UNT College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism

What UNT College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism does

UNT College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism (CMHT) is a constituent academic college within the University of North Texas system, a public state university headquartered in Denton, Texas, with operations rooted in 1921. CMHT is organized into two departments: Hospitality, Event and Tourism Management (HETM) and Merchandising and Digital Retailing (MDR). It offers an extensive academic portfolio spanning seven undergraduate degrees (Digital Business & E-Commerce, Event Design & Experience Management, Fashion Merchandising, Furnishings & Décor Merchandising, Hospitality Management, Merchandising, and Interdisciplinary Studies in Consumer Insights), five master's degrees (Hospitality Management, Hospitality & Tourism Data Analytics, International Sustainable Tourism, Merchandising & Consumer Analytics, and Merchandising & Digital Retailing), a joint Ph.D. concentration in Information Science with a Consumer Behavior and Experience Management focus, three graduate certificates, a Consumer Insights minor, and an undergraduate Consumer Analytics certificate. The college commands several unique academic positions: the largest Fashion Merchandising program in the nation, the only Digital Retailing B.S. in the U.S., the first consumer experience management degree (since February 2018), and the first ever ACPHA-accredited Hospitality, Event and Tourism Management program.

The college generates revenue through three primary streams: tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate programs (with Texas resident and non-resident pricing tiers), external research grants from organizations including USDA-NIFA, NRF Foundation, Cotton Incorporated, and Facebook Research, and philanthropic donations channeled through UNT's giving program. Distribution channels include on-campus instruction at the Denton campus, fully online programs (e.g., 100% online MS in Hospitality & Tourism Data Analytics and accelerated MS in Merchandising & Consumer Analytics), study tours to fashion capitals and international destinations, and the Trendsetters summer workshop for grades 7-12 teens. Experiential learning is delivered through The CoLab (a technology-enhanced learning laboratory), The Club (a student-operated training restaurant at Gateway Center), and the Center for Consumer Insights and Innovations (CCII), a research center that converts industry-academic collaboration into consumer insights. The college maintains an active digital presence across Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn under the UNTCMHT brand.

Name

UNT College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism

Legal name

University of North Texas

Website

https://cmht.unt.edu

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UNT College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism (CMHT) is a public university college in Denton, Texas offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in merchandising, digital retailing, hospitality, and tourism, serving students and the retail/hospitality industry through research, experiential labs, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAJAF

Fashion & Apparel Design Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Arts, Music & Design Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHALAD

Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Distance & Online Universities

SECONDARYEDAAAEAA

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Continuing Education (Noncredit) & Lifelong Learning Programs

SECONDARYEDAHAHAE

Marketing, Sales & Brand Management Schools

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Hospitality management degrees
• Fashion merchandising education
• Digital retailing curriculum
• Tourism management studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Denton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Public university college generating revenue through undergraduate and graduate tuition and fees, with in-state and out-of-state pricing structures.
2. Research Grants: External funding from organizations including USDA, NRF Foundation, Cotton Incorporated, and Facebook Research for specific research projects and case studies.
3. Donations and Giving: Philanthropic contributions through the UNT giving program supporting the College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The college delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs, along with graduate certificates and minors, in merchandising, digital retailing, fashion merchandising, furnishings and décor merchandising, hospitality management, event design and experience management, international sustainable tourism, and hospitality and tourism data analytics. Education is delivered through two departments (Hospitality, Event and Tourism Management and Merchandising and Digital Retailing) and reinforced by experiential learning facilities, industry partnerships, and research centers.

Product overview

UNT College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism is an academic institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and programs. The college operates two main departments: Hospitality, Event and Tourism Management (HETM) and Merchandising and Digital Retailing (MDR). HETM offers the first ACPHA-accredited program in the nation, while MDR is home to the nation's largest Fashion Merchandising program and only Digital Retailing B.S. degree. The product portfolio includes undergraduate degrees (Digital Business & E-Commerce, Fashion Merchandising, Furnishings & Décor Merchandising, Hospitality Management, Merchandising, Event Design & Experience Management, Consumer Insights), graduate degrees (MS in Hospitality Management, Hospitality & Tourism Data Analytics, International Sustainable Tourism, Merchandising and Consumer Analytics, Merchandising and Digital Retailing), doctoral programs (Ph.D. in Information Science with Consumer Behavior concentration), and various certificates and minors. The college also operates experiential learning facilities including The CoLab (learning lab), The Club (restaurant training lab), and the Center for Consumer Insights and Innovations (research center), as well as the Leadership Academy for student development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The CoLab: A learning lab for students of CMHT, connecting classwork to real learning experiences to prepare them for the industry.
• The Club
• Center for Consumer Insights and Innovations (CCII)
• CMHT Leadership Academy

