This important pairing has put into action the unique MSU philosophy that hospitality is first and foremost a business, and secondly, a special type of business. Graduates quickly find themselves succeeding in their chosen field. While most seek work in the hospitality industry, The School offers enough flexibility to help graduates move into allied fields, and even unrelated ones, and be successful. An emphasis on teamwork also builds an important quality necessary in today's business world. This requirement, easily arranged with on-campus support from the Student and Industry Resource Center, provides not only important opportunities for professional and educational growth, but pays immediate dividends for potential job seekers.
Employers frequently cite the internship program as their best means for pre-selecting future hires.
The School's Undergraduate Program, with its emphasis on managerial leadership, requires at least 120 credits, including two credits for internships. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required to graduate. In 1996, The School took an evolutional step toward academic excellence with the creation of The Michael L. Minor Master of Science in Foodservice Management. This is a master's program providing professional, business-focused management education for graduates with B.A. degrees. This program provides a competitive edge for career paths as foodservice executives, foodservice entrepreneurs, two-year foodservice program educators, corporate chefs and corporate executives.