Do you like serving others? Are you your family’s go-to chef or party planner? Maybe you’re looking for a career that allows you to be both creative and technical.
If so, the Hospitality Administration program could be the educational pathway for you!
Ivy Tech Hospitality Administration students receive world-class education on state-of-the-art equipment to prepare for the workforce.
While the skills taught vary across our associate degrees and certificate programs, here’s a peek into what you might do as a Hospitality Administration student:
Practice working effectively in teams.
Gain industry-specific knowledge and skills to achieve operational efficiency and productivity in hospitality and/or commercial kitchen operations.
Strengthen your written and oral communication skills.
Adhere to the professional dress and grooming standards expected in hospitality operations.
Grow your customer service skill set.
Develop advanced knife, tool, and equipment handling skills.
Draw upon food preparation and baking science principles to create food products.
Use classic, contemporary, and global cooking techniques in a state-of-the-art kitchen.
Learn the skills needed to work as a professional pastry culinarian.
Master decorating and complex preparation techniques of pastries, confections, cakes, specialty cakes, wedding cakes, and dessert composition.
Study bakery merchandising techniques and strategies to successfully run a bakery operation.
Career Options
The Hospitality Administration program at Ivy Tech provides more than a dozen career pathways for you to choose from. So whether you want to manage a hotel or work your way up to a head chef role at a fine dining restaurant, one of our associate degree or certificate programs could help get you there.
Here’s where you could land:
Hospitality Manager
Foodservice Manager
Restaurant Manager
Baker
Lead Baker
Pastry Chef
Pastry Cook
Sous Chef
Kitchen Manager
Chef de Cuisine
Bar Manager
Cicerone
Sommelier
Mixologist
Beverage Sales Specialist
Caterer
Cook
Lead Cook
Certified Dietary Manager
Director of Dining Services
Event Planner
Meeting Planner
Hospitality Supervisor
Hotel Supervisor
Food Protection Manager
Degree Types Offered
Credential Type
Associate Degrees – Career-Ready Degrees
Associate Degree – Transferable Degree
Long-Term Certificates
– known as Technical Certificates (TC)
Short-Term Certificates
– known as Certificates (CT)
You'd like to earn industry-recognized credentials to start or grow a career in hospitality management
You wish to gain cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills through general education courses
You have a passion for baking and want to launch a career as a professional Baker or Pastry Chef
You wish to supplement your technical courses with cross-disciplinary knowledge gained from general education courses
You love to cook and hope to build a career as a professional Chef
You wish to supplement your culinary courses with interdisciplinary general education courses
You'd like to pursue a bachelor's degree in hospitality studies following completion of your associate degree
You'd like to strengthen existing job or educational experience through industry-recognized certifications
You'd like to build upon the Pastry Culinarian Certificate with additional knowledge and skills
You wish to build on the Culinarian Certificate with additional knowledge and skills
You'd like to supplement existing career or educational experience with an industry certification
You've already completed the Hospitality Management Certificate and want to gain additional relevant skills
You'd like to complement industry experience with education
You're fascinated with the world of beer, wine, and spirits and would like to become a Beverage Manager
You get a thrill out of planning, preparing, and executing one-of-a-kind catered events
Cooking brings you joy and you want to gain skills to launch a professional career in foodservice as a Lead Cook or Sous Chef
You’re seeking a career certification jumpstart a career as a Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) or Certified Food Protection Professional (CFPP) in the healthcare industry
You're looking for a certification to help you land a role as a Director of Dining Services in the senior living foodservice field
You're organized and get excited about planning social and/or corporate meetings and events
You'd like to kick off a career as a manager in the foodservice industry
You'd like to land a management role in a hotel or lodging environment
You've got a passion for baking and want to gain the skills needed to work as a Pastry Chef or Baker
You're a foodservice worker looking to advance into a leadership role in food safety
You’re seeking a career certification jumpstart a career as a Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) or Certified Food Protection Professional (CFPP) in the healthcare industry
You're looking for a certification to help you land a role as a Director of Dining Services in the senior living foodservice field
Note: Program availability varies by location and not all program tracks are offered at each campus/location.
Associate Degrees – Career-Ready Degrees
As a student in the Hospitality Administration AAS program, you'll take courses in customer service, food theory, menu design, and more. You can customize your education with a number of relevant elective courses.
Baking and Pastry Arts Concentration students take courses on management, classical pastries and chocolates, wedding cake production, and other relevant baking subjects. You can also customize your education with a number of elective courses.
Culinary Arts Concentration students gain in-depth knowledge of specialized cuisine, catering administration, hospitality purchasing, classical cuisines, and other relevant culinary subjects.