Products and services

• Hospitality, Event and Tourism Management Department Department offering the first ACPHA-accredited program in the nation, providing undergraduate and graduate degrees in hospitality and tourism management through hands-on intensive courses, research, and service opportunities.
• Merchandising and Digital Retailing Department Department home to the largest Fashion Merchandising program in the nation, the only Digital Retailing B.S. degree program, and the first consumer experience management degree; develops talent for the trend-driven global retail marketplace.
• Digital Business & E-Commerce (BS) Bachelor of Science degree program focusing on the innovative aspects of e-commerce; the only program of its kind in the nation.
• Event Design & Experience Management (BS) Bachelor of Science degree in Event Design and Experience Management offered by the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management.
• Fashion Merchandising (BS) Bachelor's degree program, ranked among the top Fashion Merchandising programs in the nation, preparing students to plan, develop, distribute, and merchandise fashion-oriented products.
• Furnishings & Décor Merchandising Program concentration teaching students the business and design aspects of the home furnishings industry, including product development, merchandising, marketing, and retail.
• Hospitality Management (BS) Bachelor of Science degree preparing students with hospitality and tourism business principles and current trends, equipping them with analytical and quantitative skills enhanced by information technology.
• Merchandising (BS) Bachelor's degree program preparing students for positions including merchandiser and buyer for retail brands in consumer-driven markets.
• Interdisciplinary Studies in Consumer Insights (BS) ICON program examining the total consumer journey across customer expectations, teaching students to design, deliver, and improve the customer experience across different channels.
• Hospitality Management (MS) 36 credit-hour Master of Science degree with an integrated program of study focusing on management of products, services, and experiences in a consumer-driven global market; prepares students for lodging, restaurant, resort, and tourism management careers.
• Hospitality & Tourism Data Analytics (MS) 30 credit-hour STEM-designated Master of Science providing training in combining theory with applications for hospitality/tourism data analysts; offered 100% online or in blended mode.
• International Sustainable Tourism (MS) MIST program focused on preserving tourism destinations, balancing environmental, economic, and socio-cultural benefits and concerns, with insight from policy and operational perspectives.
• Merchandising and Consumer Analytics (MS) STEM-designated program designed to meet the growing need for consumer and retail analytics; offered 100% online, accelerated or face-to-face, and completable in one year.
• Merchandising and Digital Retailing (MS) Master of Science degree preparing students as industry leaders and scholars; offers a Professional track (30 hours) and Research track (33 hours with thesis).
• Ph.D. in Information Science (Consumer Behavior Concentration) UNT Information Science Ph.D. program offering a Consumer Behavior and Experience Management Concentration jointly with CMHT.
• Consumer Analytics Certificate (Undergraduate) 12-hour undergraduate certificate providing skills needed to analyze and interpret consumer data, driving strategic decision-making in the retail industry; uses Excel, Tableau, and Power BI.
• Digital Retail Merchandising Certificate (Graduate) Graduate certificate offering professionals in merchandising and retail industries the opportunity to build skills and knowledge in critical analysis and subject content.
• Event Management Certificate (Graduate) Graduate Academic Certificate for individuals with graduate degrees to add credentials related to teaching in higher education or to increase knowledge in event and tourism management.
• Hospitality Management Certificate (Graduate) 12-hour Graduate Academic Certificate allowing individuals with graduate degrees to add credentials for teaching or for professionals to increase knowledge in hospitality management.
• Consumer Insights Minor ICON minor teaching students how to design, deliver, and improve the customer experience across different channels; prepares students for careers in UX/UI and customer experience.
• Trendsetters Summer Workshop Five-day hands-on summer workshop for teens in grades 7th-12th interested in fashion and style, teaching creativity, trends, and how ideas turn into real fashion products. Cost is $350 per participant.
• The CoLab Learning Lab Technology-enhanced learning laboratory for CMHT students that connects classwork to real industry learning experiences.
• The Club Training Restaurant Student-operated training restaurant at Gateway Center serving as a hands-on training facility for Hospitality Management students in restaurant operations courses.
• Center for Consumer Insights and Innovations (CCII) Research center advancing consumer research through industry-academic collaborations, turning research into actionable insights for innovation.
• CMHT Leadership Academy Student development program that transforms students into visionary leaders through coaching, networking, coursework, mentoring, and service activities.
• Recommerce Educational Case Study First educational case study about recommerce (reverse commerce/circularity) — the practice of trading and selling preowned goods — produced with the NRF Foundation and used in NRF's RISE Up training program reaching 50,000 students annually.

