College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management
Mission Statement
The mission of Niagara University's College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management is to provide an innovative, culturally diverse, high-quality education that prepares students for leadership roles in the experience economy by
promoting professionalism and integrating technology, international opportunities, and experiential learning. Niagara University's College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management teaches students how to excel in this lucrative and fast-
moving economy by learning how to deliver service, excellence, and create memorable experiences.
Located near one of the world's major tourism and hospitality centers, the College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management offers bachelor's degrees in hotel and restaurant management, tourism and recreation management, and both a bachelor's and master's degree in sport management. The curriculum provides a comprehensive body of knowledge about the hotel, restaurant, sport, recreation, and tourism industries, preparing students for a rich variety of management
opportunities through their desired career path.
Central to the college's mission is the desire to create an environment that encourages critical thinking. Toward this end, the college offers a broadly based, integrated program comprised of a broad range of courses in the student's major, the liberal arts, sciences, and business. The college seizes opportunities to help students increase their interest in intellectual matters, issues of economic and social justice, and learning as a lifelong pursuit. Moreover, the college encourages its students to develop powers of reasoning and judgment and, following the mission of Niagara University, seeks to instill in its students a deep concern for the rights and dignity of the human person.
Goal — Practical Applications
Established in 1968 as the first program in the world to offer a bachelor's degree in tourism, Niagara provides a hands-on curriculum and learning environment that gives students a variety of experiences and skills necessary to assume leadership
positions in today's fast-changing hospitality, sport, and tourism industries. Accredited by the ACPHA, the College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management maintains a standard of excellence in curriculum, learning outcomes, and student resources that is governed at the highest level. The college is also a founding member of the Hotel Schools of Distinction (HSD), which seeks to connect hospitality leaders nationally to ensure students have a competitive advantage in a challenging industry.
Contributing toward the goal of quality applications-oriented programs are the college's broadly educated and industry-experienced faculty members, each firmly grounded in their discipline yet sensitive to the importance of other fields. The college seeks opportunities to partner with local, regional, national, and international entities to provide meaningful experiential learning opportunities. The college sponsors professional conferences, provides seminars for the industry, assists local enterprises through classroom projects, has an active alumni association with a mentorship program, and offers major-based cultural immersion opportunities abroad.
Degree Programs
B.S. Degree, Hotel and Restaurant Management
Concentrations In
- Hotel Planning, Development and Operations
- Food and Beverage Management
- Luxury Hospitality Operations
B.S. Degree, Sport Management
Concentration In
- Sport Operations
B.S. Degree, Tourism and Recreation Management
Concentrations In
- Tourism Destination Management
- Event and Meeting Management
The College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management provides students with coursework in all aspects of the industry: hotel, foodservice, recreation, sport and tourism — all held together by customer service. Students are provided the broadest possible educational experience within a current technological and global environment.
The curriculum is evenly divided between professional courses and the liberal arts. The liberal arts component of the curriculum provides a broad educational experience developing ethical thinking, critical thinking, interpersonal, and communication skills. These skills are essential for a successful career in any industry.
Accreditation
Accreditation Body
Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA)
203 South Morris Street
P.O. Box 278
Oxford, MD 21654
Telephone 410.226.5527
Date Niagara University Accredited
February 1993; continuing accreditation granted in July 2000 and March 2007. Niagara University was the 7th program accredited in the country.
Courses
On This Page
Hotel/Sport/Tourism
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HST 100 | Introduction to Hospitality | 3 |
| HST 140 | Management & Leadership | 3 |
| HST 201 | Accounting Princ. I | 3 |
| HST 202 | Accounting Principles II | 3 |
| HST 244 | Hotel & Tourism Law | 3 |
| HST 253 | Human Resources Mgt | 3 |
| HST 401 | Honors Thesis I | 3 |
| HST 402 | Honors Thesis II | 3 |
| HST 451 | Disney Intern Experience | 12.00 |
| HST 452 | Disney Intern Experience Advantage | 3 |
| HST 493 | Hosp/Tour/Rec Co-0p | 12.00 |
| HST 496 | Senior Sem & Practicum | 3 |
| HST 499 | Independent Research | 12 |
Hotel Restaurant Management
MHR 241 — Foodservice Operations (3 credits)
This course places special emphasis on the institutional aspects of food and beverage management in restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, motels and clubs. The knowledge necessary to succeed in an entry-level management position in the hospitality industry is presented. Subjects covered include: foodservice sanitation and procedures, tools and equipment, cooking principles, and quality standards. The student will understand production methods for various food types.
