Food Service Management (FSM) Courses

FSM1001 Introduction to the Food & Beverage Industry

This introductory course examines career opportunities, organizational structures, history, and front- and back-of-the-house operations in the food service industry. Specific segments are also examined in commercial, industrial and institutional areas of food service.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM1165 The Food Safety Manager

Students explore food safety and environmental sanitation through the lens of the person in charge, identify the origins of food contamination and recognize proper food safety practices used to keep food safe during the flow of food from vendor to consumer. Students must pass an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited, national food safety manager certification examination that is recognized by the Conference for Food Protection.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
1 Semester Credit

FSM2007 Food and Beverage Technology & Application Systems

This course prepares students for the understanding of current applications and trends in technology that are impacting the food and beverage industry. Emphasis is placed on emerging technologies used in the industry from both a managerial and an analytical perspective.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM2033 Food Service in Hospitality and Tourism

This course introduces the principles of how food and beverage operations interact with other departments found in hospitality and tourism properties. Managerial concepts include industry regulations, financial and operational controls, and matching foodservice venues and menus to targeted customer markets.
Prerequisite(s): HOSP1001.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM2045 Introduction to Menu Planning and Cost Controls

This course allows students the opportunity to evaluate sales menus and apply the skills relevant to the development and design of the sales menu in a food service operation, while also learning the importance and use of