Hotel and Restaurant Management
A.A.S. Degree
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Demand continues for well-trained managers in the hospitality field. Intense growth is expected to continue in this fast-paced people industry. In the past five years the region has welcomed eight new hotels. Additionally, construction for new lodging, dining, and entertainment establishments is taking place now. Interesting food and beverage operations have always been a hallmark of the Ithaca and Finger Lakes area, while institutional food and environmental service operations provide stable careers with the region’s colleges and health services industries.
The hotel and restaurant management degree prepares students for supervisory positions in hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality-related organizations. The degree also benefits from the College’s innovative Farm to Bistro concept – the College will operate an organic farm adjacent to campus and provide produce to the College’s downtown Ithaca restaurant and culinary center, Coltivare. Tompkins Cortland Community College is proud to have alumni and students in many hospitality operations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Over its 35-year history, the program has trained some of the area’s best entrepreneurs and managers. Some successful alumni are in management positions with The Waldorf-Astoria, Hyatt, Darden Restaurants, and The Cherokee Country Club of Atlanta (one of the premier private clubs in the U.S). The program includes an internship for on-the-job training at hotels, convention and visitors bureaus, restaurants, wineries, meeting planners, and institutional dining operations.
Course requirements for a degree in hotel and restaurant management may be completed in class or online. Program faculty offer a variety of in class, experiential field study, and online coursework to assure participants of solid general education. There are also opportunities for study abroad. In addition, short courses including proctored exam for certification in Food Safety and Alcohol service from the National Restaurant Association known as SERVSAFE, round out the completion of the degree program. Individuals who are seeking these credentials are welcome to register for these classes.
“At Tompkins Cortland Community College, our students are a part of that entire food system. The earth is cultivated on our own organic teaching farm, and at Coltivare, we cultivate the potential and talents of our hospitality students as we cultivate friendships among our community and our guests. What could be better?”
– Sue Stafford, Program Chair of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Culinary Arts, and Wine Marketing
Careers on Career Coach
The hotel and restaurant management program prepares students as management generalists ready for hospitality positions at the management-trainee and mid-management levels. Positions include Food Service Managers, Lodging Managers, Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners, Chefs and Head Cooks, Gaming Services Workers, Customer Service Representative.
Select a career below to connect to Career Coach and find information about that career including median salary and job postings.
Explore more career options: A.A.S.
Program Chair
Susan Stafford
Professor, Hotel and Restaurant Management
Sue Stafford brings 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry to her position in the classroom as chair of the Hotel and Restaurant Management, Culinary Arts, and Wine Marketing Degree Programs. She was also instrumental in the development of the farm to bistro concept, which features an organic farm on campus that provides fresh produce to the College's downtown Ithaca restaurant and culinary center, Coltivare.
Transfer Options
Although the A.A.S. degree curriculum is intended as a career-seeking program, graduates have successfully transferred to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Specifically, Niagara University and Florida International have welcomed many of our Hotel and Restaurant students, where an agreement and solid transfer relationship exists. Students have also transferred to Morrisville State College, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University of Central Florida. Students may pursue a bachelor’s of science degree from Delhi College of Technology/SUNY on the Tompkins Cortland Community College campus.
Highlighted Courses
Degree Requirements
A.A.S.
Minimum Credits for Graduation:
62 credits
Note: BUAD Electives should be selected based on the student's academic progress and intentions upon graduation. BUAD 103 & 207 - Entrepreneurship I & II - are recommended for students interested in pursuing their own business.
Fall Term 1
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 14
| CAPS121, Introduction to Spreadsheets, 1 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| ENGL100, Academic Writing I, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in ENGL 100. A student exempted from ENGL 100 must substitute a 3-credit Liberal Arts Elective. The course should be selected in consultation with the student's advisor. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| HRMG100, Introduction to the Hospitality Industry, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in HRMG 100. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| HRMG105, Food Sanitation & Safety, 1 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in HRMG 105. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| Choose one from the courses listed below: Minimum credits required: 3
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Select a minimum of 3 credits from the courses listed below:
ANTH@ COMM101, Mass Media, 3 cr. COMM225, Communication Law and Ethics, 3 cr. CRJU104, Introduction to Corrections, 3 cr. CRJU105, Introduction to Criminal Justice, 3 cr. ECON@ EDUC295, Foundations of Education, 3 cr. ENGL201, Fundamentals of Speech, 3 cr. ENGL204, Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication, 3 cr. ENVS107, Economy, Society & Environment, 3 cr. ENVS108, Environmental Psychology, 3 cr. ENVS110, Food Systems Seminar I: Introduction to the U.S. Food System, 2 cr. ENVS111, Food System Seminar II: Food Movements, 2 cr. ENVS112, Food Systems Seminar III: Identity, Ethics, and Culture in the Global Food System, 2 cr. ENVS295, Global Seminar, 3 cr. GEOG@ HSTY@ POSC@ PSYC@ RECR150, Play Across Cultures, 3 cr. SOCE@ SOCI@ WGST@ |
Use Schedule Search for electives |
Spring Term 1
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 16
