The hospitality industry which boasts of over 60,000 establishments and an approximate 1.8 million employees extends employment opportunities to people of different education levels, backgrounds and personalities. People in the hospitality field are in-charge of various establishments: from five-star hotels to the youth hostels. The current trend in the hotel industry is employing trained professionals to fill up the management positions that arise in the industry. By undertaking master’s degrees in hospitality, the students are empowered with business skills which they can efficiently implement in managerial positions. Thanks to the advent of online education, as many employers hire people with experience, hospitality professionals can continue receiving their online education while still earning their work experience.

If you wish to rise up the ranks in this profession, possibly to the managerial level, then a master’s degree program in hospitality and culinary arts may be your best choice. There are several master’s degree options under the hospitality umbrella which are offered both online and on-campus. If you are planning to enroll for a master’s program to advance in your career, an online program will be ideal since you will not have to quit your current vocation consequently halting your job experience. However, if you’re intending to get into the teaching profession, an on campus education should suffice your interest.

Master’s Degrees in Hospitality and Culinary Arts

Most Master’s Degrees in Hospitality and Culinary Arts run at most for three years; having the culinary programs taking a general assumption that all students have the basic knowledge in culinary practices and principles. All master’s degree programs in this fraternity have a bias on the business and theoretical aspects of managing establishments in the industry rather than the hands-on components and technical details. Listed below are master’s degree programs in the hospitality and culinary arts which can get you into varied career having most if not all available online to give you a chance to work as you study.

Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) In essence this is an MBA which is bent towards the hospitality industry and thus the name Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH). Similar to business programs, these potential managers in MMH courses study corporate marketing, finance, managerial communication, operations management as well as many other core courses that business students study. Such courses help then to have basic knowledge of how corporations in the hospitality industry function. Students then get the opportunity to select a hospitality business area in which to specialize in. For instance: real estate finance and investment, operations and revenue management, and human resource management. On completion of the Master of Management in Hospitality course, graduates have a firmer grasp on the principles and functionalities behind successful hospitality businesses and hotels which they can implement them in their places of work. Should you wish not to discontinue your current job while pursuing your master’s, there are a variety of online hospitality degree programs from which you can select.

Master of Science in Hotel Administration (MSHA) Graduates wielding Master of Science in Hotel Administration (MSHA) degrees are well equipped to handle top positions in the hotel establishments as well as become teachers in hotel administration courses. Its curriculum contains courses such as: financial analysis for the service industries, operations analysis in hospitality management as well as human resources and behavior in the hospitality industry among others inclined to hospitality. The students may opt for specializations in the hotel administration field like: convention and meeting management, food service management, hospitality education, and casino and gaming management. If your intention is to get into the academia field on completion of your master’s, then an on-campus degree would be perfect since you get exposed to the campus environment and other people with a similar career goal. On the other hand an online MSHA may be ideal for career advancement in a particular profession in hospitality.

Master of Restaurant Management (MRM) A Master of Restaurant Management (MRM) which is also referred to as Master of Hotel and Restaurant Management degree is ideal for training hotel professionals on the business aspect of running and managing a successful restaurant. Graduates who enter the profession are charged the responsibility of ordering for food supplies, staffing the kitchen, marketing and attracting customers. All these skills are taught through and intricately designed curriculum which has both food serving principles as well as business courses. This is an ideal course for someone with hands on experience wishing to secure a managerial position because it offers formal training to supplement technical experience possessed. Because work experience is integral in the service industry, an online degree might be preferred to the traditional ones.

Master of Science in Nutrition (MSN) The Master of Science in Nutrition (MSN) degree is a basic requirement for those wishing to practice as dietitians or nutritionists. As a nutritionist, you can work with restaurants, schools, hospitals and other people who come up with healthy meal plans and menus usually with a great involvement in the community health efforts. This highly scientific-based course usually takes two years to complete. To succeed in this course, you need a science background since the curriculum contains the following courses: pathology, advanced nutrition, statistics, pathology, and biochemistry. As nutrition is a highly scientific discipline, some nutritionists are employed in food research while others become nutrition advisors. On-campus degrees are preferred for people planning on becoming teachers and researchers while online ones are ideal for nutritionists with vocational goals.

The Changing Landscape of Hospitality and Culinary Master’s Degree Programs

Traditionally, hands-on experience was the number one criteria for consideration for promotions in the hospitality and culinary professions. Presently, the industry is looking for professional managers with certain levels of education to fill in the management positions in the organizations. Reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicate that more and more food management organizations are recruiting graduates from hospitality and culinary arts courses to fill management slots. As expected, colleges and universities are adjusting towards the new demand by revising or including more graduate courses in the hospitality and its related fields.

The BLS also approximates 1,000 universities that currently offer food service management programs as well as hospitality management courses. Most of these institutions also offer online master’s programs for working professionals that do not wish to change their current lifestyles while attaining their advanced degrees in hospitality and culinary arts.

Launching Your Career in Hospitality and Culinary Arts

Have you ever dreamt of owning a hotel, advising others regarding nutrition or running a hotel? It isn’t too late for you to get a master’s degree in hospitality or culinary arts. Distance learning courses are here to help you attain that degree irrespective of your age or current location. Use this opportunity to advance your career to life a fulfilled life.

With the expected growth in the hospitality industry, YOU can be part of the growth by sharing your skills acquired from your education.