MHR 341 — Food Prep Principles (3 credits)
Prerequisite TAKE MHR*241
A study of various foods, basic food preparation principles, cooking methods, food storage, equipment and sanitation. Includes lab and classroom learning experiences. Classroom component investigates the natures and properties of various food types and the underlying processes that effect food preparation techniques. Lab component includes hands on food preparation and experimentation.
MHR 343 — Menu & Food Production (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take MHR*341 MHR*388
Students develop the skills needed to plan, produce, and serve meals to customers in a commercial setting. These skills include menu planning, food procurement and production methods, customer service, and marketing. The classroom portion of the course includes a discussion of the importance of menu development and examines how menu decisions affect all other operational decisions. The lab component culminates in the preparation of an actual meal.
MHR 346 — Mkg Hotels & Restaurts (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take HRT*100
In this course the marketing functions and the delivery systems for hospitality services are examined; explores marketing as a total competitive effort of the firm. It includes human factors of the market, product and market analysis, competitive pricing and methods of approaching the market, with focus on positioning and selling the product. Case studies, interactive methods, and practical application will be used.
MHR 347 — Mgt Hotel Systems (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take HRT*100
Investigates the integrated functions of front office, housekeeping and other departments, as well as considering their roles individually. Information flows within and between departments, demand forecasting, room pricing strategies, reservations control, front office accounting, and other aspects of hotel operations are examined.
MHR 351 — Finance & Capital Bdgt (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take HRT*201 HRT*202
An examination of the manner in which firms attempt to increase shareholders wealth through making the correct financial decisions. We will explore how the manner used to acquire capital as well the asset structure can affect the value of the hospitality firm. Methods of analysis are discussed, including cash budgeting, forecasting of revenue and expenses, and capital expenditure.
MHR 359 — Food Layout & Design (3 credits)
The course presents how principles of layout and design can maximize efficiency in food/lodging operations. Relationships and standards of space allocation, work area standards for equipment, dining area, and service area are discussed. Also included are criteria for selection and costs involved in different forms of layout and design.
MHR 365 — Spa Operations (3 credits)
This course is an in-depth look at subjects ranging from the history and cultural development of spas to spa terminology and financial realities. It also examines today's spa industry, and introduces students to spa careers. In addition, it takes students through a typical day from a spa director's perspective, examines the qualities of an outstanding spa experience, and discusses industry trends and future directions. It provides a strong foundation of knowledge for success in the spa industry.
MHR 388 — Food & Bev Cost Ctrl (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take HRT*201
Food and beverage will be reviewed from both an accounting and a physical asset point of view. The flow of food and beverage from purchasing, to storage, and finally to issuing will be discussed. Inventory techniques and the analysis of appropriate financial ratios will be examined.
MHR 409 — Club Management (3 credits)
Investigates the general administrative procedures and management concepts in seasonal and year-round private clubs by focusing on their unique characteristics and the requirements of the leisure industry. Distinctive aspects such as member ownership and oversight, service excellence, limited market audience, and extensive food and beverage and recreation venues are discussed as operational considerations for managers.
MHR 420 — Planning: Hotels/Rest (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take 1 group; #; Take MAT*201; #; Take MAT*102
Operations research/management science is studied in order to provide students with the quantitative tools used in solving management problems in the hotel and food service industries. These techniques are then applied through the use of a computer simulation game where groups of students manage competing hotels.
MHR 435 — Strategic Management (3 credits)
The course is designed to allow the student to apply his/her previous course work to the essential activities of strategic formulation and implementation. Emphasis will be placed on strategic considerations as a guide to successfully managing hospitality organizations. The students will be required to apply a strategic framework in order to successfully analyze a series of progressively more challenging industry-related case-studies.
MHR 438 — Luxury Hotel Mkg & Sales (3 credits)
Prerequisite take mhr*346
A comprehensive understanding of the luxury hotel marketing and sales is developed through analyses of the market trends, issues and theories of consumer behavior. Contemporary hotel marketing practices will be presented. Marketing research techniques are introduced in order to demonstrate ways to acquire and retain targeted guests, with emphasis on guest relationship marketing.
MHR 441 — Topic: (3 credits)
A course designed to address and solve a problem pertinent to the field of hotel and/or restaurant management. Group participation is stressed to define and investigate current issues.
MHR 445 — Adv Hotel Operations (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take MHR*347
This is a senior-level course in advanced hotel operations, internal management and control systems, and service philosophy. It integrates management skills, departmental operations, hospitality law, technology applications, marketing knowledge, and managerial accounting proficiency as student teams manage a complex hotel system in a simulated competitive market environment.
