Undergraduate Catalog 2026-2027

Hospitality Management and Dietetics, Bachelor of Science (707P, 707)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/ahs


Program Coordinator

Heather M. Payne-Emerson, heather.payne-emerson@wku.edu, (270) 745-6356

The major in Hospitality Management and Dietetics program offers four distinct concentrations: (1) Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management, (2) Nutrition and Dietetics, (3) Food, Nutrition, and Wellness, and (4) Family and Consumer Sciences Education.  

Concentrations

  • Hotel Restaurant & Tourism (CFHR)
  • Nutrition & Dietetics (CFND)
  • Food, Nutrition & Wellness (CFNW)
  • Family and Consumer Sciences Education (CFED)

Program Requirements (64-83 hours)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

The major in hospitality management and dietetics program offers four distinct concentrations:

  1. Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
  2. Nutrition and Dietetics
  3. Food, Nutrition and Wellness
  4. Family and Consumer Sciences Education

Common Core Courses*

HMD 151Food Science3
HMD 152Food Service Sanitation1
HMD 211Human Nutrition (K-SY)3
HMD 251Commercial Foods3
HMD 452Quality and Service Management in the Hospitality Industry3
Total Hours13

*A grade of “C” or above must be earned in all courses required for these majors. No minor or second major is required.

Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Concentration

The Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management concentration requires 66 semester hours which include common core courses and concentration specific courses. This concentration prepares students for careers in hotel and resort management, food and beverage management, supply chain management, meeting, convention, and event planning, sales, marketing, hospitality business entrepreneurship, and tourism. This concentration requires the following: 

HMD 171Introduction to Hospitality Management3
HMD 271Tourism Planning and Development (K-LG)3
HMD 252Hospitality Information Technology3
HMD 276Lodging Operations3
HMD 351Human Resource Management in Hospitality3
HMD 353Menu and Supply Chain Management3
HMD 354Hospitality Data Analytics3
HMD 373Hospitality and Tourism Marketing3
HMD 376Advanced Lodging Management3
HMD 378Hospitality Law3
HMD 410Internship in Hospitality Management6
HMD 459Senior Seminar in Hospitality Management and Dietetics1
HMD 470Hospitality Revenue Management3
HMD 471Food Service Operations Management4
HMD 472Hospitality Strategic Management3
Select two designated electives with an advisor from the following:6
Practicum in Hospitality Management
Meeting and Convention Management
Tourism and Hospitality Study Away
Beverage Consumerism
Advanced Event Planning in Hospitality
Global Hospitality and Cuisine
Special Topics in Consumer and Family Science
Other Advisor approved electives
Total Hours53

Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration

The Nutrition and Dietetics concentration requires 64 semester hours which include common core courses and concentration specific courses. This concentration meets requirements of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics and fulfills one of the steps necessary to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. A grade point average of 3.0 on at least 30 credit hours is required for admission to the Nutrition and Dietetics concentration; specific courses, including human nutrition (HMD 211) with a grade of B or better, chemistry (CHEM 105), biology (BIOL 131), and mathematics (MATH 183), require a minimum grade of “C” or higher and should be a part of these 30 credit hours. Students must have an ACT composite score of ≥ 20 or SAT (CR+M) of ≥ 950. Additional information on the admission process and becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is available on the program website (http://www.wku.edu/ahs/dietetics). This concentration helps prepare students for careers in medical nutrition therapy, sports nutrition and wellness, hospital and school food service, public health nutrition, extension services, research, nutrition counseling, and private practice. This concentration requires the following:

HMD 201Introduction to Dietetics1
HMD 252Hospitality Information Technology3
HMD 340Nutrition Assessment3
HMD 351Human Resource Management in Hospitality3
HMD 353Menu and Supply Chain Management3
HMD 354Hospitality Data Analytics3
HMD 360Advanced Nutrition3
HMD 361Life Stage Nutrition3
HMD 362Medical Nutrition Therapy I4
HMD 459Senior Seminar in Hospitality Management and Dietetics1
HMD 461Application of Nutrition Theory and Research3
HMD 462Medical Nutrition Therapy II4
HMD 464Practicum in Dietetics3
HMD 465Community Nutrition3
HMD 485Nutrition Counseling3
AH 290Medical Terminology2
CHEM 304Biochemistry for the Health Sciences3
Select one of the following electives:3
Sports Nutrition
Nutrition in Aging
Dietary and Herbal Supplements
Hospitality and Tourism Marketing
Food Service Operations Management
General Biology
Biological Concepts: Cells Metabolism and Genetics
Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology
Physiology of Exercise I
Health Care Organization and Management
International Comparisons of Health Care Systems
Basic Marketing Concepts
Exercise Physiology
Wellness and Fitness Assessment
Worksite Health Promotion
Introduction to Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Other advisor approved electives
Total Hours51

