitality management designed specifically for hospitality industry professionals. 

The school’s new Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Hospitality Management (HM) program, slated to begin in August 2023, offers an exceptional and focused curriculum delivered by world-class faculty through online and in-resident course offerings. 

The MPS in Hospitality Management program blends flexible course mode options with immersive, in-person experiences. Enterprise-level course content is designed to enhance the skills of its graduates, positioning them to advance their career trajectories in the hospitality industry. 

Courses are designed to address key areas in which hospitality management leaders and executives need to be proficient. Examples of courses include: 

• Corporate Officer and Investor Perspectives 

• Profit Optimization 

• Customer’s Journey and Digital Reach 

• Applied Research and Consulting 

• Hospitality Data Analytics 

Embedded in the middle of the degree program journey are four Penn State Smeal College of Business MBA courses. Curriculum covered in existing MBA courses enable HM MPS graduates to develop knowledge and expertise across sectors about the complex characteristics of a hospitality enterprise value. These online MBA courses will help students in the MPS in HM program synthesize their hospitality management skill set while working together with a diverse cohort of students in Smeal's graduate programs.

Students who are new to the program first participate in an immersive weekend in residence at the Penn State University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. Students then continue their coursework either in-person or online. 

The 36-credit degree can be completed in 12 months for students who elect to enroll full time. The program can also be completed part-time, allowing flexibility for working professionals, those with families, and others who would benefit from a part-time enrollment option. 

To assist with budgeting, the cost of the program is priced per credit hour, allowing students to accurately plan and manage their finances, and offering flexibility if their personal finances change over time. 

Courses may be taken either in-person or online through remote synchronous delivery, which helps accommodate professional and personal travel commitments, accessibility needs, individual preferences, and increased opportunity for international students and others who may be abroad. 

Graduate internships — part of the program's curriculum requirement — will be selected on a project-by-project basis. These internship experiences allow students to work closely with the school’s prestigious industry partners and help students accelerate building their own professional networks. 

A culminating capstone course will revolve around timely and relevant topics “drawn from the headlines” of the hospitality industry, addressing problems and initiatives developed with support from leading businesses and organizations.  

Applications for the Master of Professional Studies in Hospitality Management program are now being accepted. The priority admissions deadline is March 1. 

Students who wish to be considered for scholarships should complete an application by April 1 if they intend to begin the program in the fall 2023 semester.  

Learn details about the Master of Professional Studies in Hospitality Management. For more information, email Donna Quadri-Felitti, Marvin Ashner Endowed Director of the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State.