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Undergraduate Program

Areas of Emphasis

TIM offers three areas of emphasis within the BS program: hospitality management, tourism management, and transportation management. The undergraduate instructional program is committed to the development of competent management personnel for the travel industry through a curriculum that enables students to develop leadership abilities to solve problems of a dynamic industry.

The global nature of the curriculum provides insight into the role and responsibilities of the industry within state, regional, national, and world perspectives, as well as the nature of service-based enterprises, business ethics, and societal constraints. In addition, practical knowledge regarding operational aspects of the industry enables students to develop "reality skills" within the field.

Hospitality Management 
The hospitality management emphasis is intended to provide students with the ability to apply problem-solving, decision-making techniques and critical-thinking skills to meet current and future industry challenges. Students will study the relationship of the various constituencies (customer, owner, staff) in the management and operation of lodging organizations; the microeconomics of the industry in its various forms; and the investment risks associated with tangible properties. In addition the emphasis covers the principles of conceiving, designing, marketing and operating a commercial food-service facility either as a free-standing operation or as a part of a hotel, club entertainment and recreation complex, or institution, along with principles of basic and quantity food production. Students will study financial control procedures that are specific to hospitality operations; factors affecting design, planning, construction, physical operation and profitability; as well as basic principles of marketing hospitality organizations with a focus on public relations, pricing and yield management.

Tourism Management
This emphasis focuses on strategic issues related to the travel industry, as well as marketing and management principles within specific types of businesses, including travel agencies, tour operations, visitor attractions, and others. Students learn to analyze macroeconomic factors related to the development of tourism and identify impacts of tourism on society and the environment.

Additionally, students will learn tourism research techniques and the formulation of tourism policy within the context of both private and public tourism and travel institutions.

Transportation Management
Students choosing the transportation emphasis will gain an understanding of the characteristics and importance of transportation systems for the United States (both domestic and international); the major transportation modes; government, promotional and regulatory activities in U.S. transportation; the role of transportation in tourism; the transportation systems that impact the economics of both Hawai'i and the United States; and the management of firms in various transportation modes.

Within various sectors of the travel industry, students analyze issues confronting airlines and airports that relate to management, government regulation and promotion, new techniques, distribution, and industry trends. Tourist-related and urban transportation systems, surface passenger transportation systems, and international air and marine transportation are also covered. Major logistical activities are also analyzed (traffic management, warehousing, inventory control, order processing, packaging, and materials management).

Admission Requirements

First-Year Applicants
Students with no previous college-level work or fewer than 24 college-level credit hours may apply for admission as first-year students. The following credentials are reviewed:

1. Academic preparation (four years of high school English and four years of high school mathematics are highly recommended), including SAT and (where applicable) TOEFL scores; recommendations from high school counselors and/or principals; and
2. Evidence of potential for success in the travel industry, including, but not limited to, (a) participation in co-curricular activities in school or in the community, (b) personal recommendations, and (c) part-time or summer work experience.

Transfer Applicants
All students with 24 or more college-level credit hours are considered transfer applicants. Qualified applicants must present the following credentials:

1. A minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 for all work attempted at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, as well as for work completed at other institutions;
2. Evidence of potential for success in the travel industry, including, but not limited to, (a) participation in co-curricular activities in school or in the community, (b) personal recommendations, and (c) part-time or summer work experience; and
3. Minimum GPAs as indicated: (a) 2.5 GPA in the TIM lower division special requirements (courses in which credits have been earned may not be repeated); (b) 2.0 GPA in the upper division TIM component; and (c) 2.5 GPA in TIM emphasis/elective courses, if any of these courses have been attempted.

Application Procedures
Application forms are available in the TIM Student Services Office. Applicants who are not currently classified degree students at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa must submit completed applications by June 1 for fall admission or November 1 for spring admission. Applicants who are classified degree students at UHM in other schools and colleges who wish to change majors must submit completed applications by June 15 for fall admission or November 15 for spring admission.

School Requirements
To earn the bachelor of science degree, students must complete the following general requirements:

1. Earn a minimum of 124 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0;
2. Fulfill the University of Hawai'i at Manoa General Education Core requirements (see the "Manoa General Education Core and Graduation Requirements" section of this Catalog). The following courses are recommended: 
   1. Arts and Humanities--one course from Group 2 (History and Culture);
   2. Natural Sciences--CHEM 151/151L, especially for students interested in an emphasis in restaurant/institutional food service management; and
   3. Social Sciences--GEOG 102 or 151;
3. Complete the TIM lower division special requirements with a minimum GPA of 2.5. The courses are ENG 100; one of ENG 250-257; SP 251; ACC 201; ECON 130; QM 250, AREC 210 or MATH 203 or 241; TIM 101; TIM 242; and BLAW 200;
4. Complete the internship program (TIM 100, 200, and 300 or 400B or 400C). This requirement should be completed before the student's final semester. Performance evaluations from employers must verify hours of work completed. At least one internship must be completed in the student's area of emphasis, and at least one internship must be completed in the United States;
5. Complete the upper division TIM component with a minimum GPA of 2.0. These courses should be completed during the junior year. TIM 302 must be completed during the first semester the student is eligible. The courses are TIM 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, and 306; BUS 310, SOC 225, ECON 321, or AREC 310
6. Complete one of the TIM areas of emphasis: 
   1. Hospitality Management--TIM 184, 240, 312, 334, 431, and one of TIM 310, 316-317, 333, or 469;
   2. Tourism Management--TIM 321, 421, and two of TIM 324, 325, 327, 369B, or 469;
   3. Transportation Management--TIM 350, 442, and two of TIM 351, 353, 354, 369C, 369D, or 469;
7. Complete 3 credit hours of elective. This course may be selected from any upper division TIM course other than the student's area of emphasis;
8. Earn a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the TIM emphasis and TIM elective course (15-18 credit hours); and 
9. Complete at least 60 credit hours of upper division or non-introductory work. Upper division courses are numbered 300 or higher. Non-introductory courses are numbered 200-level with a specific college-level prerequisite. (ENG 250-257 are specifically excluded.)
10. Complete at least 60 percent of the upper division major requirements at UHM.

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