Hospitality and Tourism Management
The Business of Hospitality Offers Boundless Opportunities
Welcome to the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management; responsible for the hospitality and tourism management major, minor, and concentration at the College of Charleston. Our Hospitality & Tourism Management Department is strategically established within the School of Business to ensure our students gain an AACSB-accredited business education with a strong focus on leading in the service industry. Our students learn the business of hospitality and how to apply that knowledge in a global economy.
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Nestled in downtown Charleston, our program offers a living laboratory just outside our doors; giving our students both an abundance of practical experience opportunities and actual industry collaboration. Our partnerships with local and national hospitality organizations ensure our courses are relevant and valuable to any modern service business environment. Our students graduate into some of the best hospitality organizations in the industry, and many choose to successfully apply their service acumen in other business fields. |
Opening night of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival was at the Cistern in 2022. A variety of HTMT students worked internships, as the contract event team, and in volunteer roles for the festival!Program Description
The Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management is committed to providing students a high-quality hospitality management education in a liberal arts environment, supported by a progressive series of practical, applied, and experiential learning opportunities while immersed in one of the world’s premier tourism destinations.
The Department is committed to graduating future leaders who are service-oriented, innovative, ethical, analytical, and entrepreneurial, and prepared to succeed in a competitive and rapidly evolving marketplace. We want every hospitality management student to become a lifelong learner who is an effective communicator, service-oriented, globally aware, and technologically literate. Our graduates are able to function collaboratively and comfortably in an environment characterized by diversity, uncertainty, and rapid change.
The curriculum allows students to focus their elective course work in special focus areas such as:
- special events and entertainment management
- sales, marketing, and revenue strategy
- lodging management and development
- food & beverage operations management
- or develop a path of their own with the help of our faculty advisors
What Sets Us Apart...
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2019 Grand Opening of Merchant's Hall. Alumni & owner Houston Pearce ('17) worked with members of the HTMT event management course to plan and execute the major opening event. |
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Experiential CurriculumWe believe a hands on education is critical to success in business. Our students have the opportunity to be involved in the conceptualization, planning, and execution of a varierty of events. Our capstone course involves the same process for a new business. Students are encouraged to learn by doing and also to approach opportunties with an entrepreneurial perspective.
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Alumni Houtson Pearce '17 gives a tour of venue Merchant Hall to HTMT Event Management students prior to grand opening. Students from the class assisted planning and executing the grand opening event. |
Industry & Alumni EngagementMuch of the time, our alumni are our industry partners! Whether it's hosting classes, speaking on campus, collaborating on events, or judging our capstone business pitches, our industry partners and our alumni alike are 'in the game'. Our alumni are one of our greatest sources of new career and internship opportunities, and our industry partners play a vital and direct role in how we conduct our classes. Our Advisory Board supports our faculty and helps mentor our students; our industry partners collaborate regularly both in the classroom and through extensive internship offerings and attending annual networking events. |
ScholarshipsThe Hospitality and Tourism Management Department boasts one of the most extensive collections of program-specific scholarship and award opportunities. Whether it's endowed scholarships, annual awards from industry partners or excellence awards designated by our faculty, there are endless opportunities for our students to supplement the cost of their education while also being rewarded for their hard work and engagement.
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Promotional video for past Maymester Study Abroad Program: Destination Iceland. Destination Iceland travels and explores the nation of Iceland, focusing on destination marketing and management in a highly sustainability-focused country. |
Study Abroad ProgramsWe offer a variety of HTMT faculty-led study abroad programming each year. Past destinations include Canada, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, and Dubai. In 2023, we have an International Meetings & Convention Management course scheduled for Banff National Park, Alberta Canada, and the 8th iteration of our Destination Iceland course which examines destination marketing and management in the country of Iceland over Maymester. |
ResearchAmong the many opportunities for students to engage in the hospitality industry, is the Office of Tourism Analysis, funded in collaboration with Explore Charleston and run by HTMT faculty and staff. Our OTA works directly with Explore Charleston and local event producers to provide support, research, and analytical assessment of local hospitality industry economic impact as well as post-event survey distribution and analysis. Additionally, each year students publish research with our award-winning research faculty. |
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Internship Spotlight
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InternshipsOur internship program is second to none. The depth and breadth of our industry partnerships, from local or international, are unparalleled. Many of our internship partners are also out best and most consistent employers. If you fall in love with Charleston, we can certainly support that relationship! Or, if a life of world travel is more your speed, we have partners who would love to talk to you! |
Industry Partnerships + Careers OpportunitiesOur industry partners do not just want to host HTMT interns! Our alumni have done an incredible job of establishing a strong reputation for our program across the hospitality industry. Our students can expect to graduate with a robust network and a variety of career options available. If you are ready to build your network, we have some industry partners to introduce you to today.
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RecruitmentIt's not just the local industry that wants our graduates. Our industry partnerships span the country and the globe. Our department regularly hosts international hospitality recruiters in addition to annual special events where multiple recruiters from our industry can be found actively seeking our students and grads! |
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AlumniThe Hospitality and Tourism Management program is a family and our alumni are what make us so proud. Across the country and around the world, CofC HTMT alumni are involved and leading in world-class hospitality organizations. |
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Alumni Spotlight! Mollie Warren '16 Mollie Warren '16 recently achieved pilot status after pursuing a career in the airline industry. Read more...
Below is a sampling of some Employers and various Roles you where might find our alumni... |
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Alumni Employers
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Alumni Job Titles
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Industry Partnerships
Below you will find a list of some of our current internship hosts and most consistent internship providers.
Click here to find out more about our industry partners...
Contact Us
If you are here for a campus visit and are interested in meeting with a professor to learn more about our programs and course offerings, please contact us.
| Who? | Where? | Find Us on Social Media |
| Bob Frash Department Chair Email: FrashR@cofc.edu |
Department Location: Beatty Center, Suite 300 5 Liberty Street Charleston, SC 29401 |
 facebook.com/cofchtmt |
| Alicia Awdeh Administrative Coordinator Email: AwdehAH@cofc.edu |
Mailing Address: |
 @cofchtmt |
You can also learn more about 2020-2021 accomplishments in the Hospitality and Tourism Management Annual Report.
Check out our official Facebook or Instagram pages for photos and information about current department events. The HTMT department also manages @banffcofc @icelandcofc @irelandcofc @flipthefair and @cofcseniorshowcase on both FB & Instagram if you'd like to see what else our students get up to...
