Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Hospitality Management Systems (Face-to-Face)

HRHM 4400-01

Course: HRHM 4400-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: MHRH
CRN: 30256

Course Description

This course builds upon business concepts in managerial accounting, management, marketing, and information technology with hospitality industry-specific applications. Topics include property situational analysis, operational ratios, forecasting and budgeting in Excel, room sales distribution channels, employee selection, retention and compensation, and hospitality information technology systems.
HRHM 4400 provides students practical knowledge and skills needed for success in the hospitality industry. Students participate in Market Study competition in class, learn how to assess market conditions using STR reports and other hotel industry resources, and produce a professional presentation. Students may take a written exam to receive the Certification in Advanced Hotel and Tourism Analytics (CAHTA). The course culminates with production of an annual full-service hotel financial plan, engaging students in key marketing and managerial concepts required for career success.

Required Texts

No required texts. Materials will be provided by instructors through Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

Course Goal. Students will understand key hospitality industry-specific concepts in managerial accounting, marketing, management, and information technology that are used to prepare the annual financial plan.

  1. Students should use ratio analysis and cost concepts to interpret information reported on hospitality financial statements and reports. Common ratios and costs include occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), revenue per available room (REVPAR), labor productivity, cost of sales, average check, profit margins, cost per occupied room, cost per cover, and costs as a percent of revenue.
  2. Students should become acquainted with industry research firms and learn how to apply industry revenue forecasts to hotel property goals and objectives.
  3. Students should understand how to conduct a hotel geographic market study, present the results, and obtain the Certification in Advanced Hotel and Tourism Analytics (CAHTA).
  4. Students should understand how hospitality firms evaluate wage scales, benefits administration, training needs for guest service and safety, employee recruiting, selection, and compensation, and marketing promotion concepts.
  5. The student should understand the information technology used in the hospitality industry for reservations, front office, point of sale, telecommunications, general ledger, group sales and meeting space, and energy management.
  6. The mastery of course concepts should enhance students’ decision-making ability and career performance evaluations.
Learning OutcomesLearning ActivitiesAssessment Methods
Students should use ratio analysis and cost concepts to interpret information reported on hospitality financial statements and reports. Common ratios and costs include occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), revenue per available room (REVPAR), labor productivity, cost of sales, average check, profit margins, cost per occupied room, and cost per cover.Preparing a hotel budgetPerformance on budget project and on budget exam.
Students should become acquainted with industry research firms and learn how to apply industry revenue forecasts to hotel property goals and objectives.Researching industry forecasts and setting budget goals.Performance on marketing plan and budget projects.
Students should understand how to utilize STR reports for the Market Study competition and prepare for the Certification in Advanced Hotel and Tourism Analytics (CAHTA)Completing sections of the Market Study.Performance in the Market Study competition and on the CAHTA exam.
Students should understand how hospitality firms evaluate wage scales, benefits administration, training needs for guest service and safety, and employee recruiting, selection, and promotion concepts.Completing the hotel wage scale.Performance on the wage scale assignment and on the related sections of the budget project.
Learning OutcomesLearning ActivitiesAssessment Methods
The student should understand the information technology used in the hospitality industry for reservations, front office, point of sale, telecommunications, general ledger, group sales and meeting space, and energy management.Textbook readings and class attendance.Second exam.
The mastery of course concepts should enhance students’ decision-making ability and career performance evaluations.Completion of Market Study and budget assignments.Performance in Market Study competition and CAHTA exam and on budget assignment.

Course Requirements

Grading and Evaluation
AssessmentPoints
Attendance60
Market Study160
Group presentation30
Forecast30
Budget150
Market study exam50
Online final exam20
Total500
Grade Scale
  • ≥470
  • A- 90–93 — 450 to 465
  • B+ 86–89 — 430 to 445
  • B 83–85 — 415 to 425
  • B- 80–82 — 400 to 410
  • C+ 76–79 — 380 to 395
  • C 73–75 — 365 to 375
  • C- 70–72 — 350 to 360
  • D 60–69 — 300 to 345
  • ≤295
Participation in Competition

Students will participate in the international Market Study competition for the marketing portion of the class. The Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business has already paid the participation fee.

