Department of Applied Human Sciences
Dr. Ann E. Embry, Interim Department Chair
Academic Complex, Cannon Wing, Office 302F
Phone: (270) 745-4352
Email: ahs@wku.edu
Website: https://www.wku.edu/ahs
The Department of Applied Human Sciences offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Interior Design and Fashion Merchandising, Family and Consumer Sciences; and Hospitality Management and Dietetics. All AHS majors are required to take nine hours of coursework selected from the pool of approved courses with major advisor approval. The Department also offers Certificate programs in Early Childhood Education Director and Family Home Visiting.
The pool of approved courses include: HMD 211; IDFS 221; FACS 310; FACS 311; HMD 351; IDFS 421; and IDFM 431.
When planning a program of study in this department, each student should be aware of the University’s academic requirements and regulations contained in this catalog in the chapter “Academic Information.” Specific attention should be given to the subsections in the chapter entitled (a) Academic Programs, (b) Colonnade Requirements, and (c) Academic Requirements and Regulations. Students should be aware that some academic programs may require additional scholastic regulations and standards not specified in the catalog. To obtain a copy of these regulations, students should contact the department chair or their advisor.
In several of the department’s programs, students may be required to undergo criminal background checks and drug testing and to provide proof of health insurance, liability insurance, and/or immunization records prior to participating in any required experiences at selected off-campus facilities/agencies. Additionally, there may be certifications, training seminars, or other requirements specified by the facility/agency that a student must meet in order to be eligible for field or practical experiences at the facility. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all institutional and/or facility requirements are met as a condition of participating in the off-campus experiences; students may be responsible in part or in full for any costs incurred to meet such requirements. Students are also responsible for transportation to and from off-campus experiences. Additional policies, requirements, and costs for concentrations are specified at the departmental website, http://www.wku.edu/ahs.
Faculty
Professor
Darbi J. Haynes-Lawrence PhD (Special Education), Indiana University-Bloomington, 1998
Danita M. Kelley PhD (Nutritional Science), University of Kentucky, 1994
Travis K. Wilson MARCH (Architecture), University of Oklahoma Norman, 1998
Associate Professor
Dora Babb PhD (Human Environmental Sciences, Human Development and Family Science), Oklahoma State University Main Campus, 2010
Ann E. Embry PhD (Hospitality Management), Iowa State University, 2017
Soyeon Kim PhD (Hospitality Management), The Ohio State University Main Campus, 2013
Karen G. Mason PhD (Nutritional Science), University of Kentucky, 2002
Heather M. Payne-Emerson PhD (Nutritional Science), University of Kentucky, 2010
Qingfang Song PhD (Developmental Psychology), Cornell University, 2016
Adam R. West PhD (Human Development and Family Science), University of Texas at Austin, 2013
Assistant Professor
Tannaz Soltani PhD (Health Leisure & Human Perf), Oklahoma State University Main Campus, 2015
Pedagogical Assistant Professor
Katherine R. Steffen EdD (Educational Administration and Supervision), Lipscomb University, 2023
Instructor I
Brandon A. Barber MA (Organizational Leadership), Western Kentucky University, 2018
Angela G. Gott MA (Graduate Education), Georgetown College, 2003
Ryan A. Skelton BS (Clothing/Fashion Merch), University of Southern Mississippi, 2002
Julia G. Williams MS (Architecture), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2012
Senior Instructor
Sheila S. Flener MA (Art (Creative)), University of Louisville, 2007
Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS)
FACS 282 Introduction to Family and Consumer Sciences Education 3 Hours
Introduction to the profession of Family and Consumer Sciences Education including examination of the role, responsibility and dispositions of effective teachers, characteristics of the teaching/learning environment and introductory methods. Participation in youth organizations and professional organizations will be included. Observations and Praxis Exam at student expense.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
FACS 381 Methods and Materials in Family and Consumer Sciences Education 3 Hours
A study of family and consumer sciences curriculum patterns including objectives, methods of planning and presentation, laboratory organization, home and community projects, instructional materials, evaluation, and federal and state legislation for vocational education and family and consumer sciences. Note: Proof of passing Praxis Core for FACS Education majors or consent of instructor is required.
Prerequisite(s): FACS 380 and MGE 275
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025
FACS 481 Advanced Methods in Family and Consumer Sciences Education 3 Hours
A study of the background and trends in education for improving family and consumer sciences. Career and Tech Ed training for high school youth and adults including an understanding of state and federal accountability requirements. Emphasis on working with persons with diverse backgrounds. Lecture. Field trips at student's expense. Note: Permission of instructor may be required.
