Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Hospitality Administration, PhD


Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership  > Hospitality Administration, PhD

The Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership at the University of Houston offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree program in Hospitality Administration that is designed to prepare students for the role of hospitality researchers and/or professors at a research-oriented university or organization. The program provides a theoretical (conceptual) foundation, practical knowledge, research development, and critical thinking skills for hospitality administration.

The Hospitality Administration PhD explores most food and beverage (e.g., catering), club (e.g., private clubs), convention and event planning, airline food and beverage service, cruise ship management, and all other tourism/hospitality disciplines. The topics include finance, marketing, accounting, human resources, service, and general management in relation to the hospitality industry.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) objectives are:

  • To develop teaching skills for both undergraduate and graduate levels
  • To disseminate information about the hospitality industry
  • To develop theory and add knowledge to the field
  • To identify problems through analysis
  • To identify solutions from competing alternatives through quantitative and qualitative metrics
  • To effectively communicate research outcomes
  • To develop grantsmanship capabilities

For more information, please visit http://www.uh.edu/hilton-college/students/future-students/graduate-admissions/phd-hospitality-administration/.

Admission Requirements


Students who have successfully completed the US equivalent of an MS degree in Hospitality Management or a similar degree with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 on a 4.0 point scale for their last completed degree and a GMAT or GRE score in the upper 35th percentile taken within the last five years will be considered after successful completion of the graduate application process. Satisfactory TOEFL and IELS scores are required for international students who have not completed a degree from the US or another English-speaking country. For more information, visit www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/international-students/ for more information. Applications require payment of an application fee ($50 domestic applicants/$125 international applicants).

A Skype or other distance-conducted interview will be required for students who have met all other admission criteria and after approval by the PhD applicant selection committee. The interview will be administered by the PhD selection committee after a date and time is established that accommodates both the selection committee and the applicant.

Degree Requirements


Credit hours required for this degree: 57.0

All PhD degree candidates must complete a minimum of 57 semester credit hours of graduate coursework, at least 42 of which must be earned at the Hilton College.

The curriculum for this program requires students to complete courses in four areas, including hospitality management core courses; prescribed electives; free electives, and completion of a dissertation. Students must pass a written candidacy exam and both a written and oral comprehensive exam to be eligible for enrollment in dissertation credit hours.

Up to 15 hours of elective credits can include non-HRMA courses with prior faculty advisor approval. Students can enroll in and transfer up to nine credit hours of courses from other approved universities while enrolled in the PhD program.

Core Courses


Global Hospitality Leadership Administration Core Courses (6 Credit Hours)


Research Methods Core Courses (6 Credit Hours)


Data Analysis Core Courses (9 Credit Hours)


Seminar Core Courses (3 Credit Hours)


Dissertation Courses (18 Credit Hours)


Academic Policies


Students may be required to take additional courses to overcome any deficiencies as determined by the graduate programs office. Students must enroll in a minimum of nine (9) on-campus credit hours per semester.