The Top Hospitality Management MBA Online Programs

Hospitality managers are expected to know as much about business management as hospitality. In a world of ever-changing business and innovation, the need for managers in the service industry remains relatively unaffected. An online Master of Business Administration in hospitality management degree prepares students for future careers as entrepreneurs, consultants, corporate directors and managers of hotels and resorts. Top online MBA hospitality management programs provide the knowledge and skills a student needs to connect a knack for customer relations with a preference for business.

Students in the best hospitality management MBA schools online study core subjects such as hospitality accounting, service marketing and strategic marketing, all with a major emphasis on international hospitality management. Students in schools that top the online MBA rankings will also get a chance to focus on a specific area of hospitality management. Areas available in a hospitality management MBA online include resort and convention management, hotel franchising and management and real estate and development.

How can I tell if an online MBA hospitality management degree is right for me?

A hospitality management MBA online is right for students interested in entrepreneurship, e-commerce, restaurants, and tourism.

Many online MBA hospitality management students additionally have the following characteristics:

• An inclination for performing for or working directly with the public
• An aptitude for establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships
• A skill for guiding, directing, and motivating subordinates
• An aptitude for organizing, planning, and prioritizing work
• A capability for resolving conflicts and negotiating with others

How long does it take to earn an MBA online hospitality management degree?

A hospitality management MBA degree online takes approximately the same time to earn as any other similar degree. Two years of full time study is on average required to earn this degree. However, some institutions offer part-time or accelerated programs that give students the flexibility to earn the MBA in a more convenient manner.

What are the prerequisites and admission requirements for MBA hospitality management schools online?

Accredited online MBA hospitality management programs normally require students to possess a bachelor’s degree before enrolling in the MBA program. An undergraduate degree in areas like business administration, hotel management, hospitality, and management may be preferred by some schools that have an MBA hospitality management online program.

Many online MBA in hospitality management programs also base admission on the following criteria:

• Academic transcripts
• Essays
• Work experience
• Personal interviews

What courses will I take in hospitality management MBA programs online?

The first half of your online MBA in hospitality management will focus largely on core classes required of all MBA students, ensuring that the basic principles of business management are understood. The MBA online hospitality management core curriculum includes classes like operations management, managerial accounting, risk and conflict management, strategic planning and global marketing.

The second half of the MBA hospitality management online program will dive into the world of tourism, entrepreneurship, and hospitality, and also most likely require internships or on-the-job training. Through accredited online hospitality management MBA schools, you will learn the specific skills needed in your field from classes in international resort management, luxury services management, strategic marketing, tourist information systems and business finance. However, classes will vary depending on the online Master of Business Administration in hospitality management program.

Students enrolled in online hospitality management MBA programs often do internships in order to supplement their education. Internships are valuable. Through them, students not only make beneficial business contacts, but they also get a chance to apply what they are learning in their classes.

What are the best online MBA in hospitality management books I should consider reading?

Books that might be on point for students interested in hospitality management MBA careers are:

1. Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business (Danny Meyer) – Danny Meyer, CEO of a top restaurant organization, shares his theory of enlightened hospitality, which is a complete reversal of the common theory that the customer is always right.

2. 100 Tips for Hoteliers: What Every Successful Hotel Professional Needs to Know and Do (Peter Venison) – A landmark name in hotel management, Peter Venison lays out a blueprint for success in the hotel industry that students can refer to after receiving a hospitality management MBA online.

3. Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy (Isadore Sharp) – Isadore Sharp, founder of the Four Seasons hotel chain, details his rags to riches life story.

4. The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company (Joseph Michelli) – This illuminating book is a behind the scenes look at one of the most prestigious names in hotels and the innovative ways in which it has put the customer first.

5. Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter (Edmund Lawler) – Lawler records the wisdom of Charlie Trotter, owner and manager of one of the top restaurants in Chicago, who explains the importance of service in every aspect of a business.

What are my future job prospects if I pursue hospitality management MBA jobs?

Students who attend a school that is high in the online hospitality management MBA rankings will have positive job prospects, as there are nearly 700,000 jobs available for food service managers, administrative services managers, lodging managers and meeting, convention and event planners. The median annual salaries for these occupations are as follows:

• Food Service Managers – $48,130
• Administrative Service Managers – $77,890
• Lodging Managers – $46,880
• Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners – $45,260

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, event planner is the only occupation of these four that will increase at an above-average rate, as its projected growth over the next ten years is 44%. Administrative service manager and lodging manager jobs will grow at an average rate while food service manager jobs are actually projected to decline by roughly 3% over the next ten years.

Employers often want students who have earned their degrees from AACSB accredited hospitality management MBA programs because accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business can serve as an indication that a business school provides a quality education.