October 29, 2009

CONTACT:
Frances Ryan, WSU CB Marketing and Communications Manager
509/335-3957, frances_ryan@wsu.edu

WSU’s Hospitality Program Ranked 11th in the World for Top-Level Research

PULLMAN, Wash.—Washington State University’s School of Hospitality Business Management in the College of Business was ranked 11th in the world for top-level research in a study published in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research.

The study analyzed the research productivity of hospitality and tourism programs from 2002-2006 by examining scholarly articles that have appeared in 11 academic journals. The researchers for the study reported the total number of times an institution name appeared, number of articles from that institution and number of authors from that institution. WSU garnered 48 instances with 12 authors and 34 articles counted.

From 1992-2002, the hospitality program showed 52 instances as reported in the study, showing tremendous growth in the last five years. With only five tenured and tenure-track professors in the program, and no doctoral candidates, the amount of world-class research produced by the program is truly impressive.

“We’re very proud that our faculty here has been recognized for not only the volume, but the quality of research they are conducting. To be ranked so high globally, while being such a small program, shows the dedication and expertise our professors have in the field,” said Nancy Swanger, SHBM program director.

“It's nice to get such recognition, especially for a program with a very small number of tenured and tenure-track faculty. I believe this ranking will significantly influence prospective applicants’ perception of our new Ph.D. program, and that the program will enable us to get a higher ranking in the future,” said Dr. Dogan Gursoy, SHBM professor and Ph.D. program coordinator.

The hospitality program at WSU is the third oldest in the country. Now in its 77th year the program will host its first Ph.D. candidates beginning fall 2010. 

The WSU College of Business spans the four campuses of WSU with the largest campus in Pullman and urban campuses located in Spokane, Vancouver, and the Tri-Cities area. The college conducts scholarly and applied research, and offers degree programs in a variety of business disciplines, and in hospitality business management, supplementing face-to-face offerings through innovative online learning and international programs. For more information, visit the college’s Web site at http://www.business.wsu.edu.