MHR 455 — Resort/Luxury Management (3 credits)
Investigates the general administrative procedures in seasonal and year-round resorts and luxury properties by focusing on their unique characteristics and requirements of the luxury leisure market. Distinctive aspects such as seasonality, demand control, and consumer behavior are discussed as operational considerations for managers. The importance of effective facilities management and financial administration are stressed in this course.
MHR 461 — Food and Culture (3 credits)
The population of the United States and its respective cuisines have always been a melting pot of uncounted ethnic, religious, and regional groups. By understanding and appreciating these differences, the entrepreneur can successfully make decisions about the concept, format, and products necessary to develop a boutique product that reflects a globally based knowledge of food and culture. This will serve to enhance the appeal of the product to those looking for something very different in food, beverage, and lodging.
MHR 474 — Restaurant Venture Plan (3 credits)
Prerequisite Must have taken MHR*461;
The course develops an understanding of the process of conceptualizing, planning, and financing a new, uniquely focused food and beverage operation. Upon completion of the course the student will understand the role that detailed restaurant plans play in the areas of concept development, location, capital procurement, and business plan development.
MHR 484 — Restaurant Project (3 credits)
Prerequisite Must have taken MHR*474;
A hands on, or incubator experience where students take the detailed plan generated in MHR 474 and continue to refine them with the objective of developing a fundable restaurant plan. Students will work with an industry practitioner under the supervision of faculty. Projects will be presented to a team of faculty and successful restaurant entrepreneurs for evaluation.
Sport Management
SPM 244 — Recreation & Sport Law (3 credits)
As more time is spent globally on recreation and leisure, it is crucial for these service providers to fully understand how laws and regulations will affect the way they conduct business. This introductory law course explores legal issues relevant to recreation and sports enterprises as leisure service providers. The course explores the legal duties and obligations created between recreation/sport related companies and their customers, as well as the general public. The unique legal problems of recreational and/or sporting facilities will be fully introduced and explored as will concepts of constitutional protection, discrimination and agency relationships. Of particular interest to students will be how legal concepts may apply differently in professional sport, amatuer sport and recreational settings.
SPM 250 — Sport & Rec Communication & Technology (3 credits)
This course will provide a framework for understanding the connection between the informational and commercial sides of sport information management and technology. Students will study the roles of sport information specialists as they relate to the media, the sport organization, and the public from both a journalistic and revenue generating perspective. Students will also examine the uses of technology from similar perspectives.
SPM 260 — Sports Broadcasting (EXP) (3 credits)
Sports Broadcasting is a hands-on course designed around the production and broadcasting of sporting events at Niagara University using live, multiple camera production techniques. Students learn the principles, tools, and techniques of producing for live sporting events aired on ESPN and other web streaming platforms.
SPM 275 — Sport Management and Recreation (3 credits)
This course will introduce issues concerning organizing and managing sport-related businesses. It will also provide the students with a comprehensive introduction to the body of knowledge that serves as the foundation for the study of management within sport and sport-related organizations. The students will get a realistic view of current and future opportunities in sport-related organizations.
SPM 320 — Sport & Recreation Based Youth Mentoring (CD) (3 credits)
This is a service learning class, meaning that a large portion of the class work will take place in the community serving as activity and recreation leaders and mentors to under-served, disadvantaged youth in the Niagara Falls area. There will also be an academic component of the class - reading, writing, and discussing social issues and how sport can be used to address a variety of social issues.
SPM 335 — Issues in Sport and Recreation (3 credits)
This course is designed to encourage the study of organized sport and its role in society today. It will examine the current issues and ethical dilemmas that the evolution of sport has created in our society. By studying these issues and their effects, the student will be able to not only apply their teachings to the managerial situations presented in sport and recreation settings, but will enhance a wide variety of sport experiences for themselves and those around them.
SPM 380 — Sport & Recreation Policy and Governance (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take SPM*275
This course will examine the various regulatory agencies that govern individual sport organizations and expose students to the management activities needed to operate effectively within those agencies. Students will learn how individual sport organizations fit into a greater industry and the power that lies within segments of the industry. The course is designed to integrate management theory with governance and policy development.
SPM 395 — Recreation and Sport Programming (3 credits)
The course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the practices and procedures involved in recreation and sports programs. The course will develop the concepts of planning, organization, human resources, risk management, supervision, promotion, and event management. Students will develop an appreciation for the challenges in recreation and sport programming while learning the practices needed to be successful in this area.
SPM 432 — Financial Aspects of Sport/Recreation (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take HST*202
This course will examine the financial aspects of the sports industry and provide the student with an understanding of sport finance and its role in sport management. Students will study the overall aspects of revenue generation, budget management, and financing issues unique to sports organizations.
SPM 441 — Spec Topics in Sport Mgmt and Recreation (3 credits)
This course examines the fundamentals of cutting edge issues in sport management, including such topics as concessions management in a sports venue, youth sport management, sports tourism and E Sports. Students learn the history and current context of the topic and explore best practices for keeping pace with industry changes and customer expectations.
SPM 455 — Sport & Rec Marketing and Promotions (3 credits)
This course will examine the elements of the marketing mix from the sport perspective. An overview of the sport market, market research and segmentation, the unique nature of the sport product, and pricing within sport will be emphasized. The theory of ?place? in sport will be addressed through the role of promotions in the sport market and the role of public relations in the sport marketing mix.
SPM 460 — Sport & Recreation Sales and Licensing (3 credits)
This course will analyze and produce skills essential to the revenue production and sales process commonly found in the sport business. There is a focus on renewing existing sport product customers. There will be group projects as well as culminating clinical component applying direct application of the learned revenue production and sales tactics. There will be a focus on generating new sport product customers as this course seeks to build upon the sport business revenue production and sales competencies developed in other course work.
SPM 462 — Fundraising & Revenue Management (3 credits)
This course is a study of the concepts of sport fundraising and is designed to provide a theoretical framework whereby sport and special event managers can develop and operate fundraising programs. Additionally, students will be afforded the opportunity to implement that theoretical framework through the development and operation of an actual fundraising activity.
SPM 473 — Sport/Recreation Facility Management (3 credits)
This course is designed to study the concepts involved in the effective management of sport facilities and the events held within them. It will examine the considerations involved in planning and managing facilities and the relationship of facility operations to those events. The differences in managing activity centers and public assembly facilities will be emphasized.
SPM 488 — Negotiation & Dispute Resolution - Sport (3 credits)
This course will focus on the resolution of conflict by way of negotiation. It will identify and differentiate the adjudicative and consensual forms of dispute resolution and their implementation. It is designed to teach the theory and practice of negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution by exposing students to both conceptual and behavioral forms applied in the sport setting.
SPM 495 — Organizational Behavior in Sport (3 credits)
Prerequisite Take SPM*380
Designed to be the capstone course for the sport management major, this course will examine the theory, behavior, and structure of sport organizations. An examination of the evolution of the power and political activities in sport organizations will take place. The concepts of leadership and management in the sport industry will be discussed in an effort to improve the effectiveness of the sport organizations on a personal, team, and organizational level. Seniors only.
SPM 497 — Appl Tourism, Sport, Rec, & Event Mgmt (3 credits)
Practical, hands-on experience is invaluable for students in tourism, sport, and event management. This course provides students the opportunity to gain work experience by assuming direct responsibility for the successful completion of a specific tourism or sport industry project or planned event. Students will work with a faculty member on the theory, discussion, and implementation of ideas. The course encourages students to actively plan, implement, manage, and evaluate all aspects of an event.
Tourism/Recreation Management
TRM 258 — Contemp Leisure & Rec (SS) (3 credits)
The course provides a diversified, contemporary picture of the role of leisure and recreation in American culture. Students will be introduced to leisure as: 1) an individual, personal experience, seen from a psychological and philosophical vantage point; 2) leisure as a social system, using sociological methods of analysis; and 3) leisure as an operational function of providing recreational facilities and programs. Topics will include the theoretical background of recreation behavior, the determinants of recreation behavior, an overview of recreation pursuits and settings, and a survey of the occupational opportunities in the field.
TRM 290 — Tourism and Transportation Oper (3 credits)
An introduction of group travel to the student of hospitality and travel/tourism. Basic concepts of the nature of group travel and group travel motivators are explained. The course then focuses in on the tour industry, its fundamentals, how it serves various groups, and tour operations. Fundamentals of group travel marketing, operations, financial control, automation, and small business management are introduced and explored. Group travel and tour industry systems as a part of the greater travel/tourism industry are central to the delivery of information in this course.
TRM 315 — Website Design (3 credits)
This course will provide hands-on experiences on the latest website design technologies and theories as applied to the hospitality/tourism industry. Various website-authoring programs will be introduced and explored. It will also introduce students to the latest Website Optimization techniques to maximize for search engine rankings. Case studies are to be utilized to illustrate principles of website design and optimization.
TRM 340 — Special Interest Mkg (3 credits)
Increasingly, travel and tourism can be understood as a multifaceted activity made up of numerous industries and events. Numerous distinct activities have recently been recognized as promising vehicles for economic development for many communities across the country and around the world. They include cultural tourism, heritage tourism, adventure tourism, ecotourism, casino gaming, outdoor recreation, sports tourism, adventure tourism, shopping, and live entertainment ventures. This course will help to define and better understand each of these emerging niche tourism products. Students will learn how to inventory a destination's resources and attractions and creatively incorporate them into a comprehensive tourism promotion strategy. Students will learn how to best identify and interpret particular advantages and how to reach target markets.
