School of Hospitality Administration Minors
Looking to enhance your understanding of hospitality and its impact across industries? Choose from one of SHA’s three minors —Hospitality Administration , Events & PR , or Real Estate —and gain the skills needed to create exceptional experiences and drive success in diverse fields.
Hospitality Administration Minor Interested in creating meaningful experiences and driving organizational success? BU’s Minor in Hospitality Administration offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of the hospitality industry. Its flexible curriculum lets you customize your studies to align with your individual interests and career goals.
Why Choose This Minor? Hospitality is more than just hotels and restaurants; it’s about enhancing human interaction and cultivating experiences that resonate. This minor equips you with the skills to excel in a dynamic industry, from marketing and revenue management to human resources and operations. Whether you’re looking to enter traditional hospitality roles or apply these principles in new sectors, this minor prepares you to make a lasting impact.
Hospitality Administration Minor Curriculum
All SHA Hospitality Administration minor students must complete the following:
Required courses (8 credits):
SHA HF 100 Introduction to Hospitality (4 cr)
SHA HF 100 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Historical Consciousness Teamwork/Collaboration
This introductory course is open to all BU students and is the prerequisite for School of Hospitality courses. Students gain an historical perspective and identify current events and trends in lodging, restaurants and event management. It provides an overview of the global hospitality/tourism industry including the critical elements of managing services. The Boston market, multimedia assignments and team-based projects are integrated into the learning environment. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration. 4 cr. Offered in the Fall and Spring.
SHA HF 150 Introduction to Experience Management (4 cr)
SHA HF 150 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II
Central to the hospitality industry is the provision of memorable, high-quality customer experiences across digital and physical touchpoints. This allows hospitality and other service organizations to turn satisfied customers into brand evangelists. This course introduces the emerging domain of customer experience management (CEM)--the discipline of understanding and managing customer interactions with the organization to improve satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. CEM is a unique domain that draws on practices from the fields of marketing, marketing research, technology and data science, and operations and service science, with the aim of understanding and improving customer experiences with the organization. The course will cover the definitions and basic requirements of customer experience management, and also provide detailed frameworks and tools and techniques to allow students to gain proficiency in the language and practice of customer experience design and improvement. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
12 credits from the following elective list:
SHA HF 210 Financial Accounting (4 cr)
SHA HF 210 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100, CAS MA 119 - An introductory course in Accounting designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the language of business. This course examines the basic accounting processes of recording, classifying, and summarizing business transactions. It also provides an opportunity to study elements of financial statements such as assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses. 4 credits, offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 220 Food and Beverage Management (4 cr)
SHA HF 220 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 ; Undergraduate Corequisites: SHA HF 260. Note: Students must take SHA HF 220 and HF 260 concurrentl y in the same section(e.g. A1/A1). Contact your academic advisor with any questions. - This courses focuses on principal operating problems facing managers in the restaurant industry. Topics such as concept development and entrepreneurship, menu analysis, cost control, operational analysis, and customer service processes are addressed. 4 credits, offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 231 Human Resource Management (4 cr)
SHA HF 231 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 - This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of human resource management, especially for consumer services such as hotels, restaurants, tourism and events. Explores contemporary human resource management relative to the hospitality industry, with emphasis on planning, job analysis, recruitment, selection, hiring, placement, and ethnic diversity in the workplace. Specifically, the course examines employee motivation, leadership, training, team building, employee performance and retention. Management philosophies of work compensation, discipline, and labor relations are discussed as they affect current hospitality industry strategies to attract and retain a quality workforce. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. 4 credits. Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 250 Hospitality Law (2 cr)
SHA HF 250 2 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 - A look at the laws that apply to hotels, food-service establishments, and the travel industry. Consideration of innkeepers' duties to guests. Concepts of liability and negligence, contract and property practices, and miscellaneous statutes applicable to the hospitality industry. 2 credits, offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 260 Marketing Principles (4 cr)
SHA HF 260 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 ; Undergraduate Corequisites: SHA HF 220. Note: Students must take SHA HF 220 and HF 260 concurrentl y in the same section(e.g. A1/A1). Contact your academic advisor with any questions. - This course provides an understanding of the role & function of marketing in the hospitality industry. It offers an overview of generic principles of marketing for any industry (including consumer products & manufacturing) and introduces specialized principles for the hospitality industry. For all topics, it uses examples taken primarily from the hospitality industry. Subjects covered include marketing strategy, marketing research, consumer behavior, segmentation, positioning, product and concept development, pricing, distribution, & marketing communications (including advertising & PR). Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. 4 cr. Offered Fall and Spring.