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NRF Foundation (National Retail Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CMHT faculty (Pookulangara, Kim, Jestratijevic) partnered with NRF Foundation to create the first educational case study on recommerce/circular retail. NRF Foundation awarded a $10,500 grant to support the research. Case study is used by NRF Foundation's RISE Up training program reaching 50,000 students annually.
• USDA - National Institute of Food and AgricultureStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023USDA-NIFA awarded $399,913 grant to Kim, Crutsinger, Connors & Yang for 'Transformational Leadership in Sustainable Food and Fiber' project (2023-2027).
• Facebook ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Facebook Research funded $65,726 for research project 'Comparing Data-Driven with Contextual Advertising for Small Restaurants' led by Leung & Kim.
• Sands CaresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSands Cares underwrote the Las Vegas Study Tour for UNT hospitality students, providing funding for experiential learning opportunity.
• Cotton IncorporatedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple funded projects including 'Rethinking Cotton Learning: Innovation Through Collaboration' ($46,072), 'Edu-Cotton: Collaborative Learning Environment' ($38,615), and 'Cotton on the Move' ($24,889).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fashion Institute of Technology: FIT is one of the largest specialized fashion and business schools in the U.S., offering degrees in fashion merchandising, advertising and marketing communications, and textile development — directly comparable to UNT CMHT's Merchandising and Digital Retailing department and the largest Fashion Merchandising program claim.
• LIM College: LIM College focuses exclusively on the business of fashion and lifestyle, offering degrees in fashion merchandising, management, and marketing — a direct competitor for fashion merchandising and digital retailing applicants nationally.
• Johnson & Wales University: JWU's College of Hospitality Management is one of the largest hospitality programs in the U.S., and its Business & Technology college covers fashion merchandising and retailing — making it a direct peer for both UNT CMHT departments.
• Texas Christian University - Neeley School of Business: TCU's Neeley School offers a supply chain and retail concentration and is a regional Texas competitor for top retail/hospitality talent, though with a broader business-school structure rather than specialized merchandising focus.
• University of Houston - Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership: Houston's Hilton College offers BS and MS degrees in hospitality, tourism, and culinary arts with comparable industry-partnership intensity and a Texas regional footprint, directly competing for hospitality-management applicants.
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas - William F. Harrah College of Hospitality: UNLV's Harrah College is one of the largest hospitality programs in the U.S. with a Las Vegas location that gives it strong resort and gaming-industry employer access, directly comparable to UNT CMHT's hospitality and tourism programs.
• Savannah College of Art and Design: SCAD offers specialized degrees in fashion, fibers, accessory design, and luxury and fashion management, with a strong industry-partnership model similar to CMHT's approach to corporate engagement and placement.
• Purdue University - White Lodging-J.W. Marriott Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management: Purdue's hospitality school offers BS, MS, and PhD programs in hospitality and tourism management with strong industry partnerships (Marriott branded), directly comparable to UNT CMHT's HETM department in scale and curriculum.
• Auburn University - College of Human Sciences Hospitality Management: Auburn's hospitality management program offers BS and MS degrees with strong event-management and culinary focus, serving a comparable undergraduate and graduate audience to UNT CMHT's HETM department.

Broad incumbents

• Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration: Cornell's Nolan School is the most prestigious hospitality program in the U.S. and offers a broader Ivy League portfolio including a specialized digital-business minor; serves as a benchmark incumbent rather than a direct competitor for applicants but overlaps in curriculum and industry-recruitment footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UNTCMHT
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/untcmht
• Facebookfacebook.com/UNTCMHT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/unt-college-of-merchandising-hospitality-tourism
• Instagraminstagram.com/untcmht

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UNT College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism