Five-Star Hospitality Careers Begin at South Seattle Community College
The inaugural graduates of the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Hospitality Management program who were awarded their degrees in June 2009 are future hospitality industry leaders. Their 21st century skill set includes knowledge and hands-on experience in marketing, human resources, management, and technical applications in all facets of the hospitality industry. Those transferable skills enable them to work in tourism, hotel operation, restaurant management, catering, cruise ship, and casino operations, or travel – anywhere in the world.
South Seattle Community College’s 90-credit program is the
only one of its kind in Western Washington, and is designed for certified professionals and
graduates of two-year technical (AAS-T) programs. The BAS in Hospitality Management degree program began in fall
2007 with 24 students; since then enrollment has tripled and articulation
agreements with seven community colleges and one state college have either been
completed or are in process.
Unique to the program is a quarter-long capstone course that
emphasizes the practical application of theory in the working environment. Teams
participate in a computer simulated virtual hotel management project,
presenting their results throughout the quarter. It makes for a lively
competition, with teams learning from each other’s successes and failures.
A 1000-hour industry experience requirement helps students
gain additional occupational competencies while providing important networking
opportunities. The college’s location, in a city that consistently ranks among
the top 10 tourist destinations, is a decided advantage. With nearly 45,000
hotel rooms, an active port that serves five major cruise lines, and more than
9,000 restaurants, Seattle-King County is a hospitality hub.
Now in the third year of class-delivery, some important new
program processes have been implemented, including a comprehensive BAS in
Hospitality Management student handbook. Entering students also participate in
an innovative orientation, “Thought Patterns for a Successful College
Experience,” delivered by The Pacific Institute.
For more information on South’s BAS in Hospitality Management Program, visit the website at http://www.southseattle.edu/programs/bas/index.html.
