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Washington State University
Carson College of Business Industry Experience Requirement

Industry Experience Requirement

Companies recruit WSU hospitality students in part because of the program’s requirement for hands-on industry experience. In order to graduate, every hospitality student must have a designated amount of paid work experience at a hospitality company.

CRITERIA FOR RECEIVING WORK CREDIT

  • The position must be within the hospitality industry.
  • The position must be paid.
  • The pre-job placement agreement must be completed and signed by you, your employer, and your faculty coordinator.
  • The job must be one that you held after high school graduation. Hours worked while in high school are not eligible for credit.
  • Internship hours earned in HBM 298 and HBM 498 do not count toward the requirement.
  • 1,000 work hours required for hospitality major
  • 400 work hours required for hospitality minor

Steps to Receive Credit for Work

Step 1: Eligible Work Fields

LODGING

FOOD & BEVERAGE

EVENT PLANNING

TRANSPORTATION

ATTRACTIONS

Step 2: Pre-Work Checklist
  • You must file the pre-job placement agreement form (pdf) to receive credit for work hours. The form is also available in the School for Hospitality Business Management office(Todd Hall, Room 342). This agreement ensures that you are working toward meeting the requirement at a qualifying job.
  • File this form before you start your job. If you are already working in, or have completed a job, you still must file a pre-job placement agreement. Complete it yourself. Don’t send the blank form directly to your supervisor. Get signatures on your completed form from 3 parties: you, your employer, and your faculty coordinator.
  • Return your completed and signed form to the SHBM in person, by mail, or by fax. You can return it by email by scanning the original, signed form and sending it in pdf format.
Step 3: On The Job
  • Provide copies of your pay stubs to document your work. If your employer provides pay stubs online, you may print them as long as the website from which they were printed is readily identifiable. For instance, the company name and/or logo should be present and the website URL should be visible in the footer.
  • Document previous work (completed prior to joining the School of Hospitality Business Management) for which you did not save pay stubs, by obtaining copies of your pay stubs from your former employer. If that’s impossible (no fudging—we’ll verify claims of impossibility with your former employer) please visit the SHBM office in Todd 342 to inquire about options.
Step 4: Employer Evaluation
  • When you’ve completed your term of employment with the company, please send your supervisor’s business email to SHBM@wsu.edu. We will reach out to them directly with a survey to evaluate your performance as an employee.
Step 5: Deliver the Forms

Email

Fax

shbm@wsu.edu 509-335-7736

In Person

By Mail

SHBM Office
Todd 342
SHBM – Internship Hours
PO Box 644736
Pullman, WA 99164-4736

SHBM News


Contact

Amy Alonzo
Marriott Foundation Industry Relations Manager
Todd Hall 337L
ayergen@wsu.edu
Office: 509-335-0956
Fax: 509-335-7736