The graduate program in the Department of Retailing and Tourism Management is philosophically committed to the well-being of individuals in their immediate environment. The program is designed to meet individual student interests and career objectives.
After graduating, students have gone on to work in several different organizations and industries around the world! Click here to see where our alumni are impacting organizations and corporations in these service industries.
We groom our graduates to create a consumer experience that will make people want to come back... whether that is a hotel stay, dinner at a restaurant, or purchasing clothing or another product. Today it is about how fast the customer can get the product, the quality of the product or service, and what consumers experience throughout these transactions.
Chair of the Retailing and Tourism Management program
The graduate program leads to a Master of Science Retailing and Tourism Management with a formal option in HMT (Hospitality Management & Tourism) or MAT (Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles). The program is individualized to meet each student’s career interests using a combination of course work, independent study, and research experience. Coursework in RTM is selected to either the HMT (Hospitality Management & Tourism) or MAT (Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles) focus.
Applicants must meet the Graduate School admission requirements.
The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
Spring: October 15
Fall: February 15
To better understand the interests and areas of study available within the Retailing and Tourism Department, browse these recent dissertations and theses from our graduates:
Profiling Social Media Tourist Using Literature During 2015-2019: Criminal Profiling Method
Jijun Chen. 2021
Apparel Sizing and Fit for Girls: Variation of Select Companies and Parent Opinions
Peggy Sowah, Ashia. 2020
An Evaluation of the Performance of Leggings Based on a Consumer Survey
Virginia Elizabeth Groppor. 2019
The Retailing, Tourism, and Management Club: The RTM Club is a student-run organization on University of Kentucky’s campus that helps to expose students to many aspects of the Merchandising and Hospitality industries. The club is centered on networking opportunities, artistic abilities, and real-life experiences.
Choosing from the many specializations of our professors, students will find a variety of hands-on experiences to suit their interests. Faculty and researchers in the Retailing and Tourism Management Department manage laboratories focused on:
Students interested in learning more about these research operations are encouraged to email the associated contact listed above.
College of Agriculture, Food & Environment
317 Erikson Hall
Lexington KY 40506
(859) 257-7633
