UNT is offering new classes in the College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism as well as expanding the presence of its College of Business through an opportunity to obtain a Doctorate in Business Administration.
UNT at Frisco Dean Audhesh Paswan said as the industry has evolved, so has his philosophy, and he called those teaching these courses “information Jedis.”
“[These Jedis] are passing along knowledge and creating an educational experience for students,” he said. “Colleges can create value by creating hands-on learning platforms where students can apply their knowledge to real-world problems.”
For Paswan, there is an overlap between the fields of business, technology and social science, and giving students a wide breadth of class offerings goes hand in hand with creating value for companies, employers and students.
Among the new business offerings is a Master of Science in Advanced Data Analytics program, which lays the groundwork for those interested in the DBA program. The UNT New College is also continuing to offer its Project Design & Analysis, Industrial Distribution and Applied Project Design and Analysis degree program.
Paswan said the value of these programs can be seen in real-world collaborations between UNT students and companies in North Texas.
Some examples of business collaborations include:
- An online M.B.A in Sports Entertainment and Management developed by working with the Dallas Cowboys
- A collaboration with Toyota on the Data Analytics program
- New College’s PDA students have worked on projects with a variety of companies, including Sam’s Club and NT Logistics.
- AGENZ has developed social media content and marketing research for Kaleidoscope Park, Frisco’s new park currently under development.
“I truly believe we are in the knowledge business at UNT Frisco,” Paswan said. “We are no longer in the industrial revolution of the past where land labor was the value creator. We are in a knowledge economy where knowledge creates value.”
In addition to degrees and programs, UNT will also offer stackable certifications for students looking for the skills they need to be successful, Kim Williams, chair of the department of Hospitality & Tourism Management at UNT said.
At the UNT Frisco campus, the College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism will offer a new Bachelor of Science degree in Event Design and Experience Management, a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management as well as seven new certifications at the Frisco and Denton campuses in fall 2023, including:
- Food and Beverage Management
- Global Tourism Management
- Integrated Resort Management
- Green Leadership (This certification focuses on sustainability)
- Hospitality Technology & Analytics Management
- Finance and Accounting Management
- Live Entertainment Design Management (This certification is a collaboration with UNT's Dance & Theatre Department)
“Students need to be resilient now more than ever,” she said. “Before, students studying hotel operations might pick either the food and beverage industry or tourism. Now, they are focusing on all of it and exposing themselves to the industry and all it offers.”
When determining the list of certifications, Williams said the college enlisted the expertise of an advisory board made up of experts in the industry.
“We asked them, ‘What do our students need to know?’” she said. “We took their suggestions and made sure we had the expertise to offer those courses, because we want employers knocking down the door for our students.”
Some of the new course offerings include:
- Modern Wedding Planning
- Cruise Events Management
- Analytical Tools for Hospitality and Tourism
- Hospitality Revenue Management
- an Event Capstone
“During the course, students are learning how to collaborate with external partners and departments and work with other students,” she said. “It’s amazing to see their progress and they’re getting this experience in a safe learning environment. These classes teach students to effectively communicate and present their ideas, to listen and to be innovative and creative.”
These stackable certificates also offer graduates an opportunity to be lifelong learners because they provide current industry knowledge. Williams said it is important for individuals to keep their skill sets current.
“It’s a perfect time to be in the industry of hospitality and tourism as we see the growth in Plano and Frisco and the Omni PGA development,” she said. “We already have a certification in mind for Universal Kids Frisco.”
Find more details about UNT’s College of Business and College of Merchandising Hospitality and Tourism and view the list of fall 2023 course offerings here. Read more about UNT here.
The above story was written by Summer El-Shahawy, a member of Community Impact’s Storytelling team, with information solely provided by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team. Our integrity promise to our readers is to clearly identify all CI Storytelling posts so they are separate from the content decided upon, researched, and written by our journalism department.