SHA HF 270 Accommodations Management (4 cr)
SHA HF 270 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 - This course provides an introduction to the operations and technology of the room division within hotel properties. Explores theoretical principles and operational tactics for management of front office, reservations, housekeeping and engineering functions. 4 credits, offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 278 Hospitality Analytical Problem Solving (4 cr)
SHA HF 278 4 credits.
This course will provide students with fundamental knowledge of business analytics and information visualization combined with extensive opportunities for developing hands-on skills for applying hospitality business analytics to managerial decision-making. Students will learn fundamental mathematical and statistical concepts as well as statistical modeling techniques to solve operational, financial and marketing issues that hospitality organizations face today. Students will also learn how to leverage widely used Microsoft Excel to build out data-driven insights and craft story telling visualization around the data-driven insights. 4 cr. Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 282 Business Communications (4 cr)
SHA HF 282 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Research and Information Literacy Writing, Research, and Inquiry
This course is intended as a 'practicum' in hospitality communications. This course is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors. The focus is on the development of those communication skills that are critical to being effective managers. There will be readings on communication, but the majority of the course will focus on skills development. Each week students will be required to deliver presentations to the class. These presentations will be videotaped and critiqued. By the end of this course students will be much more comfortable, clear, and confident speakers in any situation. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Oral/Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy, Writing, Research, and Inquiry.
SHA HF 295 Private Club Management (2 cr)
SHA HF 295 2 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 - Provide students with an introduction to the hospitality management specialization of Club Management. Lecture topics will include: what clubs are, organizational structure of clubs, service in the club environment, profit or non-profit, and professionals in club management. There will also be guest speakers, classroom case studies and field trips. 2 cr. Offered Fall Semester.
SHA HF 303 Hospitality Innovation and Disruption (4 cr)
SHA HF 303 4 credits.
Hospitality leaders need to know how to be the disruptors in the industry, as well as learn how to survive and capitalize when the industry is disrupted. In both situations, effective innovation is key to staying relevant and succeeding. Each week the class will meet to discuss different challenges that businesses have faced and approaches that entrepreneurs have taken to manage them. 4cr. Offering Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 310 Managerial Accounting (4 cr)
SHA HF 310 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 119, SHA HF 210 or QST AC 221, SHA HF 220, and SHA HF 270 - After a review of financial-accounting principles, this course examines how financial information is assembled and presented according to the Uniform Systems Accounts for hospitality enterprises. The primary emphasis of the course is on analytical and decision-making uses of financial information, including such topics as cost behavior, leverage, cost-volume-profit analysis, contribution-margin pricing, and budgeting. The course concludes with a review of hotel operating forms, including franchising and management contracts and assessing their impact on financial performance and risk. 4 cr. Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 314 Hospitality Market Feasibility and Valuation (2 cr)
SHA HF 314 2 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 210, SHA HF 220, SHA HF 260, and SHA HF 270 - This course provides an introduction to and detailed instruction regarding the hotel market and feasibility research process including hands-on preparation of a feasibility analysis for a proposed hotel development. The course will consist of a series of lectures and possible guest lectures regarding the fundamental aspects of hotel feasibility analysis. Students will learn about and then put into the practice the analytical techniques presented, building to completion of a full feasibility analysis in a team fashion which will be presented at the end of the semester both in written and oral form. 2 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF 315 Fundamentals of a Hotel Real Estate Deal (2 cr)
SHA HF 315 2 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 210, SHA HF 220, SHA HF 260, and SHA HF 270 - The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to the various aspects of a Hotel Real Estate Deal. The target audience is any student who aspires to have a career involving the ownership, development and/or financing of lodging assets. 2 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF 322 Hospitality Design (4 cr)
SHA HF 322 4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 220 and SHA HF 270 - This course is designed to introduce students to the basic principles of facility planning, layout and design for hotel, dining, kitchen, public and service areas. At the completion of the course, students will be able to explain the design process common to all hospitality facilities, as well as the activities that occur during each phase of this process. 4 cr. Offered Fall.
