The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton is introducing an Entertainment & Tourism Management undergraduate program to prepare business students for a career in many areas of the entertainment "biz."
Helmed jointly by a former Paramount Pictures senior executive and a longtime faculty member of the CSUF business school -- with an involved advisory board consisting of heavyweight industry executives from Paramount, Universal Music Group, Fox Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios, Deluxe, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Morongo Casino Resort & Spa and more -- the Cal State Fullerton program will give graduates real world knowledge and experience before they earn their parchment. And to foster internships and job opportunities for program participants, the school is linking with corporate entertainment partners.
"We are seeking organizations in all aspects of the industry -- film, TV, video games, theme parks, home entertainment, studio management, recorded music, sports, casino management, meetings and events -- willing to partner with us to train students through internships and job opportunities," said Harold Fraser, a former senior executive of Paramount Pictures and Panasonic who is now co-exec director of the CSU Fullerton Entertainment & Tourism Management program. "We encourage organizations to contact us if they would like to join our partner roster. We are also looking to grow our contributions and endowments from industry organizations and leaders."
Under the direction of CSUF faculty members Fraser and Kim Tarantino, a CPA with ground-based entertainment expertise and experience at Price Waterhouse and Ernst & Whinney, the Entertainment and Tourism Management coursework is specially designed for students interested in pursuing business careers within the entertainment or ground-based entertainment, tourism focused industries.
CSU Fullerton students will exit the program prepared to take entry level management jobs in areas such as finance, sales and marketing, sourcing, information systems, business affairs, operations, supply chain and logistics, human resources, customer service, project management and much more.
"Several fine institutions in Southern California prepare students for the 'creative' side of the entertainment industry, but no other single program prepares undergraduate students for the business of entertainment with the comprehensive scope that we cover," Tarantino said. "Positions throughout the industry need to be filled by qualified individuals. Our coursework is overflowing with knowledge unique to entertainment businesses, over and above standard business school instruction. The goal of our program is to create well-trained individuals for these specific careers."
Cal State Fullerton faculty members overseeing the program include Fraser and Tarantino, as well as Carim Castro, a long time senior manager from Disneyland, and Dale Martin, Esq. A driving force behind this specialized concentration at the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics will be the Advisory Board consisting of top management personnel from entertainment organizations. This group of professionals lends vision and direction to the Entertainment and Tourism Management program so course content is current and relevant, and act as essential links to further students’ education and understanding through special lectures.
Originally conceived in 2006, the Entertainment and Tourism Management major began its first full operating semester in January 2009 with almost 100 students. The program is built on a solid core of key business disciplines including accounting, marketing, operations, organization, economics, statistics, and strategy.
Along with fundamentals, students enroll in six courses focused on the unique business aspects of both media-based and ground-based/tourist-focused entertainment. These courses highlight entertainment’s distinctive characteristics in areas such as law, accounting and finance, human resources, process and project management, operations, and technology. Upon completion of the Entertainment and Tourism Management concentration, students will be better prepared to assume management and leadership roles in entertainment focused firms.
Students successfully completing this program at Cal State Fullerton will receive a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Entertainment and Tourism Management. To earn the degree, students are required to complete the university’s general education requirements, as well as the following three areas of a business administration major:* Business Administration Core (51 Units)* Specialized Courses in the Concentration (18 Units)* Required Capstone Core Course (3 Units)
Beyond the Fullerton campus, the program is looking to expand on several fronts. These include better access to the industry for academic research, accredited educational opportunities for industry members, and custom workforce solutions for industry firms. The latter are designed to provide company employees with up-to-date, real-world knowledge and skills that can be immediately applied in the workplace. Through these custom solutions, the CSUF faculty aims to enhance team performance, expand productivity, increase employee satisfaction and improve retention.
Companies looking to explore a relationship with Cal State Fullerton’s Entertainment and Tourism Management program to provide internships, jobs, contributions, endowment funds and other resources should contact Fraser and Tarantino at (714) 278-2251 or email hfraser@fullerton.edu or ktarantino@fullerton.edu.
For more general information about the Entertainment and Tourism Management program at Cal State Fullerton, please visit http://business.fullerton.edu/undergraduate/E&T.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
