Hospitality Management Pathway
Careers in Hospitality Management
Step into a career where every day feels like an adventure and your work shapes unforgettable experiences. Our Hospitality Management pathway prepares you to lead in one of the world's largest and fastest-growing industries — from boutique hotels and global resorts to restaurants, cruise lines, event venues, and tourism brands. You'll build real-world skills in operations, revenue management, guest experience, and team leadership, taught by faculty with decades of industry insight. The Tennessee BIS Pathway in Hospitality Management offers multiple concentrations all designed to get you from a community college to a four-year university without losing a single credit. Start at any of nine participating Tennessee colleges earning valuable non-credit credentials, and transfer seamlessly to a public university where your credits are guaranteed to count toward your bachelor’s degree. With median salaries averaging $58,000 per year in Tennessee, the Hospitality Pathway is your cost-effective route to a career in one of the state’s growing industries.
Explore the Careers Waiting for You
Step into the role that shapes every guest's stay — as a Lodging Manager, you'll plan, direct, and coordinate the operations that keep hotels, resorts, and inns running at their best. It's a career that blends leadership, hospitality, and business savvy, with opportunities to grow anywhere people travel.
Turn your love of great food and great service into a career with staying power — as a Food Service Manager, you'll plan, direct, and coordinate the daily operations of restaurants, catering companies, and dining venues where every meal matters. It's a fast-paced leadership role that rewards creativity, business smarts, and a passion for bringing people together around the table.
Kick-start a career where every conversation is an opportunity — as a Retail Salesperson, you'll help customers find exactly what they need, from apparel and appliances to furniture and vehicles, while building skills in communication, product knowledge, and customer service. It's a flexible, people-powered role that opens doors across every industry and lays the foundation for long-term growth in sales, management, and beyond.
Become the friendly voice customers count on — as a Customer Service Representative, you'll answer questions, solve problems, and keep people coming back by turning everyday interactions into great experiences. It's a role that builds in-demand communication and problem-solving skills, opening doors to careers across nearly every industry.
A New Way to Grow
Skills move faster than ever, and your credentials should too. Micro-credentials, also called non-degree, non-credit, or non-traditional credentials, have become one of the most valuable tools in today's rapidly changing workplace. These focused, standalone credentials prove what you can do right now, letting you build expertise, signal new skills to employers, and advance your career without stepping away from it.
What sets The University of Tennessee's Bachelor's Degree in Integrated or Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) approach apart is the pathway. Micro-credentials can be mapped directly to community college courses and, through the BIS pathways, all the way to a bachelor's degree. Start with a single credential, stack it into a certificate, roll that into an associate degree, and continue on to a four-year degree if and when you choose. Your education scales at the same pace as your career.