Hospitality & Tourism Management, B.A.

Be the experience behind the destination—and build the skills to design, manage and lead experiences across hospitality, tourism and events.

Turn your passion for travel, events, food, sports and guest experience into a career that shapes how people connect, explore and celebrate. Lenoir-Rhyne’s Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality & Tourism Management prepares you to lead in one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing industries.

With a strong business foundation and hands-on learning, you’ll connect directly to real-world opportunities across Western North Carolina’s thriving tourism economy—preparing you for a career in a dynamic, growing industry.

Program Overview

Designed for real-world impact, this program blends business knowledge, hands-on learning and industry connections to prepare you for success in hospitality and tourism.

• Hands-on learning. Internships, fieldwork and applied projects with regional partners.
• Industry-relevant curriculum. Events, lodging, food and beverage, tourism marketing and analytics.
• Connected location. Hickory with access to Asheville, Boone and Charlotte.
• Stackable credentials. Certificates and minors that build toward your degree.
• Career preparation. Leadership-ready for a dynamic, people-centered industry.

Tourism is a major economic driver across North Carolina, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and generating billions in revenue annually.

Built for Real-World Experience

You’ll build a strong foundation in business, develop specialized expertise in hospitality and tourism, and gain real-world experience that prepares you for what’s next.

Business Foundation

Build the skills behind every successful organization with a strong foundation in accounting and finance, marketing and branding, business analytics and decision-making, management and leadership, and economics and business law, preparing you to lead and make strategic decisions across industries.

Hospitality & Tourism Preparation

Learn how to design and manage experiences through coursework in hospitality and tourism fundamentals, lodging and resort management, food and beverage operations, event management, leisure and recreation, and innovation in hospitality, along with a capstone and internship.