Skip to main content
School of Hospitality Management
Search search
Mobile Search:
Four graduate students attending a research session

Which Degree is Right for Me?

Our specialized, unique graduate programs each offer a wealth of opportunities and advancement, but designed with different goals in mind. Check out our Degrees at a Glance to see which works best for you:

Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) icon-olus-circle
  • Professional development-oriented
  • Designed to accelerate careers in hospitality management and related fields
  • Hybrid-delivery blended model gives students impressive flexibility in completing their degree
  • Select courses taken from Smeal College of Business MBA program
  • Perfect for industry professionals seeking advancement within their field and current undergraduates looking toward furthering their education

 

Learn more about the M.P.S. program

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) icon-olus-circle
  • Research-focused
  • Designed to enable mastery of both content area(s) and research skills
  • Access to one of the world's most prestigious hospitality management research faculty
  • Incorporates an impressive teaching development component
  • Great choice for individuals pursuing a career as a researcher or professor

 

Learn more about the Ph.D. program

Entering Your Desired Degree

Part 1

All School of Hospitality Management graduate degrees have the following Penn State Graduate School entrance requirements:

  • A completed online Graduate School application
  • Undergraduate or Graduate Degree(s) as required per country of admission by the Graduate School confirmed with submission of copies of official transcripts / documentation (for institutions outside the U.S. documents may include marksheets, record of courses, degree/study certificate, original diploma, etc.) from all post-secondary institutions attended (and official English translations if the language of instruction is not English) 
  • English proficiency (if required per country of admission by the Graduate School)
  • Payment of a non-refundable application fee (decided by the Graduate School)

Part 2

In addition to the Graduate School requirements above, each School of Hospitality Management graduate degree has unique, additional entrance requirements:

Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) icon-olus-circle
  • An undergraduate degree (in any field)
  • A resume or CV
  • Two letters of recommendation (preferably one professional and one academic)
  • A statement of career and educational goals in essay format (2-3 pages in length)
  • Submission of a recorded video interview
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) icon-olus-circle
  • The equivalent of a master's degree with an undergraduate or graduate degree in hospitality management
  • A minimum of one year of work experience in the hospitality industry
  • GMAT / GRE score(s)
  • A resume or CV
  • Three professional references with letters of recommendation
  • A statement of career and educational goals in essay format (2-3 pages in length)
  • Ability to partake in a live video interview

Want to learn more? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.