The Associate of Science in Hospitality Administration is perfect for students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Students in this program can choose between two areas of focus: beverage management and dietary management.
Did you know you can save upward of $10,000 by completing your first two years at Ivy Tech and then transferring? Our Hospitality Administration program currently partners with eight schools so you can seamlessly transfer without losing your credits or time:
Talk to our transfer advocates for information about continuing your education after completing your associate degree at Ivy Tech. You are also encouraged to contact the university to which you plan to transfer. Note that admission is not guaranteed just by enrolling in the Hospitality Administration program. You will need to be admitted to the institution you intend to transfer to.
Required Courses
Associate degree graduates must complete a total of 60 credit hours:
Long-Term Certificates
known as Technical Certificates (TC)
The Baking and Pastry Arts Technical Certificate (TC) will enable students to learn essential technical skills and acquire industry certifications to help them launch careers as Bakers or Pastry Chefs.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 32 credit hours:
The Culinary Arts Technical Certificate (TC) will teach students essential technical skills in food theory, baking, customer service, nutrition, management, and food preparation.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 32 credit hours:
The Hospitality Management Technical Certificate (TC) prepares students for the ManageFirst Professional certification exam. Students gain hundreds of hours of valuable work experience and can go on to enter the workforce immediately or complete the associate degree in Hospitality Management.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 32 credit hours:
Short-Term Certificates
known as Certificates (CT)
The Beverage Management Certificate (CT) prepares students to take several industry certification exams, including the Certified Beer Server® exam, Certified Specialist of Wine exam, Certified Hospitality Beverage exam, Certified Specialist of Spirits exam, Principles of Food exam, and Beverage Management Certificate exam. Students must be at least 21 years old to enroll in this program.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 16 credit hours.
The Catering Certificate (CT) teaches students the ins and outs of planning and executing catered events. This credential is stackable and can be completed while pursuing an associate degree.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 29 credit hours.
The Culinary Arts Certificate (CT) provides a solid base of knowledge in the subjects of sanitation and safety, basic food theory, nutrition, soups and sauces, baking, and management.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 16 credit hours.
The Dietary Management Certificate (CT) teaches critical skills in diet therapy, nutrition, and dietary management and supervision. Students also complete an internship during this program.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 18 credit hours.
The Event Management Certificate (CT) leads to the following certifications: Event Management Technology, ServSafe Food Managers, ServSafe Alcohol, and NRAEF ManageFirst Customer Service. Students take courses on food theory, sanitation, meeting planning, special event management, and other relevant topics.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 24 credit hours.
The Hospitality Management Certificate (CT) leads to national certification in ManageFirst Professional. Courses focus on nutrition, food theory, sanitation, and management.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 20 credit hours.
In the Hotel Operations Certificate (CT), students earn industry certifications such as the Certified Hospitality Supervisor certification and the ManageFirst Professional Designation. They take courses in hospitality sales and marketing, housekeeping, revenue management, and other relevant subject matter.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 29 credit hours.
In the Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate (CT), you'll learn to masterfully create classical pastries, chocolates, cakes, icings, and other confections. You'll graduate job-ready with a certification from the American Culinary Federation.
Earn a Certificate on the Way to Your Associate Degree
A recommended path to one of the associate degrees in Hospitality Administration is to complete one or more of the certificates offered by Ivy Tech while working toward the degree. The certificates are designed to provide gateways toward entry-level hospitality administration and culinary careers, so you can begin working quickly. You may then choose to pursue a credential that requires more credits and time in order to learn more and move up in your professional career. You can apply the credits from your certificate to your higher-level credential at Ivy Tech to make the most of your time and tuition.
Required Courses
Graduates must complete a total of 19 credit hours.
Ivy Tech offers ServSafe® training by certified instructors. The ServSafe program is the restaurant and food service industry's leading food safety training solution. It is designed to meet the requirements to pass the certification exam for food handlers.
Ivy Tech students who are pursuing an Ivy Tech degree or certificate can earn the certification by taking the course HOSP 101 Sanitation & Safety as part of their program's curriculum.
