Business - Retail or food industry management

The travel and tourism industry is the largest industry and employer in the world. Along with recreation, sports and other leisure-oriented enterprises, there is significant employment potential for graduates with opportunities in most communities or regions.

With a tourism and recreation management degree, you can pursue many relevant roles in the public, private and nonprofit sectors at resorts, convention and visitor bureaus, sports enterprises or commercial recreation businesses. You’ll also be prepared to work as a tour operator, event planner, recreation coordinator or travel agent.

In addition, this bachelor’s degree can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. This opportunity saves you time and money while giving you advanced knowledge in your field. Applicable master’s degrees include:

• Master of Sustainable Tourism.

What you’ll learn in this bachelor’s program

Foundational management knowledge is a key area of focus in this program, as well as the strategy of planning events, classes, sports leagues and similar activities. You’ll learn about the science of effectively delivering leisure services to benefit a variety of audiences and interests within a wide range of settings. You’ll also gain a variety of transferable skills, including the ability to speak effectively, listen attentively, facilitate group discussion, identify problems, develop evaluation strategies, manage groups and promote change.

Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to specialize in one of the following areas to support your personal career path after graduation:

• Events
• Recreation
• Sports
• Tourism

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

The bachelor’s in tourism and recreation management is ideal for students interested in learning how to provide enjoyable and enriching experiences in a variety of settings. This includes ensuring the stability and cost-effectiveness of the programs they manage, as well as making a positive difference in people’s lives and embracing the communities they work in.

Please note: While this program does emphasize improving communities through travel and recreation, there isn’t a specific focus on hospitality or the food and beverage industry.

In this program, you'll gain the foundational knowledge of a business degree and specialized training in retail industry trends and topics. You’ll complete the business core while developing skills in accounting, marketing and organizational leadership. To build your retail expertise, the program includes 18 credit hours of coursework focused on industry-specific topics, including services marketing and quality management.

With a retail management degree concentration, you can pursue careers in purchasing, store management, sales and other areas of retail. You’ll be prepared with the skills to supervise retail operations at every level, from managing staff to creating solutions for compliance, sustainability and marketing needs.

In this program, you’ll learn to apply business management techniques to the complex world of food processing, trade and sales across the supply chain. As you develop a specialization in food industry management, you’ll gain the skills needed to impact how companies deliver and process food while maintaining safety standards.

Upon graduation, you'll be prepared for careers in development, marketing, operations and sales with food retailers, processors and distributors. With a focus on supply chain management, finance, strategy and more, you’ll gain the expertise needed to navigate and excel in this competitive global sector.

How does this program compare to a restaurant management degree?

While a restaurant management degree focuses specifically on managing restaurant operations, this program prepares you for a broader range of careers across the entire food industry. You’ll gain expertise beyond restaurant management in areas such as food processing, marketing and distribution. You’ll graduate equipped for a broader array of positions in retail, food service and institutional food management.