Georgia State Launches MBA Concentration in Hospitality
ATLANTA - The Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University has joined an elite group of colleges and universities in the country to offer a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Hospitality Administration. The Cecil B. Day School accepted its first class this semester, becoming the first school in Georgia to offer an MBA degree with a concentration in Hospitality Administration. The program will combine traditional business courses with specialized training in hospitality, a broad industry that includes lodging, food service and tourism.
"By offering a master's in hospitality, we are meeting a huge demand from the industry, alumni and current students," said Dr. Michael Lefever, director of the Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration.
"The hospitality industry interrelates to so many segments of corporate America that the MBA courses in hospitality will be useful even to those students pursuing other fields of interest. Hospitality is one of the fastest growing industries globally and the MBA degree is a much-needed foundation for a successful career in this lucrative field."
According to the Travel Industry Association of America, in 1997 more than 16.2 million jobs in the U.S. were supported directly or indirectly by the hospitality industry. Travel and tourism alone, a large segment of hospitality, generated 502.4 billion in expenditures in 1997 in the U.S. In Georgia, the hospitality industry is the state's leading employer, employing 445,000 people, according to the Georgia Hospitality and Travel Association. In addition, Atlanta is one of the top five convention cities in the United States and is a focal point for growth in the hospitality field.
"The hospitality business is a complex organism, and solutions, like problems, don't come from a single source. The global and integrated approach of Georgia State University's MBA program prepares graduates to solve problems and lead with vision," said Frank Guidara, president and chief executive officer, Wolfgang Puck Food Company, L.P.
The Cecil B. Day School, founded in 1973, also offers a four-year degree in hospitality administration. Currently, there are some 275 students enrolled in the undergraduate hospitality administration program at Georgia State. In addition to the new master's program, the Cecil B. Day School recently launched a new professional journal, as well as a 55-member board of advisors comprised of senior executives within the hospitality industry.
"The Georgia State University MBA in Hospitality combines the classical training and discipline of a graduate degree with a focus on real-world management strategies, a combination necessary to compete in today's competitive job marketplace," said Sherry Fitts, chair of the School's Industry Advisory Board.
Under the auspices of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, The Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration is the oldest, largest and only accredited program of its kind in Georgia. With 8,200 students, the J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the nation=s largest accredited business schools. The College=s part-time MBA program is ranked sixth best in the country by U.S.News & World Report. Its undergraduate program is ranked in the top 5 percent nationally by U.S.News, and its Executive MBA Program is listed as one of the "leading 20 programs" in the country by Business Week magazine.
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Michael Lefever, Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality, 404/651-4253, [email protected]
Bruce Brooks, External Affairs, 404/651-2645, [email protected]
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