UH’s Conrad N. Hilton College has announced plans to launch a doctorate program. Starting in the fall of 2015, students will be able to pursue a Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration.
“There was a big demand from the people who wanted to pursue the Ph.D.,” Hilton Graduate Program Director Dr. Ki-Joon Back said. “People understand that we have a very strong caliber among the universities.”
UH was recently ranked in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education. Through a longitudinal study, they ranked UH fourth in the nation despite competing with universities that already have a Ph.D. program in place.
“Even when we didn’t have a Ph.D. program, we were still competing against other universities,” Back said. “Having this Ph.D. program means that our professors can engage in more academic research and then produce more academic research.”
Dean John Bowen, Associate Dean of Academic Programs Carl Boger, Graduate Program Director Dr. Ki-Joon Back all helped lead UH’s bid to have the Ph.D. proposal approved by the Texas Coordinating Board.
“We are going to become a very prominent training center so we can produce more outstanding research and produce more benefits and projects,” Back said. “The University is working hard to become Tier One … I think this is going to be a big plus.”