Assignment Details

Market Study (160 points): Students will base their market study on the STR PowerPoint slide instructions.

  • General Makeup of the Market (30 points)
  • Current Statistics (15 points)
  • Trended Data (25 points)
  • Market Breakdowns (15 points)
  • Comparable Markets (15 points)
  • Types of Business (15 points)
  • Pipeline and Development Data (15 points)
  • Summary & overall (30 points)

Group presentation (30 points): In-class group presentations will be held; judges will come from outside the department. The winning team will represent SUU at the STR competition.

Forecast (30 points): Test a regression model with hotel sales as the dependent variable and gross state product (GSP) as the independent variable. Research reliable forecasts for the upcoming year. Write a paper explaining the regression tests and make a recommendation for sales increases for each revenue category for the upcoming year.

Budget (150 points): The previous year’s data and nine months of this year’s actual data are provided. Forecast the remaining three months of this year. Build an annual budget according to the forecast, wage survey, and guidelines provided for the upcoming year. Only annual numbers with corresponding ratios and percentages will be presented for the forecast and budget. The forecast and budget segments will be worth the following points:

  • 2022 year-end forecast (35 points)
  • 2023 revenues (30 points)
  • 2023 cost of sales (10 points)
  • 2023 wages and benefits (20 points)
  • 2023 other expenses (15 points)
  • 2023 consolidated summary (15 points)
  • 2023 occupancy and ADR break-even analysis (10 points)

Exams (60 points): Building-a-budget spreadsheet exam (40 points) and an exam on the managerial accounting concepts used in this course (20 points).

Teams

Students will be assigned into teams for the Market Study assignment. Students will form groups of one to three people for the Budget assignment. Students will complete a peer participation schedule for each part of the assignment. Every student is expected to know every aspect of both the Market Study and Budget assignments. Students who participate less will receive lower grades than higher-participating team members.

Course Outline

Date | Topic/Activity | Assignment Due
Week 1 | Introduction/Course Expectations
Understand “Market Study” scope | 
Week 2 | Market Study Preparation | General Makeup of Market
Week 3 | Market Study Preparation | Current Statistics
Week 4 | Market Study Preparation
Market Breakdown | Trended Data
Week 5 | Market Study Preparation | Comparable Markets
Week 6 | Market Study Preparation | Types of Business
Week 7 | Market Study Preparation | Pipeline & Development
Week 8 | Market Study Preparation | Summary & Closing
Week 9 | Market Study Preparation | Presentation Preparation
Week 10 | Presentation week | Competitive Presentations
Week 11 | Projecting 2024 Revenues & Expenses | Forecast Assignment
Week 12 | Forecasting | 2024 Revenues & COS
Excel Spreadsheet Exam
Week 13 | Planning & Recruiting
Evaluating Employee Performance
Compensation Administration
Incentive & Benefits Administration | Wage Assignment
2024 Wages, Benefits, & Productivity
Excel Spreadsheet Exam
Week 14 | Other Expenses & Final Budget
Break Even Analysis
Week 15 | Thanksgiving break | No class
Student Evaluations On-line | 2025 Other Expenses
2025 Final Budget
Week 16 | Final exam | 

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Classroom Decorum. Students are expected to practice professional traits needed to gain the trust of peers and supervisors, including respect, timeliness, courtesy, and integrity. Arrive on time; depart on time; submit assignments on time; do not interrupt class with talking, rustling papers, cell phones, etc.; be honest and fair in all dealings. Texting is not allowed. Points will be deducted for late work.

Attendance Policy

Class attendance is MANDATORY and counts toward the course grade (60 points). Attendance points are awarded according to the following scale:

  • 60 points: No absences
  • 40 points: Up to 3 absences
  • 30 points: Up to 4 absences
  • 20 points: Up to 5 absences
  • 10 points: Up to 6 absences
  • 0 points: More than 6 absences

Course Fees

Optional Certification Fee. Certification in Advanced Hospitality and Tourism Analytics (CAHTA) is voluntary; everyone receives CAHTA instruction and takes the certification exam. For those wishing to certify, the cost is $300.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.