Student perceptions of competency in Hospitality Management, (HM) and the level of engagement in the college experience were compared between two programs to verify engagement as a construct consisting of three domains; classroom, campus, and off-campus. Administrator and student descriptions of engagement in the college experience described the pedagogy, activities, and experiences that were unique between a four-year public and private college. A multi-case study design was employed to triangulate quantitative and qualitative data including student surveys, college catalog descriptions, and interviews. The three domains were verified using statistical reliability. A survey of HM competency based upon the top 11 competencies presented by Christou (2002) was designed to measure student reported competency and the level of contribution from the three domains. Results explained the level of student competency and the amount of contribution of the three domains. The construct validity of the college experience was best explained by three domains; classroom, campus, and off-campus and was not improved by additional factors. Student competency did not differ between programs, however the classroom domain was significantly higher in competency at a four-year private college where classes where described as fostering engagement with peers and faculty. Students described effective pedagogy as involving group interactions, case studies, and discussions. Engagement in the college experience was a predictor of student competency in both programs with classroom and off-campus domains predicting the most competencies. Results were consistent with previous student engagement literature that identified engagement in college as related to student outcomes. The most effective domain in contribution to competency was off-campus, where students were supported by family, spiritual activities, and work experience. HM-students tended to work in their field that had a direct relationship to concepts and theories discussed in the classroom. A model was developed that described the thee domains and may be of value to future researchers, administrators, students, and hospitality managers as they choose to investigate, design, and support the types of pedagogy, activity, and experiences that relate to competency. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]