Students can gain a high-level position in the hospitality industry by completing a bachelor's degree in hospitality management, according to Education-Portal.com. This type of degree program teaches students basic managerial skills, team building, research, strategic planning, problem solving and budgeting. Students also learn how use new technology to help their businesses grow and how to boost profits. To get into a bachelor's degree program, students usually need a high school diploma or GED. Associate degree programs in culinary arts and hospitality management also teach students management and culinary skills, according to DegreeDirectory.org.
Students who are interested in filling advanced management and leadership positions in hotels, restaurants and travel companies should pursue their master's degrees in restaurant and hospitality management. These programs typically last two years at accredited universities and cover how management and business theories relate to the hospitality industry, according to Florida International University. Students complete a thesis project as part of their program. To enter a master's program, a student must have a bachelor's degree and typically must also have completed the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Hospitality management and restaurant classes cover topics such as hospitality finance, restaurant and hotel marketing, food and beverage purchasing, catering management and restaurant/food production management. Students also learn about human resources management, hotel/project development and loss prevention. Introductory culinary arts courses cover topics such as food preparation, sanitation, menu planning and meal presentation, while graduate students move on to learn hospitality enterprise technologies, organizational behavior and research/statistical methods in the industry. At the renowned Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, management programs additionally focus on wine studies, hospitality business law and the kitchen and dining room environments. Many college hospitality management courses are available online.
With a degree in hospitality management, students can seek work as restaurant or hotel/resort operations managers, restaurant owners, club managers or catering directors. These students also can become tourism directors, food and beverage managers, restaurant sales managers, food cost accountants or university food service directors. Other career options include directors of marketing or event planners. Work also is available at spas or even amusement parks. In addition, managers can boost their career options by seeking the voluntary certified Foodservice Management Professional designation through the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
Employment of lodging managers and food service managers is expected to grow 5 percent between 2008 and 2018. Median annual wages in May 2008 were $45,800 for lodging managers and $46,320 for food service managers, with the highest earners working in traveler accommodation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Higher education in the industry can result in higher earnings.