Interested in hospitality – but not sure which area is most appealing? This program lets you explore every facet.
Two happy students seated at a long table facing a window looking at a tablet.
Hospitality Specialist
Program Number: 311094
Your Degree: Technical Diploma
Estimated Time to Complete: 35 Credits | Finish diploma in 1 year
Delivery Method: 100% Online, Some Online/Some In Person
Area of Study: Culinary, Hospitality and Fitness
Estimated Program Cost: $6,501.45
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  • Program Overview

    Hospitality Specialist, the one-year technical diploma at Madison College, is designed to help you obtain skills needed to begin or continue your career in the expansive hospitality industry. Hospitality includes careers in tourism, hotels and resorts, gaming establishments, event services, restaurants, bakeries, catering services, health care facilities, and schools.

    The Hospitality Specialist program incorporates comprehensive hands-on learning experiences that will prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities in hospitality. You will hone your customer service and communication skills and learn about industry trends, marketing, business, accounting fundamentals, social media, meeting management, and law.

    After completing the Hospitality Specialist diploma, you have the opportunity to further your education and expand your career potential by enrolling in our Hospitality Management associate degree program.

    Program Details

    Students in the Hospitality Specialist technical program can attend part-time or full-time, online or in person.

    • Madison – Truax
    • Online

    Careers

    After completing the Hospitality Specialist Technical program at Madison Area Technical College, examples of opportunities for your career starting point include but are not limited to the following areas:

    • Bar or Restaurant Supervisor
    • Casino Supervisor
    • Catering Assistant
    • Convention Services Specialist
    • Front Office Manager
    • Guest Services Coordinator
    • Hospitality Coordinator
    • Housekeeping Leader
    • Meeting or Event Coordinator
    • Reservation Specialist
    • Operations Specialist
    • Sales Manager
    • Spa Manager
    • Special Event Coordinator
    • Tour Guide

  • Program Courses

    Here's a sample course sequence that shows how classes for full-time students are typically organized by semester. 

    Once you're admitted, your full curriculum and sequence—including any pre-requisites—is defined in your Degree Progress Report.

    First Semester
    10-106-100
    Mindset for Success
    Designed to foster the attitudes and skills that can inspire and empower you throughout your career regardless of your chosen path. Develop and improve skills in creativity, ambition, critical thinking, innovation, opportunistic thinking, and teamwork through experiential and problem-solving approaches. Become an engaged workplace contributor and develop a workforce-ready mindset.
    3 credits
    10-109-101
    Exploring Hospitality
    Introduces new students to the broad spectrum of the leisure services industry. Typical career areas include food service, lodging, travel/tourism, and recreation. The course explores educational options and program career opportunities as well as historical and operational perspectives of the career areas mentioned.
    3 credits
    10-145-123
    Leading Your Life with Emotional Intelligence
    Explore the history and research, as well as the different components of emotional intelligence that affect all aspects of your life. Learn how our emotions drive learning, decision-making, creativity, relationships and mental health. Develop strategies to help you build cooperative relationships, handle difficult situations, and create energy and enthusiasm to foster meaningful change in your personal and professional life. Create an action plan to improve and strengthen your emotional intelligence as well as experiment with techniques that facilitate working with others of varying emotional backgrounds and competency levels.
    3 credits
    10-109-131
    Rooms Division Operation
    Investigates the organization, performance and evaluation of the rooms division of a lodging facility (front desk, reservations, housekeeping and telephone systems) as essential components of operational success and guest satisfaction.
    3 credits
    10-801-195
    Written Communication
    Develops workplace writing skills which include prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. A variety of writing assignments are designed to help the learner analyze audience and purpose, research and organize ideas, and format and design documents based on workplace subject matter and content.
    3 credits
    Second Semester
    10-104-102
    Marketing Principles
    Explore the dynamic and engaging world of marketing where creativity meets strategy. This course dives into the four key principles: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Students will uncover how marketing shapes business through topics like target markets, consumer behavior, product development, pricing strategies, distribution channels, and innovative promotions.
    3 credits
    10-104-114
    Social Media Marketing
    This course provides an overview of the impact of social media technologies on marketing strategies. Current social media tools/platforms and their business applications, strategy insights, creative, and ethics will be covered along with the development of a social media marketing plan.
    3 credits
    10-106-112
    Event Planning & Coordination
    Learn to plan and coordinate business meetings and events using event management processes such as goal setting, developing objectives, planning and implementation of event logistics, facility set up, and follow-up activities.
    3 credits
    10-109-136
    Hospitality Law
    A preventive approach to the laws and liabilities, as well as responsibilities of owners/operators of hotels, restaurants and travel facilities. Reviews precedent-setting court decisions, legal fundamentals, negligence doctrines, civil rights issues and the relationship between providers and the guests/clients.
    3 credits
    10-801-196
    Oral/Interpersonal Communication
    Focuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication.
    3 credits
    10-804-123
    Math with Business Applications
    This course integrates algebraic concepts, proportions, percents, simple interest, compound interest, annuities, and basic statistics with business/consumer scenarios. It also applies math concepts to the purchasing/buying and selling processes.
    5 credits

  • How to Apply

    To Apply

    Earning a degree is a great way to advance your career development opportunities, so apply today!

    If you are an international student and want to apply to Madison College, or transfer your F-1 student visa here, check program availability and then complete the International Admission Process.

    Note: It is recommended to only apply for a semester that has already started if you are currently enrolled in classes, or you have verified that classes are still available for that semester.

    Application Dates

    Fall 2026

    • Application open
    • Application completion deadline is November 15, 2026

    Spring 2027

    • Application open
    • Application completion deadline is April 15, 2027

    Summer 2027

    • Application available on September 15, 2026
    • Application completion deadline is July 15, 2027

    Fall 2027

    • Application available on October 15, 2026
    • Application completion deadline is August 31, 2027

    Admission Requirements

    All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.

    1. Admission Application

    The online application allows you to save your work as you complete it and ensures fast, secure delivery to our office.

    2. Education Completion

    Submit official transcripts from the institutions you attended that indicate one of the following:

    • High school completion (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
    • GED/HSED completion
    • College transcript or Madison College experience showing:
      • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
      • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale
        • The credits must be completed at a single college and cannot be combined with other transcripts
        • Any transfer credit listed on a transcript does not count toward the 30-credit minimum
        • Credits completed at Madison College are evaluated and do not require a transcript

    All high school and/or college transcripts are recommended to be submitted for Credit for Prior Learning evaluation.

    Additional Notes

    Individual courses may have prerequisites to enroll. Admission into a certificate or waiting list does not guarantee eligibility to enroll in courses. See the Curriculum section for the list of courses for the certificate. 

    Questions?

    Contact the Enrollment Center at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.

     

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    Get Started!

    Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Hospitality Specialist career.

    It's Free to Apply

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