Links for payments are still being added, so keep checking back for updates.
Please note, SPTE 570 (Global Sport and Entertainment in Mexico City) and HRTM 595-001 / RETL 592-001 (Luxury Management in Italy) are now full.
International Trips
SPTE 570 – Global Sport and Entertainment in Mexico City
** Please note, this trip is now full. **
Spring Break 2024 (March 1 – 9)
Program Fees: $3,500 (includes roundtrip airfare from Charlotte, NC to Mexico)
Faculty Lead: Armen Shaomian | armen@sc.edu
Payment Deadlines: $1,750 due by Nov. 15, 2023, and $1,750 due by Jan. 24, 2024
Program Description: This course will investigate music business, concert tours, venues, and music festivals, a large aspect of entertainment management and how it has developed and is currently marketed. The course will travel to Mexico City for a visit with several entertainment representatives in Latin America, along with other venue managers and international promoters, learning about the Latin American family show market and the growing music festival scene. In addition to daily lectures from event managers, entertainment personnel, and facilities management, students will tour a number of relevant venues, including several cultural and heritage sights in Mexico City and the surrounding area.
SPTE 570 – Global Issues in Sport Management: The Spanish Sport Experience
Maymester 2024 (May 2 – 9)
Program Fees: $3,500 (does not include airfare to/from Spain)
Faculty Lead: Andy Gillentine | agillentine@sc.edu
Payment Deadlines: $1,750 due by Dec. 1, 2023, and $1,750 due by Feb. 15, 2024
Program Description: Students will experience lectures by leading sport and entertainment management authorities and tours of sport and entertainment venues. In addition, a number of international sport competitions and entertainment events will be attended. The course is designed to introduce sport and entertainment management practices in Europe, while also exposing students to the history and culture of various cities in Spain.
HRTM 595-001 / RETL 592-001 – Luxury Management in Italy
** Please note, this trip is now full. **
Maymester 2024 (May 8 – 17)
Program Fees: $3,995 (does not include airfare to/from Italy)
Faculty Lead: Karen Edwards and Sandy Strick | kedwards@hrsm.sc.edu • strick@mailbox.sc.edu
Payment Deadlines: $1,997.50 due by Dec. 8, 2023, and $1,997.50 due by Jan. 8, 2024
Program Description: This program is designed to enhance the student's academic, personal, and cultural learning through the study abroad experience. Students will attend classroom instruction at partner institution SAI (Florence, Italy) and attend various luxury-related business visits and tours. In addition, as an iconic fashion and culinary region, Florence will provide retailing and HRTM students in particular with a unique opportunity to observe and experience key Italian retailing/designer and hospitality venues and services, as well as important museums, markets, and related businesses that will reinforce and enrich their academic experience. By learning about fashion, food, and other luxury products and services simultaneously, our students will appreciate the uniqueness of international markets and be better prepared as professionals in their respective fields. This program is an ongoing collaboration between the College of HRSM and SAI, with annual junkets.
SPTE 570 – The Business of Japanese Sport
Maymester 2024 (May 6 – 14)
Program Fees: $4,500 (does not include airfare to/from Japan)
Faculty Lead: Matt Brown | mtbrown@mailbox.sc.edu
Payment Deadlines: $2,250 due by Dec. 1, 2023, and $2,250 due by Feb. 15, 2024
Program Description: This course is a study abroad seminar focused on the business of sport in Japan. While in Japan, students will experience lectures by leading sport management authorities from Nippon Professional Baseball and the J-League, tour sport venues including the Tokyo Dome and Koshien Stadium, and attend international sport competitions like J-League Soccer, NPB baseball, and sumo wrestling. The course is designed to introduce sport management practices in Japan, while also exposing students to the history and culture of Japan and the impact on the business of sport. Stops in Hiroshima and Kyoto will highlight the history and culture of Japan.
