Program Overview

Doctor of Philosophy - Hospitality Administration

The Ph.D. program is a 60-credit, multi-conceptual and research-based degree program designed to produce top-quality hospitality and tourism educators and researchers. It not only focuses on preparing students to be excellent teachers at the university level, but also engages them in conducting scholarly research in hospitality and tourism management. Upon graduation, students will be able to teach and research at the university level, and work at industry and research institutions.

About

The program is highly competitive, seeking motivated individuals who are committed to pursuing academic and research careers in hospitality and tourism. The program is partly supported by the Ace Denken Co. Ltd. Endowment. A critical component of the program is the faculty, which includes members with both research and practical experience in all facets of the hospitality and tourism industry.

Learning Outcomes

• Plan, organize, design, construct, conduct, and present scholarly research that demonstrates the effective implementation of research skills.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of the content in the student's major/minor area of interest.
• Create and deliver curricular and instructional materials in the student's areas of teaching.
• Engage in a long-term service commitment to the hospitality and tourism profession.

Career Possibilities

Careers in Hospitality

Requirements

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited institution with at least 24 credits in hotel administration, food service administration, tourism-convention administration, or a closely aligned field.
• An overall GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for all work completed at the post-baccalaureate level.
• A minimum of one year of full-time work experience in a management/supervisory capacity in the hospitality industry, or three years of full-time, front-line experience is preferred.
• Application deadline: January 1 for fall admittance.
• Applications must be submitted through the Graduate College's online application system.

Application Materials

• Complete and submit the online UNLV Graduate College admissions application and pay the required admission application fee.
• Submit all post-secondary transcripts from all institutions attended.
• International applicants must submit the results of the TOEFL or IELTS as evidence of English proficiency.
• Submit either GRE or GMAT scores.
• Submit a two-page Statement of Purpose.
• Submit a resume or CV.
• Submit three Letters of Recommendation.
• Complete the KIRA Virtual Interview.

Plan Requirements

• Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements

Core Coursework – Credits: 12

• HOA 794 - Issues and Trends for Hospitality Educators
• HOA 795 - Research Seminar in Hospitality Education
• HOA 797 - Philosophy of Science in Hospitality Research
• HOA 798R - Readings in Hospitality Management

Quantitative and Qualitative Methodology Courses – Credits: 9

• EPY 718 - Qualitative Research Methodologies
• HOA 735 - Research Methodology
• HOA 796 - Advanced Research Methodology

Statistical Analysis Courses – Credits: 6

• Complete two of the following courses:
  • STA 713 - Experimental Design
  • STA 715 - Multivariate Statistical Methods
  • EPY 722 - Inferential Statistics and Experimental Design
  • EPY 732 - Multiple Regression
  • EPY 733 - Multivariate Statistics
  • EPY 734 - Structural Equation Modeling
  • EAB 763 - Linear Statistical Models
  • EAB 783 - Multivariate Methods for the Health Sciences
  • PSC 702 - Advanced Quantitative Methods I

Primary and Secondary Area of Study Coursework – Credits: 15

• Select coursework in consultation with the Chair and the Faculty Ph.D. Program Coordinator.
• Major Area of Study: Three 3-credit courses
• Minor Area of Study: Two 3-credit courses

Elective Courses – Credits: 6

• Complete 6 credits of advisor-approved 700-level elective coursework.

Dissertation – Credits: 12

• HOA 799R - Dissertation

Degree Requirements

1. Must have at least 24 credits in the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality (excluding dissertation credits) and 12 credits outside of the College of Hospitality.
2. Successful completion of all courses approved on the student's graduate program of study with a 3.00 GPA or better.
3. After the first year of course work, students will complete the Q-Exam.
4. The student must file an approved degree plan before the start of the third semester after admission to the program.
5. In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a dissertation committee.
6. Simultaneous to the last semester of content-related coursework, students must pass a primary and secondary area comprehensive exam.
7. The student must successfully write and orally defend their dissertation proposal and the completed dissertation.
8. If necessary, students may spend the equivalent of two semesters completing an approved internship.

Plan Graduation Requirements

The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public. After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found on the Graduate College website. Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.