"I have been in the hospitality industry for 25 years working in restaurants, bars and hotels and held many different positions from hourly to managerial. I am currently a purchasing manager for a hotel in central New Jersey with a multimillion dollar budget. I'm not on the front lines anymore, but I now have a direct impact on the hotel's bottom line," said Master of Science in Hospitality Management (MSHM) student James "Greg" Wathen, pictured above with wife Christine.
The MSHM program features a practitioner-focused curriculum that enables students to earn the competencies necessary to work effectively and lead in the international hospitality industry.
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Prepare to Lead in the Hospitality Industry
MSHM Degree Program Develops Innovative Leaders for Every Destination
The School of Business and Management's recently unveiled accelerated Master of Science in Hospitality Management (MSHM) degree program offers solid grounding in relevant theory, applied practice and policymaking in hospitality management.
After 25 years in the industry, James "Greg" Wathen knows that grounding will help him advance to the next stages of his career.
"What motivated me to enroll in the MSHM program is my desire to pass my industry knowledge on to others," said Wathen, a U.S. Army veteran. "I would like to become an adjunct professor in a hospitality management program at a local college, with the eventual goal of becoming a full-time faculty member."
The online, 36-credit program features 8-week courses and a practitioner-focused curriculum that enables students, like Wathen, to gain the knowledge, competencies and skills necessary to lead and work effectively in the core business sectors of the industry.
According to Dr. Michael Williams, dean of the School of Business and Management, course work in the program focuses on globally framed, cultural-specific models of hospitality management, including historical overview, trends and issues in the hospitality industry, gaming and resort markets, and relevant business, management and operations topics.
"The program enables hospitality professionals like Greg to expand their capabilities and advance their careers," said Williams. "With the rise of global travel, shifting demographics and the implications of social media, hospitality industry professionals must possess the competencies to adapt and lead."
Interested in outcomes? As a graduate of the MSHM program you will be able to:
- Analyze hospitality management within a global context
- Evaluate operational requirements associated with managing multisize hospitality enterprises
- Synthesize culturally aligned communication skills to deliver client services in multicultural contexts
- Apply ethical, legal and data-informed decision making in managing across countries and cultures
- Use information and web-based technologies to enable business development, growth and sustainability
"The course structure has worked out very well with my schedule," said Wathen. "With the online format, I am able to do my course work at my own pace, while I advance my studies in a subject category I'm already familiar with. I have been in the hospitality industry for 25 years working in restaurants, bars and hotels and held many different positions from hourly to managerial. I am currently a purchasing manager for a hotel in central New Jersey with a multimillion dollar budget. I'm not on the front lines anymore, but I now have a direct impact on the hotel's bottom line. It is a physically demanding job, which I love, but I don't want to be doing all the heavy lifting forever, so my plan is to slowly transition to the teaching profession."
Wathen finds the program's human resource components to be the most relevant. His former military experience helps him stay the course.
"This business is all about dealing with people, from guests to employees. Taking courses that make you look at different situations through the eyes of others has been a fantastic experience," he said. "The mentors in the program have been great in working with us and getting us to open up and share our findings and experiences. The focus and determination I learned in the U.S. Army has helped me to stay on course and manage my time so I am able to work full time, take two courses each term and manage a family with two teenagers. My wife, Christine, was a major influence in my decision to advance my education. Now that I'm enrolled, what I like best is the balance that I have achieved, which allows me to still have time to enjoy my life."
Learn more about this and other programs offered by the School of Business and Management.
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