In the Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics, we are proud of our heritage and future direction. We have positioned ourselves to be at the forefront nationally teaching, research, and outreach activities. One of the oldest departments in the College, HMD was organized in 1922 as the Department of Institutional Economics.

The mission of the Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics is to prepare graduates to be leaders in the dietetics and hospitality fields by integrating theory, experience, and research. We are committed to disseminating expertise and knowledge to the people of Kansas and beyond.

The vision of the Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics is to be recognized as an international pacesetter in foodservice and hospitality management graduate education/research and as the premier institution in Kansas offering undergraduate degrees in hotel/restaurant management and dietetics.

The research priorities of the Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics are:

1. Food safety in commercial and institutional foodservice operations.
2. Hospitality marketing and tourism.
3. Gerontology and its interface with hospitality management and dietetics in long-term care and/or continuing-care retirement communities.

The programs in the Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics are based on the premise that understanding the needs of people in their environments is the basis for successful hospitality management and dietetic practice. Teaching, research, and leadership opportunities are designed to prepare students for professional careers in our service-oriented, information-based society. All departmental programs include a commitment to self-evaluation, lifelong learning and adherence to both a personal and professional code of ethics in responding to customer, organization and industry concerns.

The HMD Department in the College of Human Ecology offers two undergraduate majors: a B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Management and a B.S. in Dietetics. The department’s Graduate Program offers two master’s degree programs: an on-campus M.S. in Foodservice, Hospitality Management and Administrative Dietetics and an online M.S. in Dietetics as part of the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA). HMD participates in the interdisciplinary PhD program in Human Ecology, allowing students to pursue a PhD with specialization in Foodservice and Hospitality Management.

Two options are available in the undergraduate dietetics program. The Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CP) includes the 1200 hour ADA-required supervised practice component as part of the course of study. Students completing this program are immediately eligible upon graduation to sit for the national Registration Examination for Dietitians. The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) is also offered for those students seeking to the meet the academic requirements of the American Dietetic Association and then applying for admission to a post-baccalaureate dietetic internship after graduation.

The B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Management provides students coursework and hands-on learning experiences in three tracks: foodservice and restaurant; convention, meeting and event management; and lodging. An extensive array of professional electives allows students to tailor a program to meet their interests in the diverse hospitality industry.

The graduate programs in HMD are recognized nationally and internationally for their excellence. Students work closely with their major professor and supervisory committee to tailor a graduate school experience which meets their personal and professional goals. Individuals from around the world come to K-State to pursue advanced study and hone their research skills.

The Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics is recognized for its excellent faculty. Our faculty members have been recognized leaders in hospitality management and dietetics research since the 1930s. Graduate students and faculty members are widely published in top-tier peer-reviewed publications and have won numerous Best Paper awards and other recognitions for their scholarly work. Faculty members also work collaboratively with different state agencies and professional associations in conducting training programs and research as well as collaborating on research with colleagues across campus or in other universities.

Faculty have served as elected and appointed officers and members of boards of directors for professional organizations at the national, regional and state levels such as The American Dietetic Association, Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Education, the School Nutrition Association, the School Nutrition Association Foundation, Foodservice Systems Management Education Council, and the National Association of College and University Food Services.

Students have the opportunity to interact with national leaders in foodservice and hospitality management through the annual Grace M. Shugart Lecture Series. Past speakers have included professional association presidents, foodservice management and hospitality educators, and industry leaders. Student professional organizations in the department include the KSU Student Dietetic Association, the Hospitality Management Society, the Club Managers Association of America student chapter, the Professional Convention Management Association student chapter, the Eta Sigma Delta Hospitality Management Honor Society, and the Hospitality Management and Dietetics Graduate Student Club.

HMD News

Culinary workshop to focus on regions of Mexico Feb. 23, 24

Chef Taji Marie will showcase the regional diversity of Mexican cuisine on Feb. 23 and 24 at  the annual Culinary Enhancement Workshop on campus. The theme of the workshop is “Authentic Flavors from the Regions of Mexico.” Marie is the owner and executive chef of Simple Gourmet in Los Angeles, Calif., and has worked as [...]

Telefund: a blue ribbon year (Thank you, donors)

Students, faculty and staff pitched in to pull in $108,274 during this year’s Telefund. Students – at least 233 of them – called alumni and wrote cards to those they couldn’t reach by phone. Nearly 40 faculty and staff showed up to assist and support the students. Last year’s effort raised just over $100,000. The [...]

Whitehair researches ways to decrease food waste at university dining center

To decrease food waste, hold the trays and add posters. That’s what Kelly Whitehair found while researching food disposed by students at Kansas State University’s Van Zile Dining Center. She is an assistant director at the dining center and a December 2011 doctoral graduate in hospitality management and dietetics. After posters reminded students about food [...]

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