Specific courses required for the concentration may also count toward Colonnade Requirements and include the following: 

ECON 150Introduction to Economics3
PSY/PSYS 100Introduction to Psychology3
MATH 183Introductory Statistics3
CHEM 105Fundamentals of General Chemistry3
CHEM 106Fundamentals of General Chemistry Laboratory1
CHEM 107Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry3
CHEM 108Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry Laboratory1
BIOL 131Human Anatomy and Physiology4
BIOL 207General Microbiology3
BIOL 208General Microbiology Laboratory1

Food, Nutrition and Wellness Concentration

The Food, Nutrition and Wellness concentration requires 69 semester hours which include common core courses and concentration specific courses.  Courses for the certificate in Health Education and Promotion are included in the requirements, and Food, Nutrition and Wellness concentration students are highly encouraged to declare the certificate. This concentration prepares students for careers in extension services, community nutrition programs, food service management, health coaching, wellness, event management, sales, public relations, research, and fitness facilities management. This concentration requires the following:

HMD 252Hospitality Information Technology3
HMD 351Human Resource Management in Hospitality3
HMD 353Menu and Supply Chain Management3
HMD 354Hospitality Data Analytics3
HMD 360Advanced Nutrition3
HMD 361Life Stage Nutrition3
HMD 375Meeting and Convention Management3
HMD 459Senior Seminar in Hospitality Management and Dietetics1
HMD 461Application of Nutrition Theory and Research3
HMD 471Food Service Operations Management4
PE 311Exercise Physiology3
Health education and promotion focused courses:
PH 383Biostatistics in the Health Sciences3
PH 384Introduction to Epidemiology3
PH 390Wellness and Fitness Assessment3
ENV 402Worksite Health Promotion3
PH 483Administration of Public Health Programs3
PH 484Community Organization for Health Education3
PH 485Fundamentals of Public Health Planning3
Select one designated elective with an advisor from the following:3
Sports Nutrition
Nutrition in Aging
Dietary and Herbal Supplements
Community Nutrition
Entrepreneurship
Management of Nonprofit Organizations
Basic Marketing Concepts
Services Marketing
Personal Selling
Digital Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Entrepreneurial Marketing
Industrial / Organizational Psychology
Other advisor approved elective
Total Hours56

Required Colonnade courses in support of this concentration include CHEM 109 and BIOL 131.

Family and Consumer Sciences Education Concentration

The Family and Consumer Sciences Education concentration requires 83 semester hours which include the common core courses, the concentration specific courses (which include the required Professional Education Courses), and 12 hours of designated electives. This concentration prepares students to become Family and Consumer Sciences educators for Middle Schools and High Schools.

FACS 191Child Development3
FACS 282Introduction to Family and Consumer Sciences Education3
FACS 311Family Relations3
FACS 381Methods and Materials in Family and Consumer Sciences Education3
FACS 481Advanced Methods in Family and Consumer Sciences Education3
LTCY 497Literacy Competencies for Middle and High School Classroom Teachers0
PSY 310Educational Psychology: Development and Learning3
MGE 490Student Teaching5
SEC 490Student Teaching5
HMD 171Introduction to Hospitality Management3
HMD 375Meeting and Convention Management3
ART 130Two-Dimensional Design Foundations3
IDFS 131Basic Apparel Construction3
FIN 161Personal Finance3
EDU 250Discover Teaching: Introduction to Teacher Education3
EDU 260Classroom Assessment3
EDU 350Student Diversity and Differentiation3
EDU 360Behavior and Classroom Management in Education3
EDU 489Student Teaching Seminar3
Choose Four Electives12
Introduction to Interior Design
Survey of Architecture and Interiors II
Fashion Appreciation
Interior Design Studio I
IDFS Computer Aided Design
Materials and Finishes for Interior Design
Design and the Human Lifecycle
Design for Food Service Operations
Clothing and Human Behavior
Textiles
Fashion Illustration
Merchandising I for IDFS
Fashion Fundamentals
Apparel Design Production
Tourism Planning and Development
Practicum in Hospitality Management
Nutrition Assessment
Menu and Supply Chain Management
Sports Nutrition
Advanced Nutrition
Life Stage Nutrition
Tourism and Hospitality Study Away
Community Nutrition
Food Service Operations Management
Global Hospitality and Cuisine
Working with Young Children and Families
Curriculum Development for Young Children
Development in Middle Childhood
Diversity in Early Childhood Programs
Administration of Early Childhood Programs
Infant/Toddler Development and Curriculum
Preschool and Kindergarten Children Development and Curriculum
Role of Play in Child Development
Wellness and Fitness Assessment
Basic Marketing Concepts
Understanding the Nonprofit Sector
Outdoor Recreation Activities
Total Hours70

A required Colonnade course in support of this concentration is COMM 145. All requirements for admission to professional education must be met to fulfill the Kentucky standards for the designated teaching certificate. Current information on teacher education and certification are available on the website for the Office of Professional Educator Services: http://www.wku.edu/educatorservices/. 

