San Diego Schools Offering Hospitality Management Programs
Students interested in learning about hospitality management have a few options in the San Diego region. Hospitality management is often combined with tourism management. This article looks at three schools that are within 50 minutes of downtown and the certificate and degree programs they offer. There is also a table of information about the three schools with facts such as tuition, enrollment and graduation percentages. This can be useful to individuals when choosing a school.
- About six miles from downtown, San Diego State University is home to the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. It offers a bachelor's and a master's degree program in hospitality and tourism management.
- Approximately 12 miles from downtown San Diego, students can attend Grossmont College for a certificate or an associate's degree program in hospitality management and tourism management.
- Finally, students in northern San Diego County can attend MiraCosta College for a certificate or associate's degree in hospitality management. This school is nearly 35 miles from the city center.
Comparison of Schools
There are many facts that a prospective student must take into account when considering a school. The following table puts together some important information that makes comparisons simple.
| San Diego State University | Grossmont College | MiraCosta College | |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Type | 4-year; public | 2-year; public | 4-year, primarily associate's; public |
| Total Enrollment (2021) | 36,484* | 13,023* | 11,125* |
| Campus Setting | Large city | Large suburb | Large suburb |
| Tuition & Fees (2022-2023) | $8,174 in-state, $20,054 out-of-state* | $1,332 in-state; $9,844 out-of-state* | $1,152 in-state; $8,448 out-of-state* |
| % of First-Year Students Receiving Some Form of Financial Aid (2020-2021) | 58%* | 73%* | 76%* |
| Acceptance Rate (2021) | 38%* | N/A - open admissions* | N/A - open admissions* |
| Retention Rate (2020-2021) | 90%* | 67%* | 100%* |
| Graduation Rate | 76% (Students who began in Fall 2015)* | 30% (Students who began in Fall 2018)* | 36% (Students who began in Fall 2015)* |
Source: *NCES College Navigator
San Diego State University
San Diego State University is the home to the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The school is devoted to the research and teaching of hospitality and restaurant management. The undergraduate program includes classes covering hotel management and event planning. In addition, undergraduates are required to complete two internships. A graduate program is also offered. Professional development and research opportunities in hospitality management are available at several centers and institutes at the school. Noteworthy research centers include the Center for Surf Research or the Institute for Leisure and Tourism Management. Two of the professional development programs at the school are endowed from major hospitality corporations.
Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University synthesizes coursework with internship and professional development opportunities. Students at San Diego State University can focus on one of the four concentration fields in the B.S. program, such as hotel management, meetings and events, restaurant management and tribal gaming management. Courses in the B.S. program include managerial accounting, hospitality law, social events management, property management and restaurant management.
Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management
In the Master of Science (M.S.) in Hospitality and Tourism Management program, each student works alongside a faculty member who helps with the student's academic development. The faculty member also helps the student develop their degree project, which is an in-company project for their current hospitality management career. Courses in the M.S. program include 21st century marketing, mastering technology, environmental sustainability, systems problem resolution and financial management.
Grossmont College
Grossmont College is a community college is the suburb of El Cajon, north of San Diego. Grossmont College offers a hospitality and tourism degree that is transferable to 4-year programs. The courses in the program cover a wide variety of hospitality sectors, such as air travel, hotel, restaurants, country club management and public relations.
Certificate of Achievement in Hospitality and Tourism Management
Students at Grossmont College can receive a certificate in hospitality and tourism management when they satisfactorily complete the core courses in the program. Some of the classes include financial accounting, business law, managerial accounting and controls and calculus for business. Students must inform Grossmont College's records office that they completed the credits in the program before they graduate.
Associate of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management
The major requirements for this program include 34 course credits in subjects like business, economics, mathematics and computer science. Students are expected to enroll in classes like business communication, microeconomics and macroeconomics, computer information systems and hospitality managerial accounting and controls. This is the same coursework as in the certificate program, though students seeking a degree also need to complete general education courses.
MiraCosta College
MiraCosta College is a 2-year public college in the northern San Diego County town of Oceanside. Students at MiraCosta College can complete a certificate or associate's program in hospitality management. In addition, students can complete one of six certificate of proficiency programs, which include 12-15 credits of hospitality courses. The proficiency programs are in catering, dining room, food service, front office and room divisions operations, along with event and meeting management.
Certificate of Achievement in Hospitality Management
The certificate in hospitality management is a 27-credit program. The MiraCosta College Hospitality Management Advisory Board along with regional hospitality industry leaders facilitate the program curriculum. Seven courses are required for the certificate program, while the student needs to complete the program by taking two out of four optional courses. Some of the required courses include guest services, hospitality law, hospitality marketing, sustainable facilities management and purchasing and cost control.
Associate of Arts in Hospitality Management
MiraCosta College offers an Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Hospitality Management. Students who are enrolled in the A.A. program must complete all the courses required in the certificate program in hospitality management as well as general education requirements. Hospitality courses may include special event management, front office management, human resource management and hospitality law. Students also have the opportunity to enroll in an internship with the supervision of a faculty member, onsite supervisor. There is also an option to enroll in a cooperative work study where the student receives school credit if they are working in a hospitality sector job.
