Hospitality Programs at HBCUs Provide Diverse Career Options

Hospitality programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) prepare students to work in the hospitality industry, which is a field that crosses multiple sectors of the employment market. Included in hospitality careers are those in tourism, even planning and restaurant, lodging and transportation management and operations, to name just a few.

Graduates of hospitality academic programs may work in any area of the hospitality field, including operations, management, facilities maintenance, human resources or marketing, among others. Many HBCUs offer students the chance to choose from multiple degree focuses in the hospitality discipline, including degrees in Nutrition and Hospitality Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and simply Hospitality Management, which is a more generalized degree applicable to any area of the hospitality industry.

Hospitality Curriculums

The curriculum of hospitality programs at HBCUs varies somewhat from one program to the next, dependent upon the academic focus of the degree. For example, degrees in Nutrition and Hospitality Management emphasize the knowledge and skills required for restaurant management and similar positions, while Hospitality and Tourism Management degrees focus more on travel, lodging and marketing knowledge and skill development.

While the curriculum in each program is somewhat unique, there are certain aspects of the academic focus of hospitality programs at HBCUs which are fairly consistent. These include courses on event planning, safety and sanitation, food production and restaurant management, organizational behavior, and accounting, among others. Because students are earning an undergraduate degree, they must also complete a number of elective courses and general study courses in hospitality programs well.

HBCU Hospitality Management Programs

Through the leadership and efforts of the HBCU-HM Consortium, which is an academic organization designed specifically to promote the inclusion of hospitality management programs at HBCUs, the number of historically black colleges and universities offering hospitality academic programs is growing.

There are now thirteen schools among the nation’s top ranked HBCUs that provide opportunities for earning a bachelor’s degree in the hospitality discipline. Here are just a few of the premier programs, including the degrees offered and contact information for each of the hospitality programs at HBCUs listed here.

Alabama A&M University

• University programs: College of Agricultural, Life & Natural Sciences, Department of Family & Consumer Sciences, and Nutrition & Hospitality Management Program.
• Degree offered: Hospitality Management
• Location: 4900 Meridian St. N., Hunstville, AL 35810-1015
• Phone: (256) 372-5000

Howard University

• University programs: School of Business, Department of Management
• Degree offered: Hospitality Management
• Location: 2600 Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20059
• Phone: (202) 806-1500

Morgan State University

• University programs: Business Administration Department
• Degree offered: Hospitality Management
• Location: 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251
• Phone: (443) 885-4041

Tuskegee University

• University programs: College of Business and Information Sciences, Department of Management.
• Degree offered: Hospitality Management
• Location: 1200 W. Montgomery Road, Tuskegee, AL 36088
• Phone: (334) 727-8011

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

• University programs: School of Agriculture, Fisheries & Human Science, Department of Human Science
• Degree offered: Food Service and Restaurant Management
• Location: 1200 N. University Drive, Pine Bluff, AR 71601
• Phone: (870) 575-8817

Virginia State University

• University programs: School of Agriculture and Human Ecology
• Degree offered: Hospitality Management
• Location: P.O. Box 9081, Petersburg, VA 23806
• Phone: (804) 524-5961