Prerequisite(s): FACS 381
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman, Junior or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2025; fall 2026
Hospitality Mgt/Dietetics (HMD)
HMD 150 Introduction to Cooking 3 Hours
Introduction and demonstration of principles of food preparation.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
HMD 151 Food Science 3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)
Introduction to the study of the basic principles of food science as they apply to food preparation. Application of principles include preparation and evaluation of food products. Students are responsible for any field trip expenses and transportation.
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Family Consumer Sciences (563) , Hospitality Mgt Dietetics (707) or Hospitality Mgt/Dietetics-Prep (707P)
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026
HMD 152 Food Service Sanitation 1 Hour
Examines the causes and prevention of foodborne illness. Identifies hazards in food service operations. The course culminates with a nationally recognized food safety and sanitation exam.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026
HMD 171 Introduction to Hospitality Management 3 Hours
Hospitality organizational management and career potentials are examined. Hospitality services are viewed from both consumer and business perspectives.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; fall 2026
HMD 201 Introduction to Dietetics 1 Hour
Introduction to dietetics including academic and professional preparation.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; spring 2026; fall 2026
HMD 211 Human Nutrition 3 Hours
Study of nutrients essential to human life and well-being. Nutrients are studied relative to their function in metabolism, sources in food, and relationship to health. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SY
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024; winter 2025; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; winter 2026; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026
HMD 251 Commercial Foods 3 Hours (repeatable max of 3 hrs)
Study and application of commercial food preparation processes and the effective utilization of resources and commercial equipment.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 151 with a minimum grade of C and HMD 152 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Meeting Convention Planning (418) , Hospitality Mgt Dietetics (707) or Hospitality Mgt/Dietetics-Prep (707P)
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 252 Hospitality Information Technology 3 Hours
Hardware, software, and digital applications in hotel, restaurant, tourism management, and dietetics.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 271 Tourism Planning and Development 3 Hours
Evaluation of international and domestic travel, tourism, economics, and cultural impact. Examination of tourism management, meeting planning, travel systems, food and lodging systems, and tourist attractions. Students are responsible for any field trip expenses and transportation. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG
Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024; winter 2025; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; winter 2026; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026
HMD 275 Restaurant & Retail Management 3 Hours
Identify and evaluate elements involved in successful concept creation and operation of a restaurant and retail. Field trips at student's expense.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 151
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
HMD 276 Lodging Operations 3 Hours
Introduction to lodging operations systems and processes. Students are responsible for any field trip expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 171 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 313 Practicum in Hospitality Management 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Supervised work experience in event management and tourism. Practicum sites must be pre-approved by the instructor. Students are required to find their own practicum site and provide their own transportation to the site. Repeatable up to a maximum of six hours.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior or Freshman may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2024; summer 2025; summer 2026; fall 2026
HMD 340 Nutrition Assessment 3 Hours
Application of dietary, anthropometric, physical, and biochemical assessment methods for the determination of nutrition status. Includes utilization of the Nutrition Care Process.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 211 with a minimum grade of C and BIOL 131 with a minimum grade of C and (CHEM 105 with a minimum grade of C or CHEM 109 with a minimum grade of C)
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; spring 2026; fall 2026
HMD 351 Human Resource Management in Hospitality 3 Hours
Study human resource management in the hospitality industry.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 251 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 353 Menu and Supply Chain Management 3 Hours
Study of menu development and evaluation. Study of supply chain management in hospitality. Students are responsible for any field trip expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 251 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 354 Hospitality Data Analytics 3 Hours
Financial and managerial analysis of hospitality operations.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 252 with a minimum grade of C or CIS 141 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 360 Advanced Nutrition 3 Hours
An in-depth examination of the biochemical and physiological functions of nutrients and their relationships to health and disease.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 211 with a minimum grade of C and BIOL 131 with a minimum grade of C and (CHEM 107 with a minimum grade of C or CHEM 109 with a minimum grade of C)
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 361 Life Stage Nutrition 3 Hours
Study of nutritional requirements of individuals throughout the life cycle. Students are responsible for any field experience expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 211 with a minimum grade of C and BIOL 131 with a minimum grade of C and (CHEM 105 with a minimum grade of C or CHEM 109 with a minimum grade of C)
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 362 Medical Nutrition Therapy I 4 Hours
Study of the scientific principles of human nutrition in relation to health and disease. Emphasis is placed on nutritional assessment and planning of nutrition intervention strategies for specific disease conditions.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 340 with a minimum grade of C and HMD 360 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 364 Sports Nutrition 3 Hours
Study of optimum nutrition for athletic performance.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 211 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 367 Nutrition in Aging 3 Hours
Exploration of the nutritional requirements of individuals throughout the aging process.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 211 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
HMD 368 Dietary and Herbal Supplements 3 Hours
Current topics related to dietary supplements. Regulatory guidelines and issues related to production, marketing, safety, and efficacy are addressed.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 211 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
HMD 373 Hospitality and Tourism Marketing 3 Hours
Examines the scope and implementation of specialized marketing activities across a range of organizations in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 375 Meeting and Convention Management 3 Hours
Management and evaluation of professional events. Students are responsible for any field experience expenses and transportation.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior or Freshman may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 376 Advanced Lodging Management 3 Hours
Management of full-service lodging operations. Students are responsible for any field trip expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 276 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2025
HMD 378 Hospitality Law 3 Hours
Study of legal aspects of hospitality and tourism operations.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 410 Internship in Hospitality Management 1-3 Hours (repeatable max of 12 hrs)
Supervised work experience in hospitality management and tourism. Internship sites must be approved by the instructor. Students are required to find their own internship site and provide their own transportation to the site. Repeatable up to a maximum of twelve hours.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior or Freshman may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2024; spring 2024; summer 2024; fall 2024; spring 2025; summer 2025; fall 2025; spring 2026; summer 2026; fall 2026
HMD 412 Tourism and Hospitality Study Away 3 Hours (repeatable max of 6 hrs)
Exploration of hospitality and tourism businesses, including, but not limited to hotels, restaurants, casinos, suppliers, event venues, and/or popular tourist attractions. To enhance student knowledge of the hospitality industry through travel and experiences (city changes periodically).
Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.
Recent Term(s) Offered: winter 2025
HMD 452 Quality and Service Management in the Hospitality Industry 3 Hours
In-depth investigation of management theories, leadership, and quality-service principles. Students are responsible for any field experience expenses and transportation.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 459 Senior Seminar in Hospitality Management and Dietetics 1 Hour
Capstone course in career readiness. Students are responsible for any field experience expenses and transportation.
Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Senior.
Enrollment is limited to students in Hospitality Mgt Dietetics (707) or Hospitality Mgt/Dietetics-Prep (707P)
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 461 Application of Nutrition Theory and Research 3 Hours
Application of nutrition theory in the research process.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 360 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Hospitality Mgt Dietetics (707) or Hospitality Mgt/Dietetics-Prep (707P)
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 462 Medical Nutrition Therapy II 4 Hours
Continued study of the analysis of the scientific principles of human nutrition in relation to health and disease.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 362 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 464 Practicum in Dietetics 3 Hours
Supervised dietetics-related field experience. Practicum sites must be approved by the instructor. Students are responsible for field experience expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 362 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to students in Hospitality Mgt Dietetics (707)
Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2024; winter 2025; summer 2025; summer 2026
HMD 465 Community Nutrition 3 Hours
Planning and delivery of nutrition programs to diverse populations.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 361 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior, Freshman or Sophomore may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 470 Hospitality Revenue Management 3 Hours
Key concepts in revenue management and application of revenue maximization strategies.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 376 with a minimum grade of C
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 471 Food Service Operations Management 4 Hours
Application of food service systems in practice. Students are responsible for any field trip expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 251 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Senior.
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026
HMD 472 Hospitality Strategic Management 3 Hours
Study of effective business and corporate strategies. Students are responsible for any field experience expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 373 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Senior.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; winter 2026; spring 2026
HMD 473 Beverage Consumerism 3 Hours
Study of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages and operations. Field trips and travel at student's expense. Note: Must be 21 years of age with valid ID.
Recent Term(s) Offered: None
HMD 475 Advanced Event Planning in Hospitality 3 Hours
Identification of various elements involved in successful planning of hospitality events. Students will learn how to design, plan, and evaluate professional events. An event planning project will be required for successful completion of the course. Field trips at student's expense.
Restriction(s): Students with a semester level of Academy Junior, Academy Senior or Freshman may not enroll.
Recent Term(s) Offered: spring 2024; spring 2025; spring 2026
HMD 476 Global Hospitality and Cuisine 3 Hours
Exploration of regional foods, food preparation techniques, the food service industry, hospitality businesses, hospitality customs, and hospitality management practices in the country(s) being visited. Experiential explorations of food and culture. (Regions vary per term.) Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-IE
Prerequisite(s): 21 hours of Foundations and Explorations Courses, or junior status
Recent Term(s) Offered: summer 2025; summer 2026
HMD 485 Nutrition Counseling 3 Hours
Counseling theories, techniques, and educational strategies used to facilitate nutrition behavior change in diverse populations. Students are responsible for any field experience expenses and transportation.
Prerequisite(s): HMD 362 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Senior.
Enrollment is limited to students in Hospitality Mgt Dietetics (707) or Hospitality Mgt/Dietetics-Prep (707P)
Recent Term(s) Offered: fall 2024; fall 2025; fall 2026