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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Tourism and Hospitality, B.A.
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The Bachelor of Arts in Tourism and Hospitality is an interdisciplinary degree designed to prepare and develop future leaders to creatively think and problem solve within the tourism and hospitality management field through applied, real world learning experiences.
The 39-credit major provides a solid and comprehensive academic foundation for all students, both experienced professionals and those new to the field. It draws upon the social and natural sciences, recreation, business, and planning disciplines to provide an integrated understanding of hospitality management and tourism as a global industry and source of economic, environmental and social change. Graduates of the BA in Tourism and Hospitality bring to their careers and the community an understanding of the local, regional, and global implications of the sector, including its impact on communities and places and its prominent role in cultural contact, exchange, and learning as well as a strong hospitality skill set, developed through hands-on, industry-based, project learning.
The Specific Learning Goals of the Tourism & Hospitality Major are:
- Students will understand the local and global implications of tourism and the role tourism plays in the economy, communities, nature, and culture as well as foster the ability to apply this knowledge to real-world industry issues, policy, planning, and destination development. (Sustainable Tourism Innovation and Development Concentration)
- Students will develop a strong hospitality management skill set focused on professional practices through hands-on work in collaboration with the Maine Tourism Industry. (Hospitality Management concentration)
- Students will be prepared for future leadership roles in the global tourism and hospitality industry developed through hands-on, industry-engaged, real world learning.
To accomplish this students may select one or both specialized concentrations:
- Hospitality Management
- Sustainable Tourism Innovation & Development
Students complement these concentrations with electives drawn from a number of disciplines, travel courses, and a capstone experience that allows them to apply their knowledge to a real-world setting or problem. The degree curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning in the classroom and practical knowledge, with faculty from several departments within USM, as well as industry professionals, preparing students to engage directly in this sector in a variety of possible career pathways.
Tourism & Hospitality classes are offered either online or hyflex.
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Program Requirements
The BA in Tourism and Hospitality includes seven required courses including a culminating Capstone class and a four-course concentration. Students may complete an additional two classes or the additional concentration to meet the minimum 39 credits for the major. Students must earn a minimum GPA in the major of 2.0, and a grade of C- or better in all major courses. Students may apply a maximum of nine (9) credit hours of internships, independent studies, and travel classes toward the major. Unless specific articulation agreements have been developed with an institution, students may also apply up to 18 credits of transfer courses from other institutions toward the BA. All students must meet with their advisors before registering for courses each semester. Required Courses
All TAH majors must complete these required courses: Concentrations
Each student must complete at least one four-course concentration to develop knowledge and proficiency in an area that reflects his or her interests and career goals. If a student chooses to complete the second concentration, the student is not required to complete the 2 electives for the major. Students may also complete a TAH certificate in event planning and tourism development.
The following are general descriptions and requirements of the two concentrations. Course descriptions for TAH classes are found in the Course Descriptions section. Descriptions for non-TAH classes in each concentration can be found in the descriptions of those programs.
A) Hospitality Management (12 credits)
The learning goals for students in this concentration is that they will develop a strong hospitality management skill set focused on professional practices through hands-on work in collaboration with the Maine Tourism Industry. Students will be prepared for future leadership roles in the global tourism and hospitality industry developed through hands-on, industry-engaged, real world learning. B) Sustainable Tourism Innovation & Development (12 credits)
The learning goals for students in this concentration is that they will understand the local and global implications of tourism and the role tourism plays in the economy, communities, nature, and culture as well as foster the ability to apply this knowledge to real word industry issues, policy, planning and destination development. Students will be prepared for future leadership roles in the global tourism and hospitality industry developed through hands-on, industry-engaged, real world learning. Choose 1 of the following courses:
TAH Major Electives (6 credits)
**choose 2 courses (each 3 credits) that student has not taken, at least 1 class in TAH and 1 at the 300 level or above **
(Students may use one related course from outside TAH, usually in GEO, ANT, BUS, ESP, REC as a major elective with faculty approval.)
Second Concentration and/or Electives
Students have the option of completing two TAH electives or a second concentration to complete the 39 credits toward the major (Note: completing both TAH concentrations will require more than the 39 minimum credits). If students choose the electives option, at least 1 class needs to be in TAH and 1 at the 300 level or above. Credits in Residence Requirement (Academic Residency)
For all baccalaureate degrees at the University of Southern Maine, a minimum of 30 credits hours, including at least nine hours in the major field at the 200-level or above, must be completed at the University of Southern Maine. *Credits awarded by Prior Learning Assessment through academic portfolio review or earned during USM sanctioned study abroad programs shall count toward the Academic Residency requirement.
School of Business Credit Restrictions
The USM School of Business has limitations on the number of Business courses (including certain Economics courses) that non-Business majors may take. In general, non-business majors may take a maximum of 30 credit hours in ACC, BUS, FIN, and RMI courses, plus ECO 101 , ECO 102 and ECO 310 . Students completing concentrations in the Tourism and Hospitality program that use these courses would count them toward the 30-credit hour maximum. Students may also apply for admission into one minor in the School of Business and use up to one-third of the credits in their minors toward the Tourism and Hospitality major.
USM Core Requirements
The USM Core Curriculum is a coherent, integrative, and rigorous liberal education that enables our graduates to be world-minded, intentional, life-long learners and captures your general education degree requirements.
Please Note: Core requirements may be part of your major and/or minor, and Core may have been fulfilled with transfer credit. Please consult your MaineStreet Degree Progress Report (DPR) and review your degree progress with your Advisor. For additional information, access the USM Core webpage.
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