With the coming revolution of the loT, the Hospitality Industry is set to explode with applications of loT, specifically within the cruise line industry. South Florida is a hub of hospitality, with the cruise line industry in particular representing more than 1 /3 of the global deployment capacity market share. With companies like Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International headquartered in South Florida, the potential for job opportunities with the coming wave of loT disruption is huge. According to the Cruise Line International Association, the cruise industry is projected to grow from 24.7 million passengers to 25.8 million passengers.

The industry has ordered 26 new ships for 2017, at $6.8 billion, and is projected to order 97 new ships by 2026, increasing carrying capacity by 230,788 people. These companies are aware that they can better utilize the technology to improve the experience of their customers and attract even more customers. However, the current workforce is not trained in loT related technologies and there is no program at universities to acquire the skills necessary to utilize loT technologies in the cruise line industry. Since companies like Carnival and Royal Caribbean are already implementing loT devices on their vessels, there is a growing need for staff that understand how these devices work and why they are important.

This certificate program is tailored for hospitality and tourism industry professionals, managers, and students who are interested in learning about the Internet of Things (IoT) and how it impacts the hospitality industry now and in the future.

The certificate consists of 18 credits, with four required courses and two electives from the following list. Professionals who are not FIU students can take the courses as non-degree seeking students.

Classes will be offered on the Biscayne Bay Campus and will be offered over two Saturdays for a total of 16 hours of face-to-face class time with additional assignments outside of class time.

The certificate may be completed in as few as two semesters (Fall and Spring).

This project has been made possible in part by a grant from Cisco Fund, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.