New AAS Degree - Hospitality and Ecotourism

Posted on: Jul, 22, 2020

Aberdeen, WA - For Fall Quarter, Grays Harbor College will launch a new Associate of Applied Science degree, focused on Hospitality and Ecotourism. The two-year program can be accessed entirely online and some partially in-person, depending on COVID-19.

The goal of this program will be to prepare students for a variety of jobs along Washington’s coast and tourist attractions, especially the region’s beautiful natural resources, hotel/motel management, and promotion of seasonal festivals and adventuring.

"The curriculum, based on employer feedback and needs across the peninsula, blends hospitality, facilities management, event planning, tourism marketing, leadership, adventure travel, and guiding outdoor experiences," Dr. Lucas Rucks, Dean for Workforce Education, explained.

To earn the associate degree, students will complete 91-95 credits of college coursework, depending on their culminating internship experience.

"We know tourism season is just getting started this year and we are excited to begin this new program that employers in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties have been requesting, with course access in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties, as well as online," added Rucks. "We are getting started right away. This past spring we offered a new Human Resources course as well as several of the elective opportunities, all available online. By Fall, we will add even more courses as students learn of the new career opportunity."

According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, jobs such as Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners and Lodging Managers should produce wages of over $26 an hour or $50,000 annually. Convention planning and event management jobs are also anticipated to grow by 7% through 2028 according to the US BLS.

To learn more about the online Hospitality & Ecotourism program, please visit www.ghc.edu/academics/degrees-and-certificates/professional/hospitality-and-ecotourism.

Interested students can attend a free online information session Wednesday, August 5th, 2020 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. To RSVP or connect by Zoom, please see

Hospitality & Ecotourism Information Session
8/5/2020 - 3 - 4 p.m.
https://ghc.zoom.us/j/91755096407
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/710872913097419/