TRM 360 — Tour Info Technology (3 credits)
A comprehensive introduction to various aspects of tourism information technology, including hardware, software, and management. The course will emphasize the global and technological integration of the tourism technologies. Students are expected to submit a major course project that demonstrates mastery of principles and solutions presented in the course using information retrieval and/or database software programs.
TRM 370 — Attractions & Events (3 credits)
This course emphasizes the planning, operational, and financial management aspect of directing all functions of managing a successful supply side attraction. The course underscores that attractions and events need to be developed and managed entities. Students will be introduced to principles of entrepreneurship, design considerations, visitor control and guest services, resource interpretation, and marketing and promotion. Special emphasis will also be placed on public/private event planning partnerships between the public, nonprofit, and business sectors.
TRM 380 — Int Tourism & Rec Geog (3 credits)
An introduction to world tourism destinations and markets, including an exploration of physical, cultural, and geopolitical influences on the travel and tourism industry. International travel and world geography are linked in a fundamental way. By definition, geography focuses on space and places special emphasis on the location of destinations, characteristics of tourist markets, and the transportation infrastructure and hospitality superstructure found in major destinations. The course also introduces students to a social analysis of host/guest relationships, and provides an opportunity to discuss the critical role tourism plays in international economics and politics.
TRM 390 — Production & Design: Events (3 credits)
The course provides an overview of the meeting and convention industry and the various aspects and skills involved in planning and managing meetings and conventions. Special emphasis is placed on types of meetings, meeting markets, industry suppliers, budget and program planning, site selection and contract negotiations, registration and housing, food and beverage requirements, room set-up, and audiovisual requirements. Must have a junior standing.
TRM 399 — Plan & Dev of Tour Ventures (3 credits)
Tourism is a large and complex system of activities and industries. It has wide-ranging and deep positive and negative effects on people, economies, and the environment. The tourism industry is using planning to guide tourism to meet the public's consumer needs, coordinate programs, and encourage tourism's economic benefits while minimizing social and environmental problems. This course presents planning concepts and practices applied to tourism. We study the nature of the tourism system and the social, economic, and environmental impacts of tourism. Students will explore the planning process and its application to the tourism industry.
TRM 441 — Topic: (3 credits)
A course designed to address and solve a problem pertinent to the field of tourism and/or recreation. Group participation is stressed to define and investigate current issues.
TRM 450 — Research Methodologies (3 credits)
Although many of our graduates will not be conducting sophisticated research as a manager in business organizations, they will have to read and analyze research reports produced by researchers and make decisions based on those reports. The main purpose of this course is to acquaint students with various aspects of research methodology. It will show the students how research is conducted, step by step, and will also discuss the pitfalls in conducting research and examine some of the most popular statistical analyses and their significance. Finally, the course will illustrate how a research report is written and consequently how it should be interpreted. Emphasis will be on the understanding and interpretation of research results.
TRM 485 — Internet Marketing (3 credits)
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to this new medium of marketing communication, i.e. the Internet, and to examine how tourism businesses are using the medium as a means of marketing communication. Special attention will also be paid to the role of the Internet in global tourism economy.
TRM 487 — Mkg Tourism & Rec (3 credits)
The course will acquaint students with a practical application and theory of sales and marketing, including advertising and public relations strategies, as they relate to the tourism and recreation industries. The course covers the marketing mix, tourism product, recreation product, consumer behavior, communications, and media uses and procedures for advertising and public relations campaigns.
TRM 490 — Tourism Economics (3 credits)
Junior standing required. This course explores the impacts of leisure and tourism on regional and national economics. Applications of economic analysis to recreation and tourism including estimation and prediction of demand and supply, forecasting tourism market trends, estimating and forecasting or recreation and tourism use and demand, economic impacts of recreation and tourism, sources of capital provision, and application of conversion studies techniques.
TRM 495 — Int Dest & Conventions (3 credits)
Future travel professionals, hoteliers, restaurateurs, tour operators, airline employees, and others will learn how conventions, meetings, and group business will affect their careers. The course will cover both the marketing and sales and operations functions. The course presents and analyzes concepts necessary to successfully solicit and operate conventions and trade shows. Techniques of soliciting a variety of markets, planning presentations, and assessing economic impact of bookings, along with the role of convention bureaus as a catalyst to regional economic development will be discussed.