The Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management degree is designed to prepare students for managerial and leadership roles in the tourism industry, including convention centers, tourism events, festivals, conferences, destination management organizations, and the travel industry. The mission of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is to educate global leaders for the hospitality and tourism industry through innovative and experiential curriculum, research, and community engagement.

The program provides a comprehensive curriculum that includes courses in general education, business, and tourism and hospitality management, combined with relevant operational management experience under the guidance and supervision of industry professionals, and program faculty.

The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management prepares students for responsible citizenship roles in business and society. It enables them to understand and apply the concepts of problem-solving in general, and in organizational and industry-related issues.

The faculty provide uncompromising individualized attention to meeting the educational needs of our students and assume very active, and influential roles in numerous professional organizations, at all levels.

Learning Outcomes

Students in the Tourism Management, B.S. program will be able to:

1. Identify and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for tourism operations.
2. Develop and integrate a core set of business skills necessary to successfully operate a tourism organization.
3. Demonstrate competence in the communication skills necessary for tourism management.
4. Formulate business decisions in tourism management.
5. Evaluate leadership principles necessary in the diverse and global tourism industry.

Admissions

Freshmen Students

In order to be admitted to a program of study in the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, freshmen applicants must meet all University admission requirements through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Transfer Students

In order to be admitted to a program of study in the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, transfer applicants from outside of the UofSC system must meet all University admission requirements through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and have at least a 2.50 GPA.

Students from other UofSC campuses who wish to enter the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management must fulfill one of the following requirements:

1. Be in good standing, meet all University admission requirements through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and have the cumulative GPA required for the program (see below).
2. Be in good standing and have completed 30 semester hours with the cumulative GPA required for the program (see below).

Required GPA for Change of Campus: tourism management - 2.50; hospitality management - 2.50

Students enrolled in other colleges on the Columbia campus must meet the following GPA requirements on all work taken: tourism management - 2.50; hospitality management - 2.50

Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Program of Study

Program Summary

Requirements	Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core	31-43
2. College Requirements	21
3. Program Requirements	8-20
4. Major Requirements	48

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

1. Carolina Core Requirements (31-43 hours)

CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher​

• ENGL 101
• ENGL 102

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-8 hours) 

• STAT 110 or MATH 122
• STAT 201

SCI – Scientific Literacy (7 hours)

• Two CC-SCI courses from the natural sciences, including one laboratory selected from Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Marine Science or Physics

GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language  (0-6 hours)

College of HRSM students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by achieving a score of 2 or higher on the foreign language placement test or by completing one foreign language course through 110 or 121.

• CC-GFL courses

GHS – ​Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours) 

• any CC-GHS course

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours) 

• any CC-GSS course

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

• any CC-AIU course

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component¹ (0-3 hours)

• Select one of the following:
  • SPCH 140
  • SPCH 145
  • SPCH 230

INF – Information Literacy¹ (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-INF course

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility¹ (0-3 hours)

• any overlay or stand-alone CC-VSR course

¹

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

2. College Requirements (21 hours)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
HRSM 301	HRSM Professional Development Seminar	3
HRTM 344	Personnel Organization and Supervision	3
RETL 242	HRSM Professional Communications	3
RETL 261	Principles of Accounting I (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)	3
RETL 262	Principles of Accounting II (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)	3
SPTE 240	Business Law	3
SPTE 274	Computer Applications in Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management	3
Total Credit Hours		21

3. Program Requirements (8-20 hours)

Supporting Courses (6 hours)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
ECON 224	Introduction to Economics	3
MGMT 371	Principles of Management	3
Total Credit Hours		6

Minor (0-18 hours) optional

• Tourism Management majors may pursue a minor in any course of study offered by the College of HRSM as well as any other University program with an approved minor. College of HRSM required courses may not be counted toward a minor.

Electives (2-14 hours)

• The Tourism Major Curriculum includes 2 to 14 hours of approved electives depending on how students fulfill the Carolina Core Requirements. Any course in the university can be used to satisfy the elective requirement including additional electives in the major.

4. Major Requirements (48 hours)

a minimum grade of C is required in all major courses

Major Courses (39 hours)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
HRTM 110	Introduction to Hospitality Industry	3
HRTM 280	Foundations of Tourism	3
HRTM 364	Conference and Meeting Planning	3
HRTM 381	Travel and Destination Management	3
HRTM 388	Resort Development and Management	3
HRTM 421	Hospitality Financial Management	3
HRTM 440	Services Management for Hospitality and Tourism	3
HRTM 450	Hospitality and Tourism Marketing	3
HRTM 481	Analytical Techniques in Tourism and Hospitality	3
HRTM 482	Sustainable Tourism Planning and Policy	3
HRTM 584	Tourism Information Technology Issues	3
HRTM 495	Hospitality and Tourism Internship	6
Total Credit Hours		39

Major Electives (9 hours)

• Chosen in consultation with advisor; at least 6 hours must be from HRTM courses.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Tourism Management, B.S.