The Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant Administration (BS HRA) was instituted in response to an urgent request from the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP), the national organization of hotel and restaurant owners, “for graduates for middle management level who are well grounded in both business and food service administration.” Among the personalities responsible for coming together to initiate and develop the program were the Enriquezes, owners of D & E Restaurant and Sulo Group of Companies, other industry leaders, the faculty of the CHE with Dean Eva Gonzalez at the helm, including Ms. Lourdes Labrador, Dr. Florecita Acacio and Mrs. Leticia de Ocampo-Elegado, and Dr. Leland Koschevar, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) consultant. This is the Philippines’ first collegiate course on hotel and restaurant management. The program produced its first graduates in schoolyear 1971-72.

At the time the program was instituted in 1970, it was administered by the HRA Section under the Department of Food Science and Nutrition. On May 27, 1998, the HRA section was elevated to the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (DHRIM) by the University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents during their 1120th meeting. On December 6, 2000, the University Council on its 72nd meeting approved the change in program name to Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (BS HRIM), a change intended to deliberately address the human resource requirements of all types of food and accommodation service establishments, and to give equal focus to the more service-oriented sectors of the hospitality industry. At the same time, the College of Home Economics (CHE) was granted independence in the administration of the program. The capability of CHE to teach the Management courses was made possible through a well-planned faculty development and recruitment program. Such proven ability was recognized and expressed by the faculty of the College of Business Administration (now the UP Virata School of Business) in a separate resolution on March 29, 2000.

DHRIM under CHE continues to provide leaders in the field despite the proliferation of similar programs offered by other schools and universities. Graduates of both the undergraduate and graduate programs occupy positions of leadership in the industry and the academe.

In 1982, the Master of Food Service Administration (MFSA) was instituted to further to develop professionals for managerial positions in the food service industry. The masteral program was also intended to upgrade competencies of those in the academe that teach and undertake researches on the food service industry. This program is among the first, if not the first ever, masteral programs in the field of food service in the country.

In 2012, the MFSA was revised to Master of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management to align with the undergraduate program.