ABSTRACT
The field of hospitality education is a unique, rather close-knit academic area. Though maturing, there are still fewer than 200 four-year programs in the United States. At the undergraduate level, in particular, hospitality management education's primary concern is with the professional preparation of individuals who desire to work in one of the broad group of professions that make up the hospitality industry. The size and scope of the hospitality industry itself has always been difficult to define since few people can agree on what it encompasses (see Chapter 2) . An early definition of hospitality included any and all businesses and services whose pri mary objective was serving people outside of a private home. For purposes of this book, we will use the accepted definition as stated by the Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE), which includes food, lodging, recreation, and travel related services.
