Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Resort Recreation Management (Face-to-Face)

HRHM 4300-01

Course: HRHM 4300-01
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: MHRH
CRN: 10403

Course Description

A complete approach to the operation of resort properties. Resort specific attributes of activities, such as planning, development, financing, marketing, human resources, and government regulation are covered.

Required Texts

There is no assigned coursebook for this course. In lieu of an assigned textbook, a collection of academic journal articles, videos, and institutional sites have been compiled. These readings are assigned per week and listed in the weekly course schedule.

Learning Outcomes

Students will evaluate the unique characteristics of resort management and development, of events at resorts, of vacation ownership, and of national park concessionaire stewardship. Students will appreciate the importance of recreational activities to the success of a resort.

  • Differentiate resort management from the management of other types of hotels.
  • Trace the evolution of the resort form.
  • Identify the economic, social, and environmental considerations in the resort planning and development process.
  • List the steps in the resort planning and development process and the participants involved, emphasizing the role of management.
  • Distinguish facilities planning for resorts from that of other types of hotels.
  • Outline the characteristics of the leisure market.
  • Present alternative planning concepts for resorts, and point out special planning considerations for elements common to all resorts.
  • Discuss the factors limiting the range of recreational activities that can be offered by a resort.
  • Summarize the site requirements, financial aspects, and management requirements of the major resort recreational activities.
  • Understand the importance of effective guest relations.
  • Evaluate the unique characteristics of marketing a resort property.
  • Measure profitability and outline profit planning procedures.
  • Understand all aspects of nontraditional lodging facilities.

The achievement of course learning outcomes will enhance the student’s decision-making ability and career opportunities.

Course Requirements

Course Grading
Homework, resort report, attendance, quizzes, project, exam
  • Attendance 50 (Sliding Scale)
  • Discussion board participation (8) 40 (5 points each)
  • Case study (3) 60 (20 points each)
  • VR module 20
  • Pre-VR survey 5 (full credit upon completion)
  • Post-VR survey 15(full credit upon completion)
  • Unique resort presentation 30 (Individual presentations on a unique resort of your choice)
  • Field trip participation report 50
  • Final Project 110 (Comprehensive written report)
  • Final project presentation 20
  • Total 400
_ %__ _ _Points_
A = 94 - 100% 376
A- = 90 - 93 % 375 to 360
B+ = 86 - 89% 359 to 344
B = 83 - 85% 343 to 332
B- = 80 - 82% 331 to 320
C+ = 76 - 79% 319 to 304
C = 73 - 75% 303 to 292
C- = 70 - 72% 291 to 280
D= 60 - 69% 279 to 240
F= ≤ 59% ≤ 239
Course Grading Segment Explanations
Attendance (50 points) Class attendance is encouraged. Attendance points are awarded according to the sliding scales.
Discussion board participation (40 points) There are in total 8 discussion boards available with varies topic. To receive 5 points each time, contributions to the discussion board including posting your own opinion and reply to at least two students’ posts.
Case study (60 points) There are in total 3 case studies submission throughout the semester, each case study submission is worth 20 points.
VR Module (20 points) Successfully complete the VR module through the software bodyswaps allowing you to earn 20 points by uploading your completion certificate.
VR pre and post surveys (20 points) Successfully complete the canvas pre and post surveys to earn 20 points.
Unique resort presentation (30 points) Individual presentation on the unique resort of your choice. select a prominent resort of the world, create a PowerPoint slide, and make a twenty to twenty-five minutes presentation to the class. Please see the assignment rubric and corresponding component points on Canvas. The final submission is through Canvas
Field trip participation assignments (50 points) Attend the field trip and write up reports.
Final resort project (110 points) Students will form into groups and research a resort. Detailed instructions are on canvas. Throughout the semester, there are two checkpoints on the final resort project, where each one of the checkpoints will include some feedback for the improvement area for the final report. The breakdown of the criteria can be found through Canvas. The comprehensive report includes citations within the text and a separate reference section. Use APA style.
Final project presentation (20 points) The last week of the lecture, students will present the final project. Equal contributions are required from final resort project and presentation.

Course Outline

Course HRHM 4300 Calendar

*The instructor reserves the right to amend the calendar as appropriate during the semester.

DateTopic/ActivityChapter/Assignment
Section 1 -Types of resorts and experiencesSection 1 -Types of resorts and experiencesSection 1 -Types of resorts and experiences
Week 1Course IntroductionOrientation
Discussion board 1 due
Week 2No Class Monday, January 15, 2024 MLK
The Resort Concept
Resort fundamentals
Unique resorts
What is a resort?
Choose your own unique resort and get ready for in-class presentation.
Discussion board 2 due
Week 3In class presentation of unique resortsResort Report Presentations
Week 4Luxury brands and experiencesCase study 1 due
Discussion board 3 due
Week 5Technology and future trends at resorts
Marketing ROI simulation
No discussion
VR survey pre-evaluation due
Form the group for final project
Section 2 - ServiceSection 2 - ServiceSection 2 - Service
Week 6PersonalizationDiscussion board 4 due
VR module starts
Case study 2 due
Week 7No Class Monday, February 19, 2024
Market analysis
Discussion board 5 due
Final project checkpoint 1
Spring BreakEnjoy!No Due
Week 9Feedback and quality assuranceDiscussion board 6 due
VR module due
Section 3 – Resorts operational elements break downSection 3 – Resorts operational elements break downSection 3 – Resorts operational elements break down
Week 10Facilities/Energy sustainabilityVR survey post evaluation due
Week 11Financial review (revenue simulation)Case study 3 due
Week 12Recreation ActivitiesRevenue simulation due
Final project checkpoint 2
Week 13Laws and regulationsDiscussion board 7 due
Week 14Cruise ship-floating resortsDiscussion board 8 due
Final project checkpoint 3
Week 15Student PresentationsGroup Project Presentations due
Final paper due

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

CLASSROOM DECORUM: People do business with people they know and trust. Students are expected to practice traits they will need to gain the trust of their peers and superordinates in the business world. These traits include respect, timeliness, courtesy, and integrity. In other words: arrive on time; depart on time; hand assignments in on time; do not interrupt class with talking, rustling papers, cell phones, etc.; be honest and fair in all of your dealings with other humans. Points will be deducted for late work.

Attendance Policy

Attendance (50 points) Class attendance is encouraged. Attendance points are awarded according to the sliding scales.

Course Fees

Content for this section will be provided by the instructor.

Prerequisites

HRHM 3000 or 3010

3

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.