SPTE 570 – Performance in International Sport Marketing: Spain
Maymester 2024 (May 12 – 20)
Program Fees: $3,250 (does not include airfare to/from Spain)
Faculty Lead: Stephen Shapiro | shapirsl@mailbox.sc.edu
Payment Deadlines: $1,625 due by Dec. 1, 2023, and $1,625 due by Feb. 1, 2024
Program Description: This course will examine the international sport industry and global sport business. Students will have the opportunity to build their international network within the sport sector and work with other students from around the world. The class will travel to Spain and visit Madrid and Valencia. The trip will include tours of multiple sport venues and students will attend sporting events and tour significant attractions in both cities. Additionally, this class is developed in partnership with the European Association for Sport Management Summer School, which provides the opportunity to interact with highly regarded academics and professionals in the sport industry. The EASM Summer School offers a unique educational opportunity helping students broaden their views, improve their understanding of sport management, and jump start their career in this dynamic field of study.
HRTM 595-002 – Economically Sustainable Hospitality Operations in the Galápagos Islands
Pending Final Approval
Maymester 2024
Program Fees: TBD (does not include airfare to/from Galápagos Islands)
Faculty Lead: Kevin Ayres | kmayres@hrsm.sc.edu
Program Description: Experience learning in one of the most exclusive tourism and natural heritage destinations in the world, the Galápagos Islands. The islands are treasured by biologists and explorers alike for their diverse ecosystem, idyllic location and wide variety of beautiful plants and wildlife. Students will analyze the financial impact of sustainable operations initiatives in the economic environment of the Galápagos as it relates to the hospitality and tourism industry. In addition to visiting multiple islands of the archipelago off the coast of Ecuador, students will enjoy snorkeling excursions to Kicker Rock, La Loberia and its sea turtles, and Darwin Bay. The trip also includes a tour of Quito, Ecuador.
SPTE 490 – The Galápagos Islands: Sustainability, Ecotourism, and the Diving Industry
Pending Final Approval
Maymester 2024
Program Fees: TBD (does not include airfare to/from Galápagos Islands)
Faculty Lead: Richard Southall | southall@hrsm.sc.edu
Program Description: This class, which consists of readings, lecture/discussions, and scuba-diving and diving-operation field trips, employs an experiential learning approach to provide you with an understanding of the business ingredients that comprise the scuba diving experience in the Galapagos Islands. This course introduces students to the Four "Es" of the Scuba Diving Industry: 1) Education, 2) Equipment, 3) Environment, and 4) Experiences (as well as exploration, excitement, and enjoyment). Throughout the course you will be provided opportunities to experience how each identified "E" is delivered to consumers via various scuba diving industry segments (e.g., PADI dive centers, dive resort, and live-a-board dive boats). The course will emphasize how these elements are specifically delivered in the Galápagos Islands to support a sustainable, ecologically-sound scuba diving industry. Due to the possibility of challenging scuba diving conditions in the Galápagos Islands, students must possess at least a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent certification level).
HRTM 595-003 – Ecotourism in Situ: Expedition to Namibia
Summer 2024 (May 30 – June 10)
Program Fees: $4,100 (does not include airfare to/from Africa)
Faculty Lead: Tom Mullikin | mullikt@mailbox.sc.edu
Payment Deadlines: $2,050 due by Dec. 15, 2023, and $2,050 due by Jan. 15, 2024
Program Description: This program is designed to enhance academic, personal, and cultural learning through the Namibian expedition study experience. Under the guidance of course leaders, students will attend daily lectures on a variety of ecotourism topics and explore the rich African environment, culture, wilderness, and local urban attractions as an Ecotourist. This course focuses on ecotourism that is primarily nature-based and entails a learning/appreciative component while being immersed within an Ecotour of Namibia. Daily lectures are designed to re-enforce learning objectives through experiential tours and activities. Emphasis will be placed on the various types of ecotourism including nature-based, cultural, urban, and adventure tourism as well as other issues such as ecological impacts, sustainability, ethics and the effect of ecotourism on the local community.