| BIOL114, Essentials of Nutrition, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| ENGL101, Academic Writing II, 3 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| PSED213, Job Search, 1 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in PSED 213. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
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Select a minimum of 3 credits from the courses listed below:
SPAN 100 - Occupational Spanish - is recommended. ARAB@ ART101, History and Appreciation of Art I, 3 cr. ART102, History and Appreciation of Art II, 3 cr. ART104, History of Photography and Video, 3 cr. CHIN@ CRJU217, Ethics in Criminal Justice, 3 cr. ENGL@ ENVS105, Environmental Ethics, 3 cr. ESL101, English as a Second Language I, 8 cr. ESL103, English as a Second Language II, 8 cr. ESL120, Writing and Grammar III, 4 cr. ESL121, Reading & Vocabulary III, 4 cr. FREN@ GERM@ HUMN@ ITAL@ MUSI101, Music Appreciation, 3 cr. MUSI108, Music Theory I, 3 cr. MUSI109, Music Theory II, 3 cr. PHIL@ RECR270, Wilderness and the American Culture, 3 cr. RUSN@ SOCE258, Creative Nonfiction Writing, 3 cr. SPAN@ WGST248, Contemporary Women Writers, 3 cr. |
Use Schedule Search for electives |
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Select a minimum of 3 credits from the courses listed below:
MATH@ |
Use Schedule Search for electives |
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Select a minimum of 3 credits from the courses listed below:
A minimum grade of C is required in the Restricted Elective. CULI 102 or HRMG 220 or WINE 120 or the three additional credits from HRMG 216 if taken in place of HRMG 213. HRMG 220 is only offered in the Spring semester. CULI102, Food Preparation II, 4 cr. HRMG220, International Culture & Cuisine - Study Abroad, 3 cr. WINE120, Survey of Wine and Alcoholic Beverages, 3 cr. |
Use Schedule Search for electives |
Summer Term 1
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 3
| HRMG213, Hospitality Internship, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in HRMG 213 (or HRMG 216). A student who completes the 6-credit internship - HRMG 216 - may use the three additional credits to satisfy the Restricted Elective. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
Fall Term 2
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 14
| ACCT101, Principles of Accounting I, 4 cr. | Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| HRMG103, Rooms Division Management, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in HRMG 103. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| HRMG107, Safe Alcohol Handling, 1 cr. A minimum grade of B- is required in HRMG 107. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| Choose one from the courses listed below: Minimum credits required: 3
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| Choose one from the courses listed below: Minimum credits required: 3
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Spring Term 2
Minimum Total Semester Credits: 15
| HRMG201, Hospitality Law, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in HRMG 201. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| HRMG205, Hospitality Marketing, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in HRMG 205. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
| HRMG206, Food and Labor Cost Control, 3 cr. A minimum grade of C is required in HRMG 206. |
Schedule: Sp, Su, Fa, Wi |
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Select a minimum of 3 credits from the courses listed below:
A minimum grade of C is required in BUAD 212 or the CULI or WINE Elective. BUAD212, Quality Customer Service, 3 cr. CULI@ WINE@ |
Use Schedule Search for electives |
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Select a minimum of 3 credits from the courses listed below:
BUAD 203 is recommended. BUAD@ BUAD203, Business Communications, 3 cr. |
Use Schedule Search for electives |
SUNY General Education & Tompkins Cortland Liberal Arts courses
Note: The @ symbol represents any course number or discipline. For example, BIOL @ means any course with a Biology course prefix. An @ alone means one course in any course discipline with any course number.
Student Showcase
Ryan Shehu
Why did you choose to attend Tompkins Cortland?
To be honest, I chose Tompkins Cortland because my best friend and I decided to go there together.
How Tompkins Cortland prepare you for what came next (transfer/career)?
Tompkins Cortland actually helped me get the job that I have now. I met my current boss, Jodi, during my time at Tompkins Cortland. One of the components of the Hotel & Restaurant Management Program is a Career Day. During this day, you have mock interviews with business leaders and get to know various business professional. This is where I met Jodi, and 5 years after that day, I called her for a job opportunity, and she remembered me from that event! I interviewed with her and her team and here I am almost 2 years after my interview!
What is your current position and how do you draw on your Tompkins Cortland coursework in your job?
My current position is a Site Supervisor for 2 of our visitor centers. I pull lots of knowledge from my course work. From leadership and management to hospitality marketing. And on a personal level, I am an avid cook on the side. During my time at Tompkins Cortland, we took a cooking class and I was lucky enough to study abroad in Italy where I learned Italian Culture and Cuisine!
Who at TC3 had the greatest positive impact on your experience or your future?
There are many people that made a huge positive impact while I was at Tompkins Cortland but there are 2 people that made the most impact.. First, Deb Mohlenhoff. Deb has been a great friend and colleague. I worked for Deb at the college as a Student Leadership Assistant which is where I got to know Deb very well. Secondly, Sue Stafford, Mama Sue to many. Spending 2 years of my life with her and 2 week straight in Italy, she has become a long-time friend and we have had many laughs and cried together. Still to this day these two women help me and shape me into the person and the worker that I am today.
What were your extracurricular involvements at Tompkins Cortland and how did they contribute to your college experience/future aspirations?
Oh goodness, where do I begin. When I was in high school I was not involved in anything. Because of this, I made a pact with myself that I would be involved in as much as I could. I was a part of the Student Government Association, Panther Zone, Panther Welcome Crew, Faculty Student Association, and Hospitality and Restaurant Association. Tompkins Cortland was one of the greatest experiences of my life and I contribute that to being involved and making the best of it. I made many connections and friendships that still to this day hold up. I would not trade my time there for anything.