The Academic Exchange Experience program will require students to take four courses for a total of twelve academic credits. All of these classes will be taught by University of Florida professors online. The fourth course being the fourth course the internship at Walt Disney World® Resort.

The following is a list of required courses, each followed by their respective course descriptions:

*Courses are subject to change for 2023 experience

 

HFT 3806

3 credits

 

Introduction to Food and Beverage Management

This course is designed to provide students with a managerial examination of full-service food and beverage operations. It explores the broad range of subject areas that encompass the food and beverage market and its main sectors – quick service, casual and fine dining, beverage and bar, institutional and catering. The course also examines trends and innovations affecting the food and beverage industry, the management process, marketing, labor and product cost control, revenue and pricing strategies, production and service, purchasing and inventory, sanitation and safety, layout and design, and financial analysis.

HFT 4755

3 credits

Theme Park & Attraction Management

This course will provide an in-depth study of the theme park and attraction industry, focused on historical considerations, industry resources, and organizational and management functions related to the operation of core functions, both employee and patron based.

HFT 3253

3 credits

Lodging Operations and Management

This course is designed to provide students with an in-depth managerial examination of a full service lodging firm including each major operating and support departments. This course exposes students to the unique characteristics of managing and operating a service-based lodging product that is delivered by a diverse employee profile and received by an equally diverse consumer profile. The objective of the course is for the student to become familiar with the lodging industry and current principles and management practices of lodging properties.

The course will focus specifically on the integration of the hotel front office with other rooms division operating departments, such as housekeeping, reservations, bell desk/valet, concierge and transportation departments. The front office is the number one profit center of most lodging businesses and successful properties will coordinate the activities of the rooms division with sales/marketing, food and beverage, accounting, safety and security, engineering, and human resource departments of the property.

LEI 4940

3 credits

Internship

This course provides students with practical field experience at the Walt Disney World Resort and exploration of tourism and hospitality career opportunities and real-world case studies.  Students in the UF Disney International Academic Exchange Program will commence their internship in July and complete the internship in December. At the completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Gain real-world work experience and explore career options;

  • Explore managerial issues and apply critical thinking to form possible solutions to these issues;

  • Develop valuable work competencies specifically for the tourism and hospitality industry;

  • Gain self-confidence, self-worth, and interpersonal skills;

  • Articulate and apply work-related principles learned both in and outside of the classroom;

  • Evaluate future job opportunities in the tourism field and learn about available careers.