The Department of Retailing and Tourism Management is working to insure that graduates in hospitality management and tourism have the skills and knowledge to succeed in the industry. In fall 2017, the department offered two new certification programs in required undergraduate courses, providing students an opportunity to earn professional credentials.
Students enrolled in HMT 350, Hospitality and Tourism Revenue Management, sat for the exam to earn the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA). All twenty-eight students passed the exam and earned their CHIA credential. The certification is the only hotel-related credential focused on analytics. Dr. Scott Meuret, lecturer, shared, “The Revenue Management students demonstrated an ability to analyze various types of hotel industry data and to make strategic inferences based upon that analysis. Certification confirms a comprehensive understanding of performance reports. A 100% pass rate on the exam says a lot about our HMT students’ hard work and dedication.”
Fifty-five students in HMT 120, Introduction to Hospitality Management and Tourism, earned the CVENT certification. CVENT is a global leader in hospitality technology. The certification program provides students with an advanced understanding of the technology used in the industry, thus enhancing practical knowledge to use in a competitive job market. “This was the first time I used CVENT as a learning tool in our Introduction to Hospitality Management and Tourism class and it was a success. Becoming certified in the CVENT Supplier Network helped students gain real-world knowledge of electronic RFP’s and venue selection tools used by event planners and convention and visitors bureaus,” stated Dr. Meuret.
By incorporating professional certifications concurrently with required credit hours, the department is striving to insure that graduates will have a competitive edge when they enter the job market.