Real-World Experience
The Practicum
To be eligible for graduation, all students enrolled in the Department of Hospitality Management complete a Practicum: 800-hours of on-the-job, paid work experience in the hospitality industry. Two hundred hours are earned through University Hospitality Services (UHS) after matriculating in the major. (UHS is the campus organization that oversees campus dining, campus catering, and the New England Center.) This work experience may be completed over several summers or during the academic year. For transfer students, a minimum of 400 Practicum hours must be completed after matriculating in the Hospitality Management Department. Please see Practicum requirements for complete information about this requirement.
Academic Internships
Academic internships are non-traditional academic experiences that relate to work experience. They are coordinated by an on-site supervisor and a faculty sponsor. Students may receive renumeration for the work-related experience.
Students may begin an internship any time after the completion of their sophmore year. Students do not receive credit for the actual work experience. However, the following are the hour requirements of work based on the number of credits for which you have registered.
To earn internship credits, students must perform the functions of your work experience as agreed upon with the on-site supervisor. Students receive certifications from that supervisor that they have performed satisfactorily in the job. The completed assignments are submitted to the supervisor and faculty sponsor.
The faculty sponsor will help a student find a position. A job in the field also frequently qualifies. Most employers are happy to cooperate. The employer is asked to complete evaluation forms and provide the student with the direction necessary to complete the assignments. Normally, internships are established by the faculty sponsor.
Industry Placement
Hospitality Management at UNH combines a unique mix of practical experience and classroom activities. Jobs of managerial responsibility in campus food service facilities, the execution of gourment dinners, major consulting projects to industry firms, and a required summer of related work experience all contribute to the hotel students' education. Seminars with the participation of industry representatives and field trips are integral to the program.
Industry management, our graduates' supervisors, and recruiters all attest to our students' preparedness for work after graduation. Many of our students obtain managerial-level positions upon graduation and progress rapidly in the hospitality industry. Please see alumni successes.
To assist with placement, each student places recommendations and a résumé on file with UNH Career Services.