We offer three different associate degrees in hospitality management, including hotel management, restaurant management, and meeting and event planning—the only AAS degree of its kind in Pennsylvania. In addition to the three associate degree options, we also offer several one-year specialized diploma programs to set you on the fast track to your career.
Why go on vacation when your work could feel like one? If working in five-star resorts, chic city eateries, or tourism destinations sounds like your dream job—the hospitality management programs at NCC can help launch your career.
Your success is at the heart of each and every hospitality program we offer. Our career services department help students prepare for job interviews and support alumni as they enter the professional world. These programs can also serve as jumping off points for transferring into four-year bachelor degree programs in hospitality management.
Find support, guidance, and encouragement as you pursue the career of your dreams through Northampton Community College. These programs are offered at both our Bethlehem and Monroe campuses, with certain classes even provided online. Whichever path you choose, you'll have the opportunity to explore different facets of the industry through internships, expand your knowledge with talks from industry leaders and guest speakers, and discover the perfect career for you.
Academic Years: 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022
Undergraduate Enrollment – Major | 3 Years Ago | 2 Years Ago | 1 Year Ago |
Number of Students | 75 | 58 | 40 |
Number of Graduates | 24 | 21 | 12 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 11.5:1 | 7.25:1 | 5:1 |
Retention Rate % – Freshmen to Sophomore (for all Programs) | 89% | 84% | 86% |
% Students employed in the hospitality industry or a related field within 90 days after graduation | 70% | 77.5% | 58% |
% Students continuing their education within 90 days after graduation | 30% | 22.5% | 42% |
Total Professional Placement and Continuing Education Rate | 100% | 100%% | 100% |
At NCC, we offer hands-on, interactive courses that truly immerse you in your field of study and the hospitality industry as a whole. The associate degree in hotel management includes classes in guest services, room division law, and other subjects. The combination of classwork and internships offered in this program prepares graduates to work at the managerial level of the hotel industry, attending to every detail and ensuring guests have a memorable experience from check-in to check-out.
Our hospitality programs focus on learning by doing. While in our restaurant management program, you will participate in live labs that will give you hands-on experience. Live lab opportunities are available at outstanding local restaurants, "Hampton Winds" campus restaurant, and at numerous campus special events. The restaurant program includes classes in food preparation techniques, dining room operations, menu planning and cost controls, and the fundamentals of beers, wines, and spirits. This program prepares you to embark on careers in some of the best restaurants in Pennsylvania and equips you with the tools to one day open a restaurant of your own.
Our associates degree in Meeting and Event Planning Management empowers you to plan, organize, and execute events and meetings on all levels, from corporate retreats to extravagant parties. The curriculum of this program is focused on the core concepts within guest services, leadership, communication, teamwork, and problem solving. By graduation, you will be fully prepared to embark on a career as an entry level event planner, with a firm foundation in the skills that will stay with you as you grow into leadership roles.
Our two-year specialized diploma in Meeting and Event Planning empowers you to plan, organize, and execute events and meetings on all levels, from corporate retreats to extravagant parties. The curriculum of this program is focused on the core concepts within guest services, leadership, communication, teamwork, and problem solving. By graduation, you will be fully prepared to embark on a career as an entry level event planner, with a firm foundation in the skills that will stay with you as you grow into leadership roles.
NCC's Dining Room Operations program, you will receive the skills necessary to succeed in major restaurants and resorts, catering and food service companies, and corporate kitchens. The dining room program stresses the management side of hospitality with an emphasis on front-of-house operations and human resources. With this specialized diploma, you can go on to work as a manager in some of the top restaurants in any city—taking your passion for fine dining to the next level.
In our signature resort management program, you will experience specialized programming and gain managerial, technical, and operational expertise necessary to run a resort or club. Northampton courses in resort management also include instruction in communication, leadership, and financial management, along with basic hospitality laws and best practices. By graduation, you will have a well-rounded skill set that prepares you not only for the management of resort operations but enables you to work your way up to high level management positions in five star resorts around the country.
Hospitality Managment Program Mission Statement: Offer professional hospitality with a diverse outlook on the local and global communities via student engagement through innovative live labs and technologies. By providing an accessible and comprehensive learning experience students gain a global leadership perspective on accountability and integrity in the hospitality and related businesses.
Hospitality Managment Program Vision Statement: As one of the leading Hospitality Management Programs in the nation, we will:
Options |
Associate of Applied Science |
Specialized Diploma |
Hotel |
Hotel Management |
Resort Management |
Restaurant |
Restaurant Management |
Restaurant Administration |
Meeting and Event Planning |
Meeting and Event Planning |
Meeting and Event Planning |
At NCC, our one-year specialized diploma programs facilitate career changes, imparting the skills and knowledge required to get a foot in the door at some of the most sought after institutions in the hospitality industry. Gain important skills and earn a diploma that can launch a new career in only one year with these specialized programs.
If you are a Northampton Community College student living outside of Pennsylvania or intending to complete an internship or clinical placement outside of the state in a NCC program leading to professional licensure, you should review requirements on the state board website to make sure that the program qualifies.
Licensure requirements vary from state to state and you may require additional authorization from the professional licensing agency in that state. Participating in a program from outside of Pennsylvania, if not properly authorized by that state's professional licensing board, could result in loss of licensing eligibility. If you need help or have questions, please contact the Program Director for more information.
Our programs cover the crucial skills required to make it in this industry, including:
Hospitality management graduates are in high-demand at many companies that cater to meeting customer needs. Our graduates find work globally and locally and in many different fields, including resort and hotel management, event planning, tourism destinations and attractions, airlines and cruises, guest services, human resources, and sales and marketing.
No matter where your degree takes you, common skills are required for success. As a part of Northampton Community College's hospitality management training program, you'll learn the basic process of running a business and planning events. A large part of our programs also involves the development of interpersonal skills to serve guests and manage staff effectively. Our programs cover the crucial skills required to make it in this industry, including: Cultural Awareness and Acceptance, Stress Management, Organization & Planning, Money Management and Customer Service.
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