Master of Science with emphasis in Hotel and Restaurant Management

• Course Requirements

The M.S. degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours. At least one half of these hours must be earned in course work at the 7000-level or 8000-level; the remaining classes may be at the 6000 level. Students may earn a master's degree with an emphasis in Nutrition, Food Science, or Hotel and Restaurant Management. A thesis is required for the M.S. degree except in the non-thesis hotel and restaurant management (HRM) emphasis. Graduate course work is available through distance education for the HRM emphasis.

Core courses are required in each option. Electives may be selected to allow for specialization in a particular area. For example, students wishing to pursue a master's degree in nutrition may select electives to focus on sports nutrition, clinical nutrition, or may select a broader array of more general nutrition courses. Students also may select electives from other areas of science such as immunology, molecular biology, physiology, to name a few.

• Residency Requirement

Master's degree students under the thesis option must spend at least one semester on campus as a full time student. There is no residency requirement for master's degree students under the non-thesis option.

• Selection of Courses, the Major Professor, and the Plan of Study

Selection of initial courses to be taken shall be made under the direction of the temporary advisor or Graduate Program Officer. A major professor should be selected by the student during the first semester of graduate work after becoming familiar with all the faculty and their areas of research interest. Each student should confer with her/his major professor to select the courses for the degree.

A Plan of Study ( Graduate School Form 3 available at the Graduate School Web Page) listing the graduate student's selection of course work for the degree should be prepared and approved by the end of the first semester by the major advisor along with the student's Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee should represent the academic areas required for the successful completion of the student's work. The committee should be selected by the graduate student and the major professor by the end of the second semester. The plan of study must be turned into the Graduate School at least one semester prior to the student's graduation.

The Advisory Committee is to be composed of a minimum of three faculty members: the major professor, at least one other member of the department, and a third member who may be from an allied discipline or from the department. Faculty selected will be associate (level 1) or full (level 2) members of the Graduate Faculty. The student is responsible for carrying out the program which has been planned and for conferring with the major professor regarding any necessary changes. Major changes (four or more) will require a new Plan of Study to be approved by the Graduate School. Additional information on the Advisory Committee and Plan of Study may be found in the Auburn University Bulletin under The Graduate School or at the Graduate School Web Page.

• The Thesis

The topic selected for the thesis must be approved by the student's major professor and advisory committee. The student conducts the research and prepares the thesis under the direction of the major professor. Students are required to have a minimum of 4 credit hours of research and thesis hours (NUFS 7990). No more than 6 credit hours of research and thesis (NUFS 7990) may count toward the degree. A final oral examination of the thesis is required and must be scheduled according to the deadline indicated in the Graduate School Calendar.

• Time Limit

Graduate work toward a Master's degree must be completed within five calendar years of the start of the course work. The student, with the major professor, develops a plan for completion of the work based on student needs and Graduate School deadlines. It is the graduate student's responsibility to accomplish work according to the predetermined schedule. A "graduation check" must be scheduled with the Graduate School before the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Students must be registered in the semester of graduation.

• Financial Aid

Departmental assistantships (teaching and research) are competitive and vary in number and type from year to year. Out-of-state tuition fees are waived for students receiving one-quarter time (or more) research assistantships. The assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis and require superior academic performance. Other types of part-time positions with various research projects may be available on a short-term basis. NUFS Department Graduate Assistanship Application Form.

Refer to the Auburn University Bulletin or the Graduate School Web Page for other requirements and information regarding Auburn University.
For additional information, please email or write to:
Dr. Sareen S. Gropper, R.D.
Graduate Program Officer
Department of Nutrition and Food Science
328 Spidle Hall
Auburn University, AL 36849-5606

Master of Science – Distance Education
Welcome! Are you looking for a unique educational opportunity?
Busy professionals can now earn a degree in their free time in their own locale.

• Through video-based learning, the Auburn University advanced HRMT degree emphasis allows individuals to balance educational objectives with work and family commitment
• The program is flexible and individualized
• Students receive DVDs and course materials weekly
• A full range of student services are available to assist individuals in their course activities.
• The HRMT Master's degree emphasis meets the same guidelines for quality as do all Auburn University programs.

Program Description

• The Department of Nutrition and Food Science, a department of the College of Human Sciences, offers graduate study leading to a Master of Science degree with emphasis in hotel and restaurant management (HRMT). The combination of a non-thesis emphasis in HRMT and the distance learning program allows Auburn University to reach out to industry and personnel in hospitality in our region by extending classrooms beyond the confines of campus.
• The Program of Study for this non-thesis option in HRMT is consistent with the traditional campus-based program. The non-thesis option will require a written and oral comprehensive examination. In lieu of a thesis, an industry-based research project approved by the student's committee will be required. The student will receive four credits under NUFS 7986 (Non-thesis Research) for work on the project. After completion, the project will be written in a scholarly manner and presented to the committee. Typically, the non-thesis option will require one day on campus. Students electing the thesis option will be required to spend one semester (15-weeks) of residency at the university in addition to completion of a minimum of four credits under NUFS (Research and Thesis). All courses included in the Program of Study are regular courses currently being offered on the Auburn University campus.