SHA HF 329 Intro to Fine Wines (2 cr)
SHA HF 329 2 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: . - This course, open to all BU students, offers a complete, introductory-level overview of the fine wines of the world. The purpose of the course is fourfold: 1. Ensure a thorough knowledge of the world's major wine-producing regions, their noble grape varietals, their classification systems and quality control laws. 2. Build basic understanding of the wine-making process, its variations and its pitfalls, thus aiding in the ability to appreciate a great wine and spot a flawed one. 3. Illustrate techniques of quantified sensorial assessment of wine so that the student may perform the buying function knowledgeably and confidently. 4. Acquire an understanding of how to perform job functions related to wine, such as writing a wine list, in the hospitality industry. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. 2 cr. Offered Fall semester.
SHA HF 368 Digital Marketing (4 cr)
SHA HF 368 4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 260 - This is an advanced course in hospitality marketing focused on the variety of digital marketing tools currently available for hotels and restaurants. The course is designed to follow HSMAI's CHDM (Certified Hospitality Digital Marketing) study guide to meet the industry standard for digital marketing professionals. There will be a review of the most revenue-generating internet marketing techniques and finally booking mechanisms and distribution channels. The course includes concentration on content marketing, social media and developing social campaigns; OTAs and understanding the distribution channels; as well as online reputation management and the technical tools used to monitor results. The class will be structured as a lecture; you must bring your laptops for all in class exercises. 4 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF 370 Revenue Management (4 cr)
SHA HF 370 2 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 270 - This course provides an advanced overview of the revenue management function in hotels. Revenue management is an integrated approach to maximizing revenue that includes capacity analysis, demand forecasting, variable pricing, and distribution technology. 2 cr. Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 375 Meetings and Conventions (4 cr)
SHA HF 375 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 220 - This course provides an introduction to the methods and techniques utilized in planning, organizing, promoting and delivering of businesses and social events, and the role events play in generating a tourist and business market. Information will be presented that will allow the student to gain general knowledge of planning events. Specifically, the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector of the events will be examined in depth from a professional planner's perspective. Information presented will allow the student to gain knowledge of planning events from the role of a meeting professional and assist in preparing for the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) or Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) exam. 4 cr. Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 376 Special Events (4 cr)
SHA HF 376 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 375 - This course is designed to provide an introduction to the principles of special event management. The planning, development, and management of corporate and social events, entertainment events and festivals will be the focus of the study. Specific topics will include the foundations of planning an event, including conceptualization, event design, working with vendors/contracts, budgeting, marketing strategy, revenue generation through tickets and sponsorship, and event technology. 4 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF 417 Hospitality Asset Management & Franchising (2 cr)
SHA HF 432 Leadership (4 cr)
SHA HF 432 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 231, Seniors only - This course will focus on leadership and management for the hospitality industry. Using a leadership continuum as a framework, we will explore several different levels of leadership, from a "traditional" leadership role as the head of a major corporation to the more personal aspect of self- leadership. Several different leadership models will be analyzed and applied to the hospitality industry. Leadership tools will be explored - hands-on, realistic tools that you will be able to use in your personal lives, while in school and in the business world upon graduation. 4 cr. Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 460 Experiential Marketing (4 cr)
SHA HF 460 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100, and (SHA HF 260 or QST MK 323), and (CAS WR 150/151/152 or CGS RH 104); First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - This is an advanced course focusing on hospitality marketing strategies for hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions or other related events and experiences. In this course we will build upon and integrate basic marketing principles into complex marketing strategies designed to capture market share. All projects are for real situations with real "clients" to be delivered in real time, enabling us to work with industry professionals. Special attention will be placed on market research, targeted marketing, digital marketing, and presentation skills. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation. 4 cr. Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 480 Hospitality and Commercial Real Estate Development (4 cr)
SHA HF 480 4 credits. Fall and Spring
The Hospitality and Commercial Real Estate Development course will cover the process of real estate development: Site acquisition, navigating zoning and approvals, determining the ideal development plan consisting of one or more components such as hospitality, commercial, retail and residential, selecting a hotel brand through management or franchise agreements, and learn about potential sources of financing. We will also study about the factors that affect an investor's buy/sell/reposition decisions and understand what matters most to the various stakeholders in a development, such as the equity investor, the lender, the operating company, and the brand. Overall, this course will promote sound real estate investments and financial decisions via the knowledge of theory and strategies and their application in the real world.
A minimum grade of C– is required in all courses that fulfill the Hospitality Administration minor.
Events & PR Minor Passionate about creating impactful experiences and managing the reputation of organizations? The School of Hospitality Administration/College of Communication Minor in Events Management and Public Relations is designed to harness the synergy between Event Creation and Execution and Public Relations, two powerful forces in the world of marketing and communications.
Why Choose This Minor? In today’s dynamic landscape, the ability to seamlessly integrate events and public relations can significantly enhance an organization’s reputation and relationships with key stakeholders. Events are strategic opportunities to deliver PR messages, driving tourism, revenue, and change. Aspiring PR professionals will be equipped with essential skills in communication, event planning, crisis management, and more, making you a versatile and attractive candidate in the job market.
Events & PR Minor Curriculum
Learning Outcomes:
Understand how the Public Relations function is critical to the success of any organization. Develop knowledge of the variety of organizational problems public relations are engaged to solve, the challenges they face, and in part, the solutions they craft to achieve desired outcomes. Evaluate the fundamental principles and theory of events management and public relations. Develop essential skills in events management and public relations including communications, planning, stakeholder management, budgeting, evaluation, and crisis management. Learn and apply best practices for event planning with an emphasis on sustainability.
Required Courses (12 credits)
SHA HF100 Introduction to Hospitality OR SHA HF150 Experience Management
SHA HF 100 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Historical Consciousness Teamwork/Collaboration
This introductory course is open to all BU students and is the prerequisite for School of Hospitality courses. Students gain an historical perspective and identify current events and trends in lodging, restaurants and event management. It provides an overview of the global hospitality/tourism industry including the critical elements of managing services. The Boston market, multimedia assignments and team-based projects are integrated into the learning environment. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Teamwork/Collaboration. 4 cr. Offered in the Fall and Spring.
SHA HF 150 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Creativity/Innovation Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II
Central to the hospitality industry is the provision of memorable, high-quality customer experiences across digital and physical touchpoints. This allows hospitality and other service organizations to turn satisfied customers into brand evangelists. This course introduces the emerging domain of customer experience management (CEM)--the discipline of understanding and managing customer interactions with the organization to improve satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. CEM is a unique domain that draws on practices from the fields of marketing, marketing research, technology and data science, and operations and service science, with the aim of understanding and improving customer experiences with the organization. The course will cover the definitions and basic requirements of customer experience management, and also provide detailed frameworks and tools and techniques to allow students to gain proficiency in the language and practice of customer experience design and improvement. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Social Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
SHA HF375 Meetings + Conventions
SHA HF 375 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 220 - This course provides an introduction to the methods and techniques utilized in planning, organizing, promoting and delivering of businesses and social events, and the role events play in generating a tourist and business market. Information will be presented that will allow the student to gain general knowledge of planning events. Specifically, the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector of the events will be examined in depth from a professional planner's perspective. Information presented will allow the student to gain knowledge of planning events from the role of a meeting professional and assist in preparing for the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) or Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) exam. 4 cr. Offered Fall & Spring.
