New hospitality program at USF Sarasota-Manatee lets you earn a master’s in just one year

A new, accelerated hospitality program at USF Sarasota-Manatee will allow students to earn a master’s degree in just one year.

The condensed program is designed for working people with busy schedules as well as international students, according to USF, and includes flexible options for completing courses.

Students in the hospitality program can choose to attend classes in person or tune into livestream class sessions via computer, and classes are also recorded for later viewing, according to USF.

“We recognize that students are busy and that sometimes it’s difficult to juggle school, work and family obligations,” hospitality professor Cihan Cobanoglu said in a press release. “These changes are designed to help students find a clearer path to advance their career.”

According to USF, graduates of the program have started careers as general managers, food and beverage managers, executive chefs, bar managers, event planners, travel agents, sales and marketing professionals and human resources managers.

The university’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is based at the Sarasota-Manatee campus, but the master’s program is also offered at USF’s St. Petersburg and Tampa campuses.

And for students who would rather attend the traditional, two-year program, that option remains available as well.

Applicants to the program should have at least two years of full-time, entry-level experience in a hospitality or related field or one year of full-time experience as a manager, according to USF.

Courses for the program are offered in the spring, summer and fall semesters. The priority deadline to apply for next year is Oct. 15.

Other admission requirements and more information about the program can be found at usf.edu/business/graduate/masters/hospitality-management.