Associate in Arts Restaurant Management

The Restaurant Management program provides students with the broad technical background necessary in today's increasingly diverse food services industry. Requirements for the program were developed with input from professional industry members, who comprise the MiraCosta College Hospitality Management Advisory Board, as well as with cooperation from local restaurant and food services executives. Courses for this program complement the skills learned on the job and are valuable to either the person seeking a certificate/degree or the individuals already employed in the field and seeking to increase their overall effectiveness with new skills qualifying them for promotions

This modified A.A degree in Restaurant Management will support students seeking to complete their two-year education for an in-demand industry. In recent years, the Hospitality Management program at MiraCosta has 197 average annual enrollments.

The associate in arts (AA) degree in restaurant management aligned with MiraCosta’s mission as a career and technical education program and as an effort to support the economic and educational well-being of the communities served. This modified degree explicitly builds upon the College’s existing restaurant certificates.The modified AA degree allows students who complete this local associate degree to obtain employment in hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other businesses in the restaurant and food service industry.

The modified program will serve the needs of the growing restaurant and food service economic sector in San Diego County. There will be significant growth in restaurant positions in coming years, and MiraCosta College’s AA degree is well-positioned to serve this need.

The MiraCosta Community College Educational Plan 2016-2020 (addendum to the college’s Comprehensive Master Plan 2011-2020) contains 14 institutional objectives that describe strategies for achieving the College’s five institutional goals. The modified degree program in restaurant management is aligned with Institutional Goal I, as an innovative practice that will broaden access to higher education for students, Institutional Goal II, as an institution that maximizes student success, and Institutional Goal V, as a conscientious community partner in serving to provide students with the needed skills to participate in the growing restaurant and food service sector.

The modified associate in arts degree program will prepare students for careers as food service managers, chefs and head cooks, and first line supervisors of food service workers.  The modification removes discontinued courses and adds courses in entrepreneurship, marketing and human resources. These modifications were proposed after discussions with the advisory board and representatives of local companies in the hospitality, restaurant and food service sector.  Upon completion of this program, students will be able to demonstrate skills and strategies to succeed in restaurant and food-service organizations.

Upon completion of this program,students will be able to demonstrate skills and strategies to succeed in restaurant and food-service industry organizations.

The current workforce demand for students with academic experience in restaurant      management skills is well documented. Career opportunities exist as a Food Service Managers, Chefs and Head Cooks, and First-Line Supervisors of food service workers.

A.A. Hospitality Management                                        

Required Major Total                                                                                  21 units

Completion ofGE - Plan A                                                                           24 units

TOTAL UNITS                                                                                                   45units

Proposed Sequence: 

Year 1, Fall = 12-15 units 

Year 1, Spring = 12-15 units

Year 2, Fall = 12-15 units

Year 2, Spring= 9-12 units

TOTAL UNITS: 45 units