Minor in Hospitality Administration
About the Hospitality Administration Minor for Non-SHA Students
The BU School of Hospitality Administration (SHA) offers a minor in Hospitality Administration designed for students who want an introduction to the concepts and functions of hospitality. Students complete two foundational courses (8 credits) as well a selection of electives (12 credits) to complete the minor, with flexibility for individual interests. The minor consists of 20 credits and is available to all BU undergraduates. 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. Either sem.
BU Hub Learn More Historical Consciousness Digital/Multimedia Expression 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. Either sem.
BU Hub Learn More Digital/Multimedia Expression Social Inquiry II Creativity/Innovation
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 120 Food Production Management (2 cr)
SHA HF 120 2 credits. Either sem. SHA HF 100
HF 120 is a laboratory based practical course. It will provide students with an overview of food service operations as they relate to commercial food production. Emphasis throughout the course is placed on food science, food costing, calculations, food purchasing, and product identification. Students will perform practical culinary skills to produce menu items. Additionally, proper use of tools and equipment will be featured along with testing and evaluation of menu items. Additional $150 for lab supplies. 2 credits, offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 210 Financial Accounting (4 cr)
SHA HF 210 4 credits. Either sem. 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. Either sem. SHA HF 100
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. Either sem. 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. Either sem. 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. Either sem. SHA HF 100
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. Either sem. 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 282 Business Communications (4 cr)
SHA HF 295 Private Club Management (2 cr)
SHA HF 295 2 credits. Either sem. 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 310 Managerial Accounting (4 cr)
SHA HF 310 4 credits. Either sem. 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. 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. 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. Either sem. 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. Either sem.
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. Either sem. 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. Either sem. 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. Either sem. 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. 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 410 Finance (4 cr)
SHA HF 410 4 credits. Either sem. SHA HF 310 and (CAS MA 113 or CAS MA 115)
Studies the techniques financial managers and external analysts employ to value the firm and its assets. Topics include financial statement analysis, taxation, discounted cash flow, stock and bond valuation, cost of capital, and capital budgeting. The techniques of discounted cash flow and the command of taxation principles developed in the course are applied to commercial real estate analysis, including hospitality properties. 4 cr., Offered Fall & Spring.
SHA HF 417 Hospitality Asset Management & Franchising (2 cr)
SHA HF 432 Leadership (4 cr)
SHA HF 432 4 credits. Either sem. 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. Either sem. 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. Either sem.
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.
At least 12 credits of minor coursework must be unique to the minor and cannot overlap with any courses that complete major requirements.
A minimum grade of C– is required in all courses that fulfill the Hospitality Administration minor. For additional information, please contact the Academic Advising office at shaadv@bu.edu .
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