COM CM 215 Principles and Practices of Public Relations
COM CM 215 4 credits.
An introduction to the field of public relations: its theoretical origins, scope, and principles. Discussion focuses on researching problems, setting objectives, identifying audiences, designing messages, choosing communication channels, and evaluating results for all types of organizations. Ethical decision making, on-line communication, and career opportunities are also analyzed case studies in the field. The format is a combination of informal lecture and small-group discussion, case analysis, and guest lecture. Open the freshmen. 4 cr. Either sem.
Elective Courses (8 credits):
Choose (at least) 4 credits of SHA electives
SHA HF220 Food + Beverage Management
SHA HF 220 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 ; Undergraduate Corequisites: SHA HF 260. Note: Students must take SHA HF 220 and HF 260 concurrentl y in the same section(e.g. A1/A1). Contact your academic advisor with any questions. - This courses focuses on principal operating problems facing managers in the restaurant industry. Topics such as concept development and entrepreneurship, menu analysis, cost control, operational analysis, and customer service processes are addressed. 4 credits, offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF260 Introduction to Hospitality Marketing
SHA HF 260 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 ; Undergraduate Corequisites: SHA HF 220. Note: Students must take SHA HF 220 and HF 260 concurrentl y in the same section(e.g. A1/A1). Contact your academic advisor with any questions. - This course provides an understanding of the role & function of marketing in the hospitality industry. It offers an overview of generic principles of marketing for any industry (including consumer products & manufacturing) and introduces specialized principles for the hospitality industry. For all topics, it uses examples taken primarily from the hospitality industry. Subjects covered include marketing strategy, marketing research, consumer behavior, segmentation, positioning, product and concept development, pricing, distribution, & marketing communications (including advertising & PR). Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. 4 cr. Offered Fall and Spring.
SHA HF295 Private Club Management
SHA HF 295 2 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100 - Provide students with an introduction to the hospitality management specialization of Club Management. Lecture topics will include: what clubs are, organizational structure of clubs, service in the club environment, profit or non-profit, and professionals in club management. There will also be guest speakers, classroom case studies and field trips. 2 cr. Offered Fall Semester.
SHA HF360 Hospitality Sales Management
SHA HF361 Advanced Consumer Behavior in Hospitality
SHA HF 361 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 260 - In order to create and deliver value for customers, marketers must develop a deep understanding of how their consumers make decisions when purchasing and using their services. In this course those consumer behavior theories will be explored that are most applicable to different types of hospitality purchase experiences. 4 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF368 Digital Marketing Strategies
SHA HF 368 4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 260 - This is an advanced course in hospitality marketing focused on the variety of digital marketing tools currently available for hotels and restaurants. The course is designed to follow HSMAI's CHDM (Certified Hospitality Digital Marketing) study guide to meet the industry standard for digital marketing professionals. There will be a review of the most revenue-generating internet marketing techniques and finally booking mechanisms and distribution channels. The course includes concentration on content marketing, social media and developing social campaigns; OTAs and understanding the distribution channels; as well as online reputation management and the technical tools used to monitor results. The class will be structured as a lecture; you must bring your laptops for all in class exercises. 4 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF376 Special Event Planning and Operations
SHA HF 376 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 375 - This course is designed to provide an introduction to the principles of special event management. The planning, development, and management of corporate and social events, entertainment events and festivals will be the focus of the study. Specific topics will include the foundations of planning an event, including conceptualization, event design, working with vendors/contracts, budgeting, marketing strategy, revenue generation through tickets and sponsorship, and event technology. 4 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
Choose (at least) 4 credits of COM electives
COM CM 313 Corporate Communication
COM CM 313 4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CM215 - Explores the trends and issues affecting corporations, crisis management, public affairs communication, consumer affairs, employee relations, environmental problems, and issues of multinationals. Uses case studies.
