Degree Requirements

This course helps students develop skills necessary to analyze performance issues both quantitatively and qualitatively and to evaluate implemented solutions following sound principles of research design.

This course provides a cross-disciplinary perspective to help students analyze, understand, translate, and incorporate common forms of hospitality data in their decision-making processes when designing and executing data-driven strategies.

This features an executive in-residence weekend at Penn State University Park.

This course examines of the nature of the hospitality industry at a macro level, along with the environment in which the hospitality industry operates.

This features an executive in-residence weekend at Penn State University Park.

This course details the various processes involved in a hospitality real-estate investment, focusing on how investment and financing decisions can optimize firm value, the decision frameworks used to select various forms of financing, and hospitality asset valuations.

This course addresses the coordination of capacity and demand management efforts required to optimize profit.

This is a two part course: the first part tackles how to manage customer expectations during the consumption experience (and thus ensure customer satisfaction) and the second address how to use digital and social channels to promote a hospitality brand.

This course focuses on the development of leadership and interpersonal skills, with a specific emphasis on settings and situations relevant to the hospitality industry. Particular areas of focus will be on facilitating motivation, understanding and navigating individual differences, ethical use of power and influence, managing diversity, shaping group dynamics, and effectively managing conflict.

This capstone course serves as the culminating requirement for the program, requiring students to synthesize and apply the concepts, skills and insights acquired in previous coursework and in practical work environments (either internships or work experience).

Supervised, professionally oriented, off-campus, non-group instruction, including field experiences, practicums, or internships.

*Internship credits are variable credit, determined by your prior industry experience. If it is determined that an internship is not required, an HM elective or independent study based on your individual career needs / goals will be required to fulfill the 3-credit requirement.

This course covers the study of strategic management, and is designed to integrate many of the components and key concepts that students have studied throughout the core business curriculum.

This course is an intensive examination of techniques available to aid the financial manager in decision making.

ENTR 502: BUSINESS MODELING AND NEW VENTURE CREATION

ENTR 502 focuses on the process of launching a new venture, in a corporate setting or as a new startup, including identifying a problem or market opportunity, developing business models, forming a team, financing, analyzing markets, assessing the competitive environment, and planning to acquire leadership talent. A business model canvas framework is used as the primary tool for describing, analyzing, and designing business models. In essence, this course identifies and defines the key components necessary to develop a formal business plan. Concepts and techniques explore new venture creation business strategies, including different approaches for business model development. Students will gain insight into how to translate new ideas into viable projects and business ventures. Students will learn the importance of understanding markets, customer segments, and the competitive landscape,as well as how to obtain funding for new ventures. Lastly, the issue of how to acquire leadership and human resource talent to make anew venture viable over time is investigated.

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ENTR 820: CORPORATE INNOVATION STRATEGIES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL METHODS

This course is designed to survey and explore the methods used to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in a corporate setting.Emphasis will be placed on the methods used in organizations to foster creativity, innovation, and new venture creation. This course covers both tactical and strategic approaches to innovation and entrepreneurship, and examines these in multiple contexts,including technology, business process, product, and strategy. Furthermore, the course will expand on widely accepted frameworks and perspectives for managing innovation, such as agile product development, and the lean startup approach. Students will also delve into the more abstract notion of how to create and enable an organizational culture of innovation, manage conflict,and negotiate agreements effectively. Lastly, a final objective of the class is to ensure students understand how to protect and manage intellectual property.