Hospitality Management

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Master the art of hospitality leadership and service excellence with Iowa State University's Hospitality Management graduate program. Our program offers a robust curriculum designed to prepare students for careers in hospitality operations, event management, tourism, and hospitality entrepreneurship.
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The Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management prides itself on having one of the top graduate programs of its kind in the world. The unique combination of expert faculty, top-notch learning laboratories, and rigorous academic training prepares graduate students to enter academia or industry with outstanding credentials. We know that our graduates are making an impact within the apparel, hospitality, and food service industries. Whether they are conducting cutting-edge research or managing world-class operations, Iowa State is proud to call our alums leaders in the field.


Degrees Offered:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
  • Master of Science (M.S.)
  • Online Master of Science (M.S.)
  • Online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Area(s) of Specialization: 

  • Club management
  • Economic development
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Event
  • Finance
  • Food safety
  • Foodservice management
  • Leadership
  • Hospitality education
  • Human resource management
  • Marketing and consumer behavior
  • Tourism
  • School foodservice

Dr. SoJung Lee

sjlee@iastate.edu
515-294-8990
Hospitality Management Graduate Program
2302 Osborn Drive
31 MacKay Hall
Ames, IA 50011

Learning Goals

  • Faculty members in the program expect all students to demonstrate mastery of required coursework by maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or better. All students will demonstrate the ability to work in teams, design a research or creative project, and communicate in writing and orally. In addition, all students are expected to be aware of societal, professional, and ethical issues related to the discipline.
  • Upon successful completion of the graduate program, AESHM graduates will be competent in the following four areas:
  • Critical Thinking: 1.Assimilate, integrate, and evaluate research/creative activity in the discipline of interest and related disciplines. 2.Implement appropriate methods for research/creative activity. 3.Apply relevant theory in scholarship. 4.Demonstrate a multi-disciplinary perspective appropriate to the field. 5.[PhD] Develop a program of research/creative activity that contributes uniquely to the field of study.
  • Self-Reflection/Self-Assessment: 1.Develop a program of scholarship, industry experience, and teaching as appropriate to the requirements of the individual’s professional situation. 2.[PhD] Formulate a professional philosophy in teaching, scholarship, and/or service.
  • Social Responsibility/Ethics: 1.Explain, analyze, and/or describe how moral and ethical issues apply to individual situations in the relevant field of study. 2.Demonstrate an understanding of ethical scholarship and professional practices.
  • Communication: 1.Interpret and communicate scholarship to diverse audiences (e.g., scholarly, families, consumers, agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations) in written, oral, visual, and electronic (WOVE) formats.
  • Faculty members strongly encourage doctoral students to present at discipline-related meetings such as the Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism, or the International Textiles and Apparel Association Annual Meeting at least once before graduation. Doctoral students also are encouraged to publish at least one paper prior to graduation.

Admission Requirements

Graduate College Requirements:

  • 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
  • Academic Records/Transcripts
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement.)
  • Proof of English Proficiency.

Program Specific Requirements:

International Requirements:

  • Financial Statement:  Application
  • English Proficiency Minimum:
    TOEFL Paper (PBT) 550
    TOEFL Internet (iBT) 79
    IELTS 6.5
    PTE 53
    Duolingo (approved through spring 2025) 105

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines:

On-campus student applications for fall semester admission are due March 1, but please apply by February 1 if you are seeking scholarships and assistantships. Hybrid student applications for summer cohort admission are due March 15. On-campus and hybrid student applications for spring semester admission are due October 15. After these deadlines, rolling admissions will be processed based on availability within the program. *GRE/GMAT is NOT required for both MS/PhD applications

Application Details:

This program is open to domestic and international students.

Application Instructions