國內餐旅教育在經歷十年來的快速普及發展後，實務導向的專業課程與校訂通識課程間，仍存在著明顯的對立與衝突。因此，本研究目的主要檢視美國大學餐旅管理科系的通識課程開設現況，並以此作為國內餐旅教育的參考與借鏡。論文首先文獻探討美國近代通識教育的發展與改革，進而調查分析餐旅專業教育在不同學制的通識課程規劃與其擔負使命。類似的分析方法，也應用來探討國內大專校院通識、餐旅專業教育的發展概況，以為比較、參考。研究結果顯示，美國大學餐旅教育的通識課程，均有多元知識範疇的完整分佈，其主要作用乃在培養一具解決問題能力的終身學習型人才；而且，愈是技職導向型學校，其通識課程學分所佔比率愈高。屬於通識教育學分的專業倫理課程，更是各校強化餐旅專業認同的重要必修科目。據此，正值起步階段的國內餐旅教育，通識教育確有其應扮演的角色。

Evident conflicts are increasingly found between general education and professional hospitality education in Taiwan in the wake of that the latter has enjoyed rapid progress and popularity in the past ten years. This study thus aims to first examine curricular design of general education in U.S. undergraduate hospitality management programs, which is further referred to Taiwan’s correspondent programs. Literature review on developments and reforms of general education in U.S. last century is introduced in the first place. Following this is an analytical comparison of general education courses offered in various types of institutes in hospitality education. The study finds from the examination that general education of U.S. hospitality management programs help foster a life-long learner, and the more vocational-oriented, the more general education courses the institute has. The popular course of ethics in general education is also considered critical for strengthening professional recognition in hospitality education. These findings are further referred as a paradigm to the recent debut of hospitality education in Taiwan and suggestions are proposed.