COM CM 443 Digital Media and PR
COM CM 443 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: COM CM215 - Explores the effects of new media on the fundamental theories, models, and practices of public relations. Studies how websites, blogs, citizen journalism, social media, direct-to-consumer communication, podcasting, viral marketing, and other technology-enabled changes are affecting interpersonal, small group, and mass media relationships. Also covers and uses the interactive tools that are re-defining the practice of public relations. The course combines lecture, discussion, guest speakers, case study, and research to help students uncover and appreciate the power and potential of interactive media.
COM CM 522 Crisis Management and Communication
COM CM 522 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMCM215) - Graduate Prerequisites: (COMCM701) - Students learn about the strategy and tactics associated with effectively preventing, preparing for, managing, and responding to a variety of crisis scenarios that stretch an organization's vital relationships and resources. The course will focus on the options and opportunities available to communication professionals and leaders as they manage a wide range of crisis scenarios. Students will be instructed on how to navigate and provide executive counsel before, during, and after a crisis, while also preparing detailed crisis plans. The course includes lectures, in-class discussions, guest speakers, case examples, and crisis simulations. Students will be challenged to investigate and gain a command of the critical thinking skills, tools and strategies required for successful crisis management and communication in 21st century corporate, non- profit, and government settings.
COM CM 525 Public Relations Ethics
COM CM 525 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CM215 or CM701 - This course will acquaint students with ethical standards and expectations society has for public relations practitioners. Through the study of case studies and other readings it will prepare students so they can adequately wrestle with ethical complexities, dilemmas and ambiguities so as to form personal ethical underpinnings for their future careers. 4 credits. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Ethical Reasoning.
COM CM 548 International Public Relations
COM CM 548 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (COMCM215 or CM701) - This course focuses on the global practice of public relations with an emphasis on corporate and agency practice. A major goal of the course is to help students become knowledgeable about the ever-increasing development of public relations throughout the world and the opportunities it offers within corporations, government, business, and non-governmental organizations. (This course was formerly CM448; if you have taken CM448, you cannot take CM548.) (Undergrad prereq: CM215.)
Real Estate Minor The School of Hospitality Administration’s Minor in Real Estate offers a comprehensive sequence of courses designed to equip students with the diverse skills and perspectives necessary for developing, implementing, and managing successful real estate assets.
Why Choose This Minor? This program immerses you in key real estate disciplines, including accounting, financial modeling, feasibility studies and valuations, real estate development, asset management, and transaction structuring. Through HUB-unit bearing courses, you will gain practical and theoretical knowledge that is critical for success in the real estate industry. Students will work in individual and/or team projects, network with c-suite executives, interact with SHA’s Real Estate Advisory Council and pursue internships for real-world application.
Real Estate Minor Curriculum
Prerequisite: Completion of SHA HF 210, with a grade of C or better before declaring the minor. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in all SHA courses taken toward the minor in Real Estate.
All Minor in Real Estate students must complete the following:
Required Courses (12 credits):
SHA HF 210 Financial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry (4 cr)
SHA HF 210 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 100, CAS MA 119 - An introductory course in Accounting designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the language of business. This course examines the basic accounting processes of recording, classifying, and summarizing business transactions. It also provides an opportunity to study elements of financial statements such as assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses. 4 credits, offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 480 Hospitality and Commercial Real Estate Development (4 cr) OR QST SI 469 Real Estate Development (4 cr)
SHA HF 480 4 credits. Fall and Spring
The Hospitality and Commercial Real Estate Development course will cover the process of real estate development: Site acquisition, navigating zoning and approvals, determining the ideal development plan consisting of one or more components such as hospitality, commercial, retail and residential, selecting a hotel brand through management or franchise agreements, and learn about potential sources of financing. We will also study about the factors that affect an investor's buy/sell/reposition decisions and understand what matters most to the various stakeholders in a development, such as the equity investor, the lender, the operating company, and the brand. Overall, this course will promote sound real estate investments and financial decisions via the knowledge of theory and strategies and their application in the real world.
