It’s official: the University of South Carolina’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is one of the best programs of its kind in the world and has the world’s best faculty, according to the prestigious Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
The 2026 rankings, released Sept. 15, place the University of South Carolina at No. 5 in the United States and No. 12 worldwide for hospitality and tourism management. In the category of world-class faculty (one of five criteria for the rankings), the USC School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is the world’s best.
The program is also No. 1 overall among Southeastern Conference universities.
This recognition is a testament to the outstanding scholarship and accomplishments of our world-class faculty and staff.
USC’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, housed in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, offers two undergraduate degrees and two graduate degrees. Its mission is to educate global leaders for the hospitality and tourism industry through innovative and experiential curriculum, research, and community engagement.
“We’re proud to see this global recognition. Our School of Hospitality and Tourism Management faculty and staff are the best at what they do, and constantly strive to offer our students unparalleled industry knowledge, research insights, mentorship and career experience,” says College of HRSM Dean Michael Sagas.
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Director Fevzi Okumus, an internationally recognized scholar and the William McFall “Mac” Pearce Endowed Professor, leads an outstanding team. The “World-Class Faculty” category of the rankings is based on the presence of international award laureates, highly cited researchers, chief editors of international academic journals and international academic organization leadership.
“This recognition is a testament to the outstanding scholarship and accomplishments of our world-class faculty and staff. It inspires us to continue innovating, advancing our research and teaching, strengthening our global and industry partnerships, and preparing future leaders for the hospitality and tourism industry,” Okumus says.
The program provides students with hands-on learning opportunities through facilities such as the McCutchen House restaurant, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Culinary Laboratory and the Beverage Education Laboratory. These dynamic spaces enhance hands-on education in event planning, restaurant management, hotel operations, and other key areas of the industry.
A full-time internship director also works closely with students and industry partners to open doors to more opportunities for experiential learning.
The Global Ranking of Academic Subjects is compiled annually by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, a globally recognized expert in higher education competitiveness. The rankings are based on nine objective indicators grouped into five categories: World-Class Faculty, World-Class Research Output, High-Quality Research, Research Impact, and International Collaboration.