RETL 592-002 – Fashion, Design, and Sustainability in London
Pending Final Approval
Summer 2024 (June 3 – 12)
Program Fees: $3,950 (does not include airfare to/from London)
Faculty Lead: Donna Watts and Karen Edwards | dwatts@hrsm.sc.edu • kedwards@hrsm.sc.edu
Program Description: This program is designed to enhance students' academic, personal, and cultural learning through the education abroad experience. Under the guidance of course leaders, students will attend pre-departure workshops at USC plus three program-specific guest lectures at partner organization, IES Abroad (London, England). In addition, as an iconic fashion and design center, our itinerary in and around London, England will provide students with a unique opportunity to observe and experience key European retailing and designer venues and services with an emphasis on sustainability. It will also provide visits to important museums, markets, and related businesses that will reinforce and enrich the academic experience. By learning about fashion, design, and sustainable products and services in London, students can better appreciate the uniqueness of international markets and be better prepared as professionals in their fields.
Domestic Trips
HRTM 550-001 – Theme Park and Attractions Management
Maymester 2024 (May 19 – 24)
Faculty Lead: Scott Smith | ssmith1@mailbox.sc.edu
Program Description: Experience the best of Orlando while gaining "behind-the-scenes" exposure to the theme park and attractions industry. Explore the multifaceted aspects of this field including history, venues, resources, ride operations, merchandising, food service and design. Attractions to visit include the Walt Disney World Theme Parks, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Disney Studios and Epcot Center. The course includes the "Keys to the Kingdom" behind-the-scenes tour of Magic Kingdom. Students will also visit Universal's Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld and Fun Spot. Each park visit will include an educational component from tours to spending time with park management who will provide insights into the unique operation of each park.
Student Fees: Tuition for HRTM 550 + $2,000
Payment Schedule: $1,000 due by Feb. 1, 2024, and $1,000 due by March 1, 2024
Tour Costs Include: Admission into each park, lodging, transportation to and from the parks, backstage
tours
Tour Costs Do NOT Include: Transportation to and from Orlando, food and beverage
In addition to the program fees, you must register for HRTM 550 for the summer semester.
SPTE 635 – Sport Event Development: The Carolina Coastal Experience
Experience Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and the Myrtle Beach Classic
Maymester 2024 (May 6 – 11)
Faculty Lead: John Grady | jgrady@sc.edu
Program Description: Learn about how sport events including professional tournaments come to be. Get "behind-the-scenes" access to the tournament professionals who organize and execute golf, tennis, and soccer events along the coast of South Carolina. Focus on the fan experience while attending the Myrtle Beach Classic, the newest PGA Tour stop. Enjoy historic Charleston while touring and speaking to USC alumni at Kiawah Island and US Club Soccer. Learn the tennis tournament business and how to create unique fan experiences at the Credit One Charleston Open. Network and experience the culture of the Lowcountry of South Carolina with access to a dozen SPTE alumni and South Carolina sport industry professionals as well as your classmates and professors.
Student Fees: Tuition for SPTE 635 + $850
Payment Schedule: $425 due by Nov. 10, 2023, and $425 due by Feb. 2, 2024
Program Fee Include: Two days grounds passes to attend the Myrtle Beach Classic golf tournament
This course is limited to 12 students. Contact Dr. Grady at jgrady@sc.edu to receive more information.
HRTM 595-004 – The Food and Beverage Industry Experience in Chicago
Maymester 2024 (May 17 – 22)
Faculty Lead: Scott Taylor, Jr. | stt@mailbox.sc.edu
Program Description: This course is designed to enhance students' academic, personal, professional, and
cultural knowledge of the food and beverage industry while visiting the National Restaurant
Association Show in Chicago. Students will learn to identify various food and beverage
industry companies and opportunities while simultaneously examining emerging trends.
In addition to attending the show, students will enjoy a Chicago food tour and a networking
event with industry professionals and HRSM alumni on a river boat tour.
Student Fees: Tuition for HRTM 595 + $850
Payment Schedule: $425 due by Jan. 15, 2024, and $425 due by March 1, 2024
Program Fees Include: Admission to all four days of the National Restaurant Association Show, ticket for
Chicago food tour, Chicago river boat tour and networking event
Program Feeds Do NOT Include: Accommodations, transportation to and from Chicago, meals not listed above