sealPurdue News
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July 10, 2002

Purdue tops national survey of hospitality management programs

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's hospitality and tourism management undergraduate program has been ranked No. 1 nationally by a survey published in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education.

The study surveyed 121 four-year hospitality institutions in order to rank programs quantitatively based on five criteria: curriculum, faculty, student body, resources and fund raising. The survey response rate was 39.7 percent

Raphael R. Kavanaugh

"We are gratified by the No. 1 ranking," said Raphael R. Kavanaugh, professor and head of Purdue's hospitality and tourism management department. "It recognizes the work we have done to develop a quality curriculum across the whole range of hospitality management – hotels, restaurants, travel, golf courses and gaming."

Purdue received 200 points – out of a possible 245 – in the survey. Following Purdue were California Polytechnic University-Pomona (197 points), University of Houston (195 points), Pennsylvania State University and Michigan State University (tied with 185 points) and the University of Nevada Las Vegas (184 points).

Purdue received the top ranking in resources available. These included laboratory, library and computer facilities; field trip, student work-study and internship opportunities; endowments; student findings; distance-learning classes; and professional organizations' support.

Purdue ranked second in the student body category that includes the 540 undergraduates in the program, SAT/ACT scores of incoming students (average 1040), average class size 45, scholarships $157,000 in 2001-2002, student organizations, hospitality career fairs offered by the school or department, student recognition, student opportunities for attending trade shows, percentage of transfer students into the department and overall retention/attrition rate of majors.

Purdue also ranked No. 2 in quality of faculty, based on a number of factors, including number of full-time faculty, number with doctorates, average years of relevant industry experience, publications and research, and service to professional organizations.

Michael G. Brizek, a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, used the annual U.S. News and World Report's Guide to the Top Colleges as a reference for constructing the scaling and responses.

Writer: J.M. Lillich, (765) 494-2077, mlillich@purdue.edu

Source: Raphael R. Kavanaugh, (765) 494-4643, kavanaur@cfs.purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


ABSTRACT

Rankings of U.S. Hospitality Undergraduate Programs: 2000-01

Michael G. Brizek and Mahmood A. Khan

Within the field of hospitality education, administrators and educators have been searching and debating for a means to compare their own resources and capabilities with their fellow peers. Previous research focused on the perception of individual hospitality programs. This study surveyed over 121 four-year hospitality institutions with a response rate of 39.7 percent in order to quantitatively rank programs based on five main criteria, including curriculum, faculty, the student body, resources, and alumni/funding contributions. Results were measured using a predetermined quality point scale and the top 25 hospitality were ranked according to their overall cumulative score.


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