Eastern Michigan University's undergraduate program in
Hotel and Restaurant Management is the first in the state
to be granted accreditation from the Accreditation Commission
for Programs in Hospitality Administration.
 |
FIVE STAR RATING: Eastern Michigan
University's
undergraduate program in
hotel and restaurant management
is the
first in Michigan to be granted
accreditation
from the Accreditation
Commission for Programs
in Hospitality
Administration. |
"We are the only program in the state to have this accreditation," said
Susan Gregory, program coordinator and professor of hotel
and restaurant management at EMU. "We went through a really
intensive review of the program."
"(The accreditation) gives students the assurance that
we are meeting their needs and the needs of the industry," said
Gregory.
Gregory said one of the things that sets EMU's program
apart is the faculty.
"Our faculty have a lot of industry experience," she said
of the three full-time faculty in the program. There also
are four adjuncts who teach courses.
The faculty also made the difference in receiving accreditation,
Gregory said.
"It (accreditation) takes a lot of time and effort by
the faculty. You have to care!" Gregory said.
Gregory said the program has doubled in size in the last
five years. There are approximately 160 students in the
program and about 40 graduates each year.
"Any student that wants a job will have a job. I wish
I could place them in two jobs," Gregory said. "Even in
a down-turned economy, people still travel and they still
eat out."
According to Gregory, the program offers many real-world
opportunities, from traveling overseas to strong articulation
agreements with community colleges.
"We are the only program of our type in the state that
accepts transfer students from culinary schools," Gregory
said.
EMU's hotel and restaurant management program is a comprehensive
program that integrates principles of the industry with
club and resort management, franchising, conference management
and service management. The program provides experiential
educational opportunities in a wide variety of hospitality
organizations through co-op work experiences.
