From the Sales Floor to the Strategy Room 

You already know the work. You’ve managed the rushes, handled vendors, and trained new hires. What you may not have is the degree that gets you into the room where the big decisions are made.  

More than 60 percent of Tennessee’s workforce is concentrated in just six industries, including retail trade and accommodation and food services (1). Nationally, leisure and hospitality is projected to account for roughly one in eight new jobs by 2033 (2). The industry is growing. The ceiling isn’t going away on its own.  

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) offers two new online degrees designed for this moment: the BS in Retail and Merchandising Management and the MS in Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management, both available through Vols Online.  

Both degrees are fully asynchronous — no scheduled class sessions, no set login times, and no need to rearrange your work life around a class calendar. You study when your shift ends, your weekend opens up, or your schedule allows. Whether you’re managing a store floor or running a hotel front desk, you don’t have to choose between your career and your degree.  

The Credential Gap  

Tennessee’s Economy 2024–2025 report is clear: retail trade and accommodation and food services are among the state’s largest employers (1), yet they consistently pay some of the lowest average weekly wages (1). The path to better pay almost always runs through a credential. These programs are that path — and they’re built for people who can’t stop working to pursue one.  

BS in Retail and Merchandising Management  

The curriculum covers the full retail lifecycle: buying and merchandising, brand strategy, retail operations, digital commerce, and consumer analytics. Courses such as Retail Buying and Merchandising, Strategic Retail Planning, Digital Retailing, and Retail Category Management build the vocabulary and frameworks required for management roles. A built-in business administration minor includes accounting, economics, finance, and organizational management, without requiring a separate degree. As part of the program, faculty guide students through a field-based professional experience aligned with their career goals, allowing students to use their workspace as part of the classroom.  

Concentration  

Students can complete the general Retail and Merchandising Management degree program or add the Fashion Retailing concentration by taking courses in visual merchandising, brand development, and fashion retail management.   

This Degree is Right For You, If:  

• You’ve hit a ceiling and need a bachelor’s degree to match your existing knowledge  

• You’re transitioning from a related field into retail or merchandising  

• You need a flexible, fully online program that fits your schedule  

MS in Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management  

This is the only master’s program of its kind in Tennessee. It’s built around intensive 7-week courses and requires 30 credit hours. Most students can complete it in less than two years. If you have significant managerial experience, you may qualify for up to six credit hours of prior learning credit through a portfolio review.  

The program is built on an industry-connected, case-based model. You won’t start from scratch — you’ll apply what you already know at a higher level, supported by research skills and strategic frameworks that distinguish frontline practitioners from senior leaders.  

“Our program is designed with our prospective students’ needs in mind. The curriculum focuses on the knowledge and skills most valued by industry leaders. Best of all, you can earn your degree without putting your career on hold and worrying about reentering the market.” – Dr. Hongping Zhang, Director of MS in RHTM

What You’ll Build  

Core courses develop the skills that open doors at the senior level:  

• Qualitative and Quantitative Market Research: How to design, interpret, and apply findings from consumer and market research  

• Customer Experience Management: Frameworks for leading customer-facing strategy at scale  

• The Changing Landscape in Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism: The trends and disruptions shaping the industry’s next decade  

Electives let you focus on where you want to go. Market Intelligence and Analytics builds senior-level data fluency. Executive Leadership prepares you for boardroom conversations. Strategic Planning, Entrepreneurship, and Small Business Management support those pursuing ownership, consulting, or executive roles.  

Two Pathways  

• The non-thesis option is for professionals seeking to advance in industry — it includes an industry experience requirement and a research project.  
• The thesis option is for those pursuing doctoral study, higher education, consulting, or research. No GRE or GMAT is required.  

This Degree is Right For You, If:  

• You’re mid-career in retail, hospitality, or tourism and ready for a senior or corporate role  

• You’ve built expertise through experience, but you need a credential to match it  

• You want to transition into consulting, training, or teaching  

• You want to advance your leadership skills in the service industry  

These programs don’t just benefit individual employees. For service-sector companies, they represent a practical way to build the management bench from within. Vols Online is developing partnerships with employers who want to support their teams through degree completion, connecting workforce investment directly to leadership development. If your company wants to be part of that, contact us at digitallearning@utk.edu. 

Ready to Move Up?  

The work you’ve already done is the foundation. These degrees are what get you through the door.  

Explore the BS in Retail and Merchandising Management and the MS in Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management — both fully online through Vols Online at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.