Work Experience and Internships

Work Experience

An essential part of our curriculum is our Work Experience Practicum – HRT 3002. In our undergraduate program, a student work requirement of 600 hours must be completed in the hospitality industry prior to graduation. These experiences may lead to entry-level positions upon graduation. In our graduate program, students are required to complete a total of 400 hours in the hospitality industry prior to graduation.

Internships

The School of HRT works in conjunction with the College of Business L.I.F.E. Opportunities Internship Program to offer internships to our students. An internship is a credit course that provides practical supervised training to upperclassmen undergraduate and graduate students. The intern is directed in projects relating to their major and is required to work at least 10-15 hours per week in the Fall and Spring semesters and 18-20 hours per week in the Summer. In most instances, interns are compensated.

For our undergraduate students, HRT 3290 Hospitality Internship is a three-credit hour elective. Students are encouraged to participate in this program. Internships may be established by the College of Business through the office of the College Internship Coordinator. However, in all cases, students and internships must be approved by the HRT faculty through the College Internship Coordinator.

For our graduate students, HRT 6204 Hospitality and Tourism Internship is a required three-credit supervised internship within the hospitality and tourism industry.  This course allows students to undertake experiential learning by working with the sponsoring hospitality or tourism organization to critically examine a major aspect of their operation and prepare a report. The internship will be coordinated by the College Internship Coordinator and supervised by an HRT faculty member.