Laura Nix Bishop
Recruitment Coordinator
College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
The University of South Carolina is ranked among the top 12 in the nation and No. 25 in the world for hospitality and tourism management. Its Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management degree program empowers students to thrive in a global industry that connects cultures, inspires adventure, changes lives and drives economies.
Tourism is a dynamic field of study that integrates destination marketing, hospitality, attraction management, event planning and more—all working together to attract a wide range of visitors to a location.
Tourism management majors begin their studies with a strong business foundation—accounting, economics, business law, communications and computer applications. The degree program builds upon this foundation with industry-specific curriculum, such as destination marketing, festival planning, sustainable tourism, tourism management and more. Students can also add a minor in event management.
Curriculum
The Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management degree is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Management and requires 120 credit hours, including:
- 51 hours of credits in the HRTM major, including internships
- 30 hours of foundational, management-focused courses
- 31-43 hours of Carolina Core
Sample Course Overview
English
Foreign language
Foundations of tourism
Natural science
History
Hotel management: The University of South Carolina’s hotel management course covers
essential skills in managing hotel operations, including front office management,
housekeeping, and revenue optimization. Students learn strategies for delivering exceptional
guest experiences, staff coordination, and effective problem-solving to succeed in
the competitive hospitality industry.
Introduction to hospitality
Mathematics / statistics
University 101
Accounting
Business communications
Business law
Club management
Conference and meeting planning: The conference and meeting planning course focuses
on organizing, coordinating, and managing successful events. Students learn essential
skills in budgeting, logistics, vendor negotiations, and on-site event management
to create seamless and impactful experiences for clients and attendees.
Economics
Food and beverage production
Resort development and management: This course explores the unique aspects of designing,
developing, and managing resort properties. Students learn about site selection, facility
planning, service operations, and guest experience strategies, equipping them to handle
the challenges and demands of the resort industry.
International hotel management
Purchasing and controls
Festival planning and management: The festival planning and management course covers
the essentials of organizing and executing successful festivals and large-scale events.
Students learn about event logistics, budgeting, marketing, and risk management, preparing
them to create engaging and safe experiences that draw diverse audiences and ensure
smooth operations.
Hospitality / tourism electives
Hospitality / tourism internship
Literature / fine arts
Personnel organization and supervision
Principles of management
Principles of marketing
Professional development seminar
Services management
Sustainable tourism planning
Hospitality finance
Hospitality / tourism analytics: The University of South Carolina’s hospitality /
tourism analytics course teaches students how to leverage data to drive strategic
decisions in the hospitality and tourism industries. Topics include data collection,
analysis, and interpretation, focusing on improving customer experience, optimizing
operations, and predicting industry trends for better business outcomes.
Hospitality / tourism marketing
Hospitality management strategies
Revenue management
Tourism information technology
Wine and spirits in food service establishments
Financial management
For more details about the degree requirements and curriculum for the B.S. in tourism management, please visit the academic bulletin.
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Atop the SEC
The University of South Carolina ranks among the top 12 schools in the U.S. and atop the SEC for hospitality and tourism management according to the ShanghaiRanking's 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
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Industry Opportunities
When you're one of the top schools in the nation for hospitality and tourism management, it means you have some of the best and brightest students preparing to join the industry. Students are able to get a head start on their professional careers with opportunities to attend some of the biggest conferences in the world, like the annual IAAPA Expo, the global attractions industry's premier event.
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Get Involved
There are endless ways to get involved on campus at USC through student organizations designed to enrich your education and expand your network. The theme parks and attractions club is just one of the tourism-related organizations you can join.
Undergraduate Internship Requirement
Every tourism management major graduates with career-related work experiences, or internships, on their resume. This experience can be any job in the tourism industry and can include responsibility in a managerial or supervisory position where student's gain leadership experience. To learn more, visit our internships page.
Career Success
The college provides dedicated internship directors, experienced faculty and corporate engagement resources to help students get the most out of opportunities to work with companies such as the U.S. Travel Association, Sea Island Resort, Disney World, convention and visitors bureaus, departments of parks and recreation, airlines, as well as resorts, theme parks and other local and regional attractions and festivals.
Explore With Study Abroad
Immersion in international experiences broadens horizons and prepares students for exciting work opportunities around the world. Our faculty lead custom study abroad courses in China, South America and Europe. The school also offers two semester-long exchange programs with partner hospitality universities in Aruba and the Galápagos Islands.
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Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands offer students a special opportunity to become totally immersed in a global learning environment that epitomizes subjects on sustainable tourism, tourism photography, scuba diving, and much more.
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Aruba
Students interested in tourism and hospitality management can study next to the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea as they learn about tourism economies, hotel management, destination marketing, event management, cruise ship management, and more.
Learning Outcomes
- Students should be able to apply business management principles to identify problems and utilize analytical reasoning to formulate local-to-global solutions.
- Students should be able to identify, evaluate and explain tourism impacts on the host community and global environment.
- Students should be able to examine and apply tourism policy and planning principles to match the needs of diverse stakeholders, destinations and environments.
- Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and characteristics of tourism as an academic area of study.
- Students should be able to understand the products, processes, structure(s) and interactions in the tourism system.
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