Finish in Four Plans

Food, Nutrition, and Wellness Concentration

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
COMM 1453ENG 1003
HMD 1513CHEM 1094
HIST 101 or HIST 1023MATH 109, MATH 115, or MATH 1833
Colonnade - Social & Behavioral Sciences3Major/Minor/Elective or World Language (if needed)3
Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3HMD 1521
 15 14
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
ENG 2003HMD 2113
HMD 2523HMD 2513
BIOL 1314PH 3843
PH 3833PE 3113
Major/Minor/Elective3Major/Minor/Elective3
 16 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HMD 3543HMD 3533
HMD 3613HMD 3603
HMD 3753PH 3903
PH 4833ENV 4023
ENG 3003Connections - Social and Cultural3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HMD 4523HMD 3513
HMD 4591PH 4843
HMD 4613Connections - Local to Global3
HMD 4714Major Designated Elective3
PH 4853Major/Minor/Elective3
Major/Minor/Elective1 
 15 15
Total Hours 120

Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management Concentration

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
COMM 1453ENG 1003 
HMD 1713HMD 1513 
HIST 101 or HIST 1023MATH 109 or MATH 1153 
Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab3Colonnade - Arts & Humanities3 
Major/Minor/Elective OR World Language (if needed)3Major/Minor/Elective3 
 15 15 
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
HMD 1521HMD 2113HMD 4103
HMD 2523HMD 2513 
HMD 2713Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/lab3-4 
HMD 2763Major/Minor/Elective3 
ENG 2003Major/Minor/Elective3 
Colonnade - Social & Behavioral Science3  
 16 15-16 3
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
HMD 3543HMD 3513HMD 4103
HMD 3733HMD 3533 
HMD 3783HMD 376 (Advanced Lodging Management)3 
ENG 3003Major/Minor/Elective3 
Major/Minor/Elective3  
 15 12 3
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
HMD 4523HMD 4703 
HMD 4591HMD 4723 
HMD 4714Colonnade - Connections (Social & Cultural)3 
Colonnade - Connections (Local to Global)3Designated Elective in the Major3 
Designated Elective in the Major3  
 14 12 
Total Hours 120-121

Nutrition and Dietetics Concentration

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
COMM 1453ENG 1003 
HMD 1513CHEM 1053 
HIST 101 or HIST 1023CHEM 1061 
PSY 100 or PSYS 1003MATH 1833 
Colonnade - Arts and Humanities3AH 2902 
 Major/Minor/Elective OR World Language (if needed)3 
 15 15 
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
HMD 1521HMD 2513 
HMD 2011ENG 2003 
HMD 2113BIOL 1314 
HMD 2523Connections - Local to Global3 
CHEM 1073Major/Minor/Elective3 
CHEM 1081  
ECON 1503  
 15 16 
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
HMD 3403HMD 3603HMD 4643
HMD 3543HMD 3624 
HMD 3613CHEM 3043 
BIOL 2073Connections - Social and Cultural3 
BIOL 2081  
ENG 3003  
 16 13 3
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
HMD 4523HMD 3513 
HMD 4591HMD 3533 
HMD 4613HMD 4653 
HMD 4624Major Designated Elective3 
HMD 4853Major/Minor/Elective1 
 14 13 
Total Hours 120

Family and Consumer Sciences Education Concentration

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
IDFS 1313COMM 1453
FACS 1913HIST 101 or HIST 1023
FACS 2823HMD 1513
EDU 2503HMD 1521
ENG 1003HMD 1713
 EDU 2603
 15 16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
COLONNADE - Quantitative Reasoning3EDU 3603
FACS 3813HMD 2513
ART 1303FIN 1613
ENG 2003COLONNADE -Natural & Physical Sciences3
EDU 3503Designated Elective3
 HMD 2113
 15 18
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
FACS 4813HMD 3753
PSY 3103IDFS 4313
IDFS 1653Colonnade - Science with a Lab3-4
Connections - Local to Global3Designated Elective3
ENG 3003Designated Elective4-3
 15 16
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
FACS 3113EDU 4893
HMD 4523MGE 4905
LTCY 4970SEC 4905
Designated Elective3 
Elective3 
 12 13
Total Hours 120