Digital Marketing Concentration—Master of Management in Hospitality

Full-time students seeking to earn an MMH degree with a Digital Marketing concentration operate on a one-year track, in which they must complete 32 total credits (eight courses). This program begins in the fall semester with four required introductory courses. By the spring, students have selected their concentration and proceed to their respective specialized coursework paths. 

The summer semester involves a 400-hour experiential work component. Because many MMH students already work in the hospitality industry, students with substantial, relevant experience may be able to waive this requirement. 

All students first need solid footing in the workings of the hospitality industry. The MMH degree’s required courses lay down this baseline. Courses HF701, HF711, HF762, and HF733 cover all the tools for analyzing and enhancing operations and key hospitality-relevant strategic skills. Students further master:

• Accounting and financial skills for understanding balance sheets and income reports, in reference to business planning and decision-making
• Basic marketing skills needed to examine and improve revenue, profits, and customer loyalty
• Hospitality-specific management skills needed to identify and nurture talent and move forward in a growing, ever-changing industry

Read full course descriptions for all required classes on the MMH Curriculum page.

For a hotel, restaurant, or resort, a digital marketing manager or similar professional must identify where customers are, how they want to interact with a property, and the messaging and user experience needed to transform interest into sales. Digital Marketing concentration courses build upon the MMH degree’s required classes and introduce advanced-level concepts students will first put to real-world use with their portfolios and work experience requirement and eventually in the workplace. Three concentration courses and one elective of the student’s choosing cover the following broad topics:

• Conducting primary and secondary research to identify target markets
• Identifying challenges and solutions that might differ from a client’s initial goals
• Understanding common digital outreach methods to connect with each target market
• Developing strategic plans to achieve marketing objectives and carry out creative solutions
• Oral, written, visual, and digital communication skills applicable to the hospitality industry and beyond

This advanced hospitality marketing course expands upon the basic skills introduced in the four required classes and has students integrating these concepts into more complex, practically applied strategies that get delivered to real clients on a professional-level timeline. Students collaborate with industry professionals to complete their assignments and, in the process, refine their research, target and digital marketing, and presentation skills. 

In this new course, students work to develop campaign concepts, coming up with messaging, storylines, and infographics for print, online, and video content marketing media. The course places emphasis on learning common digital and creative tools, and as a result, students become familiar with the Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and InDesign.

Going beyond theoretical applications, this course offers an all-encompassing look at the latest digital marketing tools and how to utilize them to carry out campaigns. Students become familiar with the intricacies of Facebook and other social media marketing techniques; search engine marketing (SEM) via Google Ads; geotargeting market segments for online advertising; search engine optimization (SEO); responsive, user-friendly web design; common booking mechanisms; hospitality distribution channels; and revenue-generating tools.

Head to the MMH Curriculum page for full course descriptions and a list of all electives.

The School of Hospitality Administration (SHA) designs the MMH degree to be completed on a full-time, one-year timeline. However, because many of our students work day jobs in the hospitality industry and aspire to management-level responsibilities, SHA offers part-time MMH course loads on a case-by-case basis.

Part-time MMH courses scheduled in the evenings conveniently fit into a working adult’s busy lifestyle. The typical part-time MMH student takes one to two classes per semester, beginning with the required classes before completing all concentration courses, and finishes up their degree in two years.

There’s no better city than Boston to kick off a rewarding hospitality career. Numerous hotels, restaurants, convention centers, and tourist attractions present opportunities for gaining experience—and eventually landing a full-time position where you’ll apply your digital marketing knowledge.

SHA works to create a clear, career-oriented pathway for our undergraduate and graduate students, leveraging existing relationships we have with hospitality companies and industry professionals for internships, fulfilling work experience requirements, and finding full-time placement in this ever-expanding field. Our Career Services, in collaboration with the Marriott Career Center, helps students explore all the possibilities this city offers. As you complete your MMH degree, stop by for workshops, corporate recruitment periods, and additional hiring opportunities. 

Learn more about SHA’s dedicated Career Services center and how it benefits our student body. 

SHA prides itself on high placement rates for our MMH students. Illustrating our commitment, 100% of 2018 and 2019 MMH graduates were employed in the hospitality industry three months after receiving their degrees.

MMH students who focus on Digital Marketing may find themselves in a range of roles, from strictly creative to more technical in scope. Graduates are further positioned to advance and compete in an in-demand occupational field. According to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, digital marketing is predicted to grow 8% from 2018 to 2028. Positions may involve responding to real-time market and digital trends, promoting a facility’s mission or message across several channels, establishing goals and measuring their success, getting information about competitors to make better business decisions, expanding a business’s market share, and researching local, regional, and national market conditions to better shape a company’s strategy. These skills may be applied across multiple marketing, communications, and media careers at hotels, restaurants, resorts, and similar hospitality entities, including:

• Advertising, Promotional, or Marketing Manager
• Social Media Specialist
• Market Research Analyst
• Marketing Specialist
• Public Relations Specialist
• Communications Director or Manager
• Digital Editor
• Content Marketing Manager

Take a look beyond numbers. Our MMH Alumni Profiles show how our graduates have applied their degrees and knowledge. 

Interested in earning an MMH degree with a Digital Marketing concentration? Along with filling out an application, all prospective students must provide:

• An undergraduate transcript
• At least two letters of recommendation
• A resume or CV
• A one- to three-minute video
• A written personal statement

The MMH program does not require GRE, GMAT, or other standardized test scores. International applicants, however, must take the TOEFL or IELTS to demonstrate English proficiency. Students must receive an 84 or higher on the TOEFL or at least a 6.5 on the IELTS.

Review all requirements in detail, and start filling out an online application.