If you are not seeking a degree or certificate from Ivy Tech, but wish to take a class to become ServSafe certified, Ivy Tech campuses offer training classes as a non-credit, professional development opportunity. Each campus manages enrollment of these classes individually. Please consult with your local campus for more information. Find your local campus
Hospitality Administration (Events & Culinary Arts) is offered at 8 Ivy Tech locations in Indiana. Each location offers a unique combination of certificate and degree options:
Campus
ServSafe WFC
Beverage Management Career CT
Catering CT
Culinary Arts CT
Dietary Management CT
Event Management CT
Hospitality Management CT
Hotel Operations CT
Baking & Pastry Arts CT
Baking and Pastry Arts TC
Culinary Arts TC
Hospitality Management TC
Hospitality Administration (AS)
Hospitality Administration (AAS)
Hospitality Administration (AAS) – Baking and Pastry Arts Concentration
Hospitality Administration (AAS) – Culinary Arts Concentration
A career in hospitality allows you to mix creative, technical, and customer service skills. You can work in a number of settings from restaurants and event venues to bakeries, cafes, hotels, and more. Hospitality jobs offer a degree of stability as there is always a demand for hospitality professionals. These roles can be fast-paced. But with the wide array of job possibilities, they are a great fit for people who enjoy change and meeting new people.
Wondering if this could be your dream job?
Hospitality administration careers often require:
Time management
Communication and interpersonal skills
Creativity
Critical thinking
Ability to multitask
Stress management skills
Attention to detail
Comfortability working on a team
Flexibility
Sound Like You?
If you identify with the traits above, hospitality administration may be the path for you! Take the next step to get started or speak with your local advisor to learn more.
Prerequisite Courses for Hospitality Administration
There are no prerequisite courses you must take prior to enrolling in the Hospitality Administration program.
No Expiration of Credits
There is no expiration date for course credits that were earned in previous years from Ivy Tech Community College.
Transfer Credit for General Education Courses
General education courses completed at colleges other than Ivy Tech will only be considered for general education selection points if transfer credit has been awarded and courses appear on the Ivy Tech transcript prior to the application deadline.
TR grades are not recognized by the online application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transfer credit has been awarded and that TR grades are updated to transfer letter grades (TA, TB, TC) on their Ivy Tech transcript.
It is recommended that college transcripts be submitted to the Registrar’s office for evaluation and transfer credit at least four weeks prior to the program application deadline to ensure adequate time for processing.
Hospitality Administration Courses
Descriptions of Hospitality Administration courses can be found in our online course catalog. View required classes and course descriptions for:
See when specific courses will be offered by searching our course list in Schedule Builder. First, select the semester you’re looking for and then enter the name of the course in the search bar.
If you’re a current student, upcoming courses are easy to find in Schedule Builder in MyIvy.
Course Formats
Due to the hands-on nature of our courses, many of the Hospitality Administration programs are only available in person. There are a select number of programs that are available both in person and online. View the table below to determine the course format of your program of interest.
Program
In-Person/Traditional Option Available
Online Classes (Virtual and Online Only) Option Available
Hybrid (Blended or Learn Anywhere) Option Available
Hospitality Administration - Baking and Pastry Arts, TC
X
ServeSafe
X
Beverage Management Career, CT
X
Catering, CT
X
Culinarian, CT
X
Dietary Management, CT
X
Event Management, CT
X
X
Hospitality Management, CT
X
Hotel Operations, CT
X
Pastry Culinarian, CT
X
Big Dreams? Go for Honors
If you're motivated and want a more robust, personalized academic experience, consider enhancing your associate degree in Hospitality Administration by pursuing an Honors pathway. Honors courses are fully virtual with opportunities to meet and network with honors students and faculty across the state. The coursework is designed to support a student’s spirit of inquiry and intellectual growth, as well as foster multicultural awareness and leadership. View eligibility requirements
Graduating with a Hospitality Administration degree with an Honors pathway can help you stand out as a high-achieving college student, boost your resume, and help you land an acceptance letter to a top four-year college or university.
The Ivy Tech application is free and easy—you don’t need a certain test score, GPA, or class rank to get started at Ivy Tech. Applying takes about 10-15 minutes and can be completed entirely online.
No Application Deadlines
Ivy Tech does not have a deadline for admission. Our 8-week class sessions start throughout the year—in January, March, June, August, and October—and there is no hard deadline for applying for any of the start dates. It's important, though, to apply early enough that you'll be able to complete all the degree planning, financial aid, and registration activities that need to happen before your first day. We recommend you apply about one month before you intend to start classes. See upcoming start dates
Steps to Apply
(1) Apply to Ivy Tech
If you’ve never applied to Ivy Tech Community College before (or if it’s been two years since you last attended classes here), your first step is to apply to Ivy Tech. You can apply online or in person. To apply in person, reach out toyour local admissions team and arrange a meeting. Or, stop by any campus on any Tuesday for Tuesdays@TheTech to receive personal assistance with applying and registering for classes.