Requirements

Admission Requirements

• The general admissions requirements for this program are set by the Auburn University Graduate School.
• Applicants lacking background courses in the field chosen will be required to make up deficiencies; these should be scheduled as soon as possible.
• Courses taken prior to admission to the Graduate School will require approval for applicability by the Department of Nutrition and Food Science and the Graduate School.
  

Degree Requirements

• The M.S. requires a minimum of 30 semester hours for either the thesis or non-thesis option. See the "Courses and Schedule" section for specific course requirements. Submission of a project or thesis is a part of this requirement.

Procedures

1. Initial Enrollment: Selection of courses shall be made under the direction of a department advisor or Graduate Program Officer.
2. Major Professor: A major professor should be selected by the student during the first semester of graduate work. Assistance in identification and appointment of a major professor is available through faculty and department administrators.
3. Advisory Committee: An advisory committee representing the academic areas required for the successful completion of the students work shall be selected by the major professor and graduate student by the end of the second semester. The committee is to be composed of the major professor and at least two other faculty members. Faculty selected must be members of the Graduate Faculty.
4. Plan of Study: Each student should confer with his/her major professor to select the courses for the degree and to discuss research interests. At this time a Plan of Study should be prepared and approved by the major professor and the student's Advisory Committee. The Plan of Study for the Master's degree must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the end of the student's second semester in graduate school and notification of all changes in the Plan of Study must be made prior to the beginning of the student's final semester. The student is responsible for carrying out the program which has been planned and for conferring with the major professor regarding any necessary changes. Significant changes will require a new Plan of Study to be approved by the Graduate School.
5. The Research Project/Thesis: Before the beginning of the second half of the student's course work or upon completion of 15 hours, the student should submit a project/thesis proposal for approval by the major professor and the Advisory Committee. The student conducts the research and prepares a project report/thesis under the direction of the major professor.

6. Time Limit: Graduate work toward a Master's degree must be completed within five calendar years. The student, with the major professor, develops a plan for completion of the work based on student needs and Graduate School deadlines. It is the graduate student's responsibility to accomplish work according to the predetermined schedule.

Delivery Systems

Lectures

Initially, courses will be comprised of DVD recordings of actual classes on campus offered in the same semester. DVDs of each class session will be immediately duplicated and mailed within 48 hours to off campus students registered for the courses. Students will be required to view the DVDs shortly after receiving them in order to stay abreast of the course at roughly the same pace as the on campus students. Students will be allowed to retain the course DVDs.

Examinations

Prior to taking a course examination, students will be required to identify an appropriate academic proctor from the Distance Learning Office's Approved Proctor List. Examinations will be mailed directly to the approved proctor along with detailed instructions concerning the examination procedure. Once the student completes the examination, it will be handed directly to the proctor, immediately sealed in an envelope, and mailed to the Distance Learning Office. The proctor and the student will affirm in writing that the detailed examination procedures were followed appropriately. Examinations will then be handled as are the assignments for the grading process. Students will be expected to take examinations within five working days of the date the examination is given on campus.

Assignments

The Distance Learning Office serves as the primary service office for the students. It will receive assignments from the students, log them in, and pass them on to the faculty for grading. Once the graded assignments are returned from the faculty member, they will again be logged in as graded and returned to the student. The Distance Learning Office will address concerns and provide information for students who have questions about the disposition of their assignments or course materials. Academic questions will be referred to the appropriate faculty member or department administrator.

Program Costs

Partial Textbook and Course Material assistance is provided.
Travel, lodging and meals are not included.
*Due to the number of individual variables that ultimately determine the number of credit hours, these figures are approximates only. These prices are subject to change on an annual basis. Tuition for courses that are not part of the Master of Education in Music Education distance degree program may be charged at different rates.
Check the AU Bursars web page for the billing cycle.

Texts & Materials

Students are expected to provide their own textbooks and supplies.

Anders Bookstore, The AU Bookstore or J&M Bookstore can fill your textbook order. Use any of the following bookstores of your choice to order your textbooks.

There are TWO ways to order from the AU Bookstore:

• Go to www.aubookstore.com  and order your book on-line by submitting the order form provided on that page. Your order may be charged to your Bursar bill or you may use your credit card.
• Dial the toll free number to the AU Bookstore, 877-278-2337 to order your textbooks. 

There are TWO ways to order from J&M Bookstore:

• Visit their website at http://www.jmbooks.com and use their online ordering system.
• Call their toll free number, 800-323-1405 and order by phone. You may use your credit card only at J&M.
  

There are TWO ways to order from Anders Bookstore:

• Visit their website at http://www.anders-bookstore.com and use their online ordering system.
• Call their toll free number, 800-Anders-1.
  

PLEASE CALL Anders Bookstore, AU Bookstore, or J&M at their 800 number to report problems with book shipments or charges.

Additional readings may be made available from the A.U. Library E-Reserves.  However, some materials may only be available from the Learning Resource Center in Haley Center.  Your professor will indicate where you will find materials for each course.
You may also be able to locate texts and materials at various online bookstores or at a bookstore in your locale.
Forms
Apply for admission to graduate study using Graduate Admissions Form.

Course Materials Support:
Distance Learning
Petrie Annex
Auburn University, AL 36849-5611
Phone: (334) 844-3106
Fax: (334) 844-3125
Email:audl@auburn.edu