QST SI 469 4 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST FE323, MK323, OM323, and QM323. Pre-req for SHA students: SHA HF41 0; HF260; HF307; HF478 - Real estate development is a process rather than a product. Too often, assumptions about occupancy, market absorption, rental income growth, valuation and competition are based on guesswork and interest in specific product types. The course reviews the underlying demographic market data that drives demand; utilizing data such as population and job growth, market and marketability analysis. The focus then shifts to site selection and feasibility analysis, the available methods of gaining site control and the process of assembling the professional team. Later, the course reviews the regulatory control process, along with budgeting and contract award and review of the construction control processes. The course is introductory in nature and assumes students have little or no knowledge about the development process.
SHA HF 411 Hospitality Real Estate Finance (4 cr) OR QST FE 469 Real Estate Finance (4 cr)
SHA HF 411 4 credits.
8 credits from the following elective list:
SHA HF 314 Hospitality Market Feasibility (2 cr)
SHA HF 314 2 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 210, SHA HF 220, SHA HF 260, and SHA HF 270 - This course provides an introduction to and detailed instruction regarding the hotel market and feasibility research process including hands-on preparation of a feasibility analysis for a proposed hotel development. The course will consist of a series of lectures and possible guest lectures regarding the fundamental aspects of hotel feasibility analysis. Students will learn about and then put into the practice the analytical techniques presented, building to completion of a full feasibility analysis in a team fashion which will be presented at the end of the semester both in written and oral form. 2 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF 315 Fundamentals of a Hotel Real Estate Deal (2 cr)
SHA HF 315 2 credits.
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 210, SHA HF 220, SHA HF 260, and SHA HF 270 - The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to the various aspects of a Hotel Real Estate Deal. The target audience is any student who aspires to have a career involving the ownership, development and/or financing of lodging assets. 2 cr. Offered Spring Semester.
SHA HF 322 Hospitality Design (4 cr)
SHA HF 322 4 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 220 and SHA HF 270 - This course is designed to introduce students to the basic principles of facility planning, layout and design for hotel, dining, kitchen, public and service areas. At the completion of the course, students will be able to explain the design process common to all hospitality facilities, as well as the activities that occur during each phase of this process. 4 cr. Offered Fall.
SHA HF 415 Hospitality Asset Management (2 cr)
SHA HF 415 2 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 310 - This course is designed to introduce the student to a rapidly growing area of the lodging industry, namely, asset management. The course will define what asset management is today and examin the skills required to be a successful asset manager. There will be a special focus on the benefits to the hotel owner of hiring an asset manager and the role of the asset manager in representing the owner in deliberations about annual operating budgets and capital plans with the hotel management company. In order to effectuate this understanding, the course will also concentrate on hotel investment analysis including market analysis, benchmarking and pro forma preparation, and developing an asset management plan. 2 cr. Offered Fall Semester.
SHA HF 416 Franchise, Management, & Independents in Hospitality (2 cr)
SHA HF 416 2 credits. Fall and Spring
Undergraduate Prerequisites: SHA HF 220 and SHA HF 270 - The Franchise, Management, and Independents in Hospitality class emphasizes the benefits and limitations of the franchise and management company relationship for hotels and restaurants. It addresses the key elements and financial implications associated with franchise and management agreements. A broad discussion highlighting the brand selection process will provide insight to the value creation. The course will introduce students to the recent trends in soft branding, and what it means to be a boutique and/or independent hotel or restaurant. Students will learn the competitive advantages and disadvantages of being independent. The course will address the restaurant franchise industry including quick serve (QSR), full service (FSR) and fast casual. Students will gain understanding of the value created by the restaurant franchise's processes and operations. Other topics will include brand and franchise development and outsourcing.
CAS EE 201 Economic Geography (4 cr)
CAS EE 201 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy Social Inquiry I
Overview of the special combination of environmental, historical, economic, and organizational qualities of the regions of the Old World, including Western and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, East and South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Emphasis on current issues of regional and global development. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS EE 475 Urban Ecology (4 cr)
CAS EE 475 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Scientific Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEE100 OR CASEE101) and one of the following: CAS BI 306, CAS BI 443 or GRS BI 643, CAS EE 456 or GRS EE 656, or CAS BI 530 or CAS EE 530; or consent of instructor. - This course explores the biophysical environments and ecology of urban settlements. Key topics covered include the physical environment (particularly climate & water), patterns in human population growth and development, ecosystem structure and function (net primary productivity, soils, nutrients cycling, organismal populations), global change (urban growth, disturbance, climate change), urban environment pollution and management (air and water quality), and sustainable urban development policies and regulations. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AH 201 Understanding Architecture (4 cr)
CAS AH 201 4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Historical Consciousness Research and Information Literacy
Introduces a range of approaches to understanding architecture in an historical perspective. Learn how architects and others have interpreted meaning through rubrics of art, nature, and culture, focused upon European and American architecture from 1400 to the present. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy.
CAS AH 387 Boston Architecture & Urbanism (4 cr)
CAS AH 387 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Oral and/or Signed Communication Social Inquiry I Teamwork/Collaboration
This class presents a history of Boston from the seventeenth through twenty- first centuries, as seen through the region's architectural and urban history. Major buildings, architects, and urban planning schemes are examined in terms of economic, political, social, and institutional histories. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS AH 399 History of Landscape Architecture (4 cr)
CAS AH 399 4 credits.
BU Hub Learn More Aesthetic Exploration Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy Writing-Intensive Course
Undergraduate Prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - Explores man's relationship with nature by a study of selected built environments from antiquity to the present. Focus on both the private garden and the public park--here considered as works of art--and their changing forms, meaning, and interpretations. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Aesthetic Exploration.
CAS SO 306 Boston’s People & Neighborhoods (4 cr)
CAS SO 306 4 credits. Fall and Spring
BU Hub Learn More The Individual in Community Social Inquiry II Teamwork/Collaboration
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASSO244) or consent of instructor. - Via readings, field trips and documentaries, the course explores Boston neighborhoods, tracing their history and dynamics. We identify forces that shape Boston, garner insight into how different groups experience the city, and grapple with the challenges that Boston faces. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry II, The Individual in Community, Teamwork/Collaboration.
CAS EE/IR 304 Environmentally Sustainable Development (4 cr)
QST LA 360 Real Estate Law (4 cr)
ENG EK 225 Intro to Energy Conversion & Environmental Engineering (4 cr)
ENG EK 225 4 credits. Fall and Spring
This class examines the existing state of the world's energy use and its impact on society and the planet. A quantitative framework is provided in order to evaluate current and potential technologies. Individual energy generation, conversion, and end use options are evaluated within this framework. Both renewable energy generation technologies: wind, solar, biomass, and hydro, and conventional sources such as nuclear and fossil fuels will be compared. Energy conversion is discussed with regards to batteries and fuel cells, liquid bio- fuels, and grid level storage systems. These technologies are then put into a social context and their use around the world is discussed. Evaluations are based on homework and class discussions, midterms, and a final. Cannot be used for credit towards an engineering degree.
*These minors consist of 20 credits each and are available to all BU undergraduates, except those majoring in SHA. All students must complete a minimum of 12 credits that are unique to the minor and do not overlap with any other degree requirements.
To declare a minor, please contact SHA’s Undergraduate Academic Advising office at shaadv@bu.edu .
