The Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism provides a skills-based education and hands-on classes and internship opportunities to prepare students to be productive and dynamic hospitality and tourism professionals.

Program Overview

The Hospitality and Tourism program effectively prepares students for a career in the hotel/resort, food service management, event management and service sectors. The program combines discipline-specific knowledge, leadership and management skills, general abilities and soft skills that are transferable across a wide variety of service-related careers, along with hands-on work experiences that can lead to an enjoyable and productive career in hospitality and tourism.

What You Will Learn

The Hospitality and Tourism program is designed to produce the following learning outcomes and opportunities:

• Demonstrate a comprehension of the principles of leadership and management with the functions of Hospitality and Tourism professionals
• Utilize skills and experiences gained to manage facilities, resources and events, in adherence with laws and ethics
• Gain strong competence in critical thinking and analysis and problem solving through real-world case studies and hands on industry experience
• Learn leadership and management in the areas of marketing, accounting/revenue management, quality service management, human resources, facilities management, food safety, world culture, event planning, sustainability and law
• Apply skills, knowledge and abilities in the area of service quality with the various careers and fields in Hospitality and Tourism to gain communication and social interaction abilities

The Mitchell Difference

Earning a degree at Mitchell College requires a combination of coursework and experiential learning built around our Abilities Model. This skills-based learning approach covers the following: First Year Experience, Integrative Career Development, Core curriculum, Major curriculum and exploratory electives. Every program at Mitchell offers unique opportunities to our broad spectrum of students for their educational, occupational and lifestyle pursuits.

The Hospitality and Tourism program features: 

• Hands-on learning as a way for students to explore, retain and experiment within their field of study
• Wraparound Supports that offer resources and promote community-building within the learning process
• Organizations and Activities to build community with peers, learn and have fun such as Mitchell College Student Activities Board and Mitchell Hospitality Event and Travel Club
• Internship opportunities offering real-world experience to enhance our students’ education journey that include:

Mystic Marriott

Water’s Edge Resort

Mohegan Sun

Saybrook Point Resort & Marina

The Spa at Norwich Inn

Chartwells Dining

Lawrence and Memorial Hospital

Local museums

Local caterers

Connecticut Tourism Board

DECA Judging

Other non-profit organizations of interest

• • • Service learning that combines learning objectives with community service in ways that can benefit both the student and the community
    • Research that offers students the opportunities to delve deeper into subject areas of interest with faculty guidance
    • Minor and/or Microcredential(s) allowing students more compact, narrowly focused courses to develop specific skills in their area of study

Career Pathways

The Hospitality and Tourism program prepares students for a number of different career options, as well as the potential for future advanced study in the following areas:

• Event Management
• Food Service Management
• Hotel/Resort Management
• Industries where quality service is a key component—such as retail, banking/finance and small business management

Additionally, graduates have gone on to pursue advanced educational degrees or certification programs in areas such as organizational leadership, business management, hospitality, event management, sustainability and more. The Integrative Career Development program helps to focus students on career paths they are passionate about, leading to internships which become full-time positions for many students post-graduation.

Mitchell graduate Corrine Wilson chose to come to Mitchell College because of its small size and its hospitality and tourism management program. She studied hospitality at a technical high school and knew she wanted to continue learning about it in college. She completed an internship with A Thyme to Cook, a caterer and event planner in North Stonington, where she helped with event coordinating. Corrine works in a nursing home, creating and hosting events for residents, serving meals and snacks, and building friendships with each resident. She draws on these experiences as she looks to the future and dreams of being an event planner.

LEARN MORE

Sample Coursework: 4-Year Overview

View the College Catalog for full descriptions of these courses.

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