The Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland was ranked by the Laureate Hospitality Education Commission in 2007 as the leading school for hospitality management. This school specializes in international hospitality management, providing students with tools to manage luxury international hotels and restaurants. Students at this school must possess the language skills required for study in an international school, meaning they should be able to speak and understand either French or English. Students can work toward a bachelor's degree, a two-year certificate or a master's degree in hospitality or hospitality administration.
Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, founded in 1922, was the first collegiate program in the United States for hospitality management and is the only Ivy League program. Students at Cornell can work with the school's 60 full-time faculty members to earn a bachelor's, master's or Ph.D. in hospitality-related fields. Additionally, students experience what they learn first-hand in the university's Statler Hotel. In 2010, the school accepted just over 200 students from 20 countries to participate in its undergraduate programs.
The Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the University of Denver is a highly-respected program that was established in 1946. This school offers students the opportunity to earn a bachelor of science in business administration in hospitality management. The school also guarantees that students, upon graduation, will have 1,000 hours of work experience. The school, with its 16 faculty members, offers three areas of focus: lodging/resort operations, hospitality sales and marketing and restaurant/food and beverage management.
Purdue University's Hospitality and Tourism Management program was ranked first in the nation in 2002. Students at Purdue can earn a bachelor's, master's or a Ph.D. in hospitality and tourism management, all of which require internships to give students real-life experience. For example, an undergraduate degree in hospitality and tourism management requires at least 400 hours of industry internship. Since it began in 1916, nearly 6,000 students have graduated from the program.