Experiential Learning
Retail and Consumer Sciences • Restaurant and Food Service Management • Hotel and Tourism Management
Consumer Service Management degree programs promote experiential learning
through industry-related work experience and internships, study tours,
and exchange programs.
Students are required to complete 300 hours of post secondary
school work experience in their chosen fields before requesting
progression into the program during the junior year.
A professional experience is required for all majors. Typically undertaken during the summer after the junior year, this rotational internship should give students an overview of an organization's approach to operations management.
The second professional or managerial experience, ideally taken during a student's final semester, is required for Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism majors and is optional for Retail majors. This internship should build upon the professional experience and can be fulfilled through a company's management training program.
The department regularly schedules international and domestic study tours that combine professional appointments and cultural visits. Recent trips have been taken to Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
The department has a student exchange program with Christelijke Hogeschool Noord, located in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. This is one of the foremost schools in Europe focusing on hotel, retail, and leisure management. Students can fulfill degree requirements during a semester study program for a cost equivalent to attending UT.
Contact the Department of Retail, Hospitality,
and Tourism Management
1215 W. Cumberland Ave.
110 Jessie Harris Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-1911
Email: rhtm@utk.edu
Fax: 865-974-5236
Hotel, Restaurant, & Tourism
Phone: 865-974-2141
Retail & Consumer Sciences
Phone: 865-974-2141