The Ph.D. program in Hospitality Management is designed to meet the demand by industry and educational institutions for high quality academicians with a hospitality and tourism management background. Students will be given the opportunity to generate significant industry-specific knowledge through exposure to and participation in the highest levels of academic research, and subsequently, as professors and managers, to disseminate such knowledge to all stakeholders and to the public.
The Program is based on a three to four year period of residential study following the completion of a Master's degree with an undergraduate or graduate degree in hospitality and tourism management or related fields. To meet its objectives, the Program will consist of a minimum of 60 credit hours in five components:
- Hospitality Management Core,
- Research Core,
- Concentration in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management (HRTM),
- Cognates, and
- Dissertation
The associated credit hours are a minimum of 60 hours.
This program of study provides students with the opportunity to generate significant industry-specific knowledge through exposure to and participation in the highest levels of academic research. The Ph.D. program requires 60 credit hours beyond the master's degree, including a minimum of 15 hours devoted to original dissertation research. To complete the Ph.D. program, a student must successfully complete a comprehensive exam, propose and complete a dissertation study, and successfully pass a final examination on the dissertation administered by the students advisory committee.
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is home to world renown professors who have significant publication records in the most prestigious journals in hospitality and tourism. The college hosts several research centers and institutes, and collectively provides excellent opportunities for students to get involved in research projects with organizations like:
- South Carolina's only Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development (CoEE)
- International Institute for Foodservice Research and Education
- International Tourism and Research Institute
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center
- Culinary and Wine Institute
- Center for Event Research and Education
Learning Outcomes
- Students will develop a general understanding of common research designs and methodological tools (quantitative and qualitative) used in the field of tourism and hospitality research, and become familiar with a wide variety of research publication outlets and quality standards.
- Students will be capable of critically evaluating published articles and existing research products in tourism and hospitality.
- Students will be familiar with a wide variety of ethical issues in research, collaboration, and institutional review board standards and practices.