After you submit your application, you'll be asked to upload documentation—such as SAT/ACT/PSAT scores or high school and college transcripts—that can assess your readiness for college-level coursework and help us make sure you are taking classes that are the right fit for you. How to upload assessment documents
If you don't have your scores or transcripts at your fingertips, don’t worry. Go ahead and submit your application. You can go back to upload assessment documents at any time until the end of the term for which you applied.
(3) Look for a Confirmation Email
Once your application is processed, you will receive a confirmation email at the email address provided on your application. Typically the email will arrive within 1-2 business days of submission, but during peak processing periods (April-June) could take up to 5-10 business days.
The email will contain instructions on how to register for classes, as well as important information regarding your Ivy Tech student portal (MyIvy account), tuition, payment options, and more.
(4) Create an Account in MyIvy
MyIvy is Ivy Tech's online student portal. Students use MyIvy to check e-mail, register for classes, pay tuition, manage financial aid, get the latest news and announcements, and much more. MyIvy also contains "QuickLinks" to the Ivy Tech websites and online tools you will use most often. Learn more about MyIvy
Before you can register for classes you will need to submit documentation or complete an assessment test. Your test scores can help us determine the best English and math starting classes for you. See the Test Score Course Placement Chart
If you submitted assessment documentation during the application process, your advisor will likely be able to work with those documents to determine course placement and you won't need to take any further steps. If you don't have any of those documents or the scores don't meet minimum thresholds, don’t worry! Your advisor will direct you to complete our freeKnowledge Assessment to help develop your customized learning path to better prepare you for courses.
(6) Register for Classes
Once you have completed the steps above, you may register for classes. Ivy Tech students register for courses using the Schedule Builder tool which can be accessed withinMyIvy. If you are a new, first-time Ivy Tech student, we recommend that you meet withyour advisor who will help you develop your Academic Completion Plan and help you sign up for courses that are the best fit for you.
For a complete list of registration steps, including detailed registration steps, deadlines, and information about holds, withdrawals, waitlists, and refunds, visit our Registration 101 page.
(7) Pay Your Tuition
After registering for your courses, your bill can be viewed in yourMyIvy account > Student Dashboard- > View/Pay Balance. Payments can also be made in your MyIvy account. For complete information about payments, including payment options, payment plans, how to make immediate payments, due dates, information about refunds, and more, visit our Payments page.
ACF-Accredited Program
Ivy Tech campuses are proud to be accredited by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), the premier professional chefs’ organization in North America with more than 14,000 members in over 170 chapters nationwide.
ACPHA- Accredited Program
Ivy Tech-Indianapolis is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA). Their mission is the quality assessment and enhancement of Hospitality Management Educational programs at the Associate and Bachelor’s Degree levels.
The information below is provided in accordance with accreditation requirements.
Take a virtual tour of the Indianapolis hospitality classrooms. Many of our locations across the state have similar state-of-the-art equipment and unique hands-on learning experiences. (8:49)
Find Local Admissions Contact Info
Don't see a nearby location?
Call 1-888-489-5463 and we'll get you started.
If you’re not yet an Ivy Tech student, contact us at 1-888-489-5463 and we’ll be happy to help.
Current Students
Contact your academic advisor, who can answer any questions you have about the Hospitality Administration (Events & Culinary Arts) program and your certificate and degree options.
Find Local Advising Contact Info
Don't see a nearby location?
Call 1-888-489-5463 and we'll get you started.
Madison Advising Center
590 Ivy Tech Drive
Madison, IN 47250
Fax 812-265-4028
Zoom Video Calls Available by appointment only. Call 812-256-2580, ext. 4502 to make an appointment.
Advising Team Tricia Miracle 812-265-2580 ext. 4137 tmiracle2@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 812-510-3844 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Wednesdays 9:00-1:00pm & Thursdays 2:00-5:30pm Zoom Link
Lisa Kelley 812-265-2580 ext. 4163 lkelley3@ivytech.edu Text during business hours 502-414-1597 Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours: Tuesdays 1:30pm-5pm & Thursdays 8:30am-12pm Zoom Link
Starting Oct. 28th Tuesdays: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All other days by appointment from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. **Special Saturday December 7 @ 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
1 Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage estimates: Indiana.(2023). Lightcast™, lightcast.io. Occupational Overview for Indiana, 2023-2024
2 Associate degree cost is determined by tuition for an in-state, full-time student. Certificate and technical certificate costs are determined by tuition for an in-state, part-time student. Additional fees may be applied. Visit the Tuition & Fees page to learn more.
cpitt1@ivytech.edu
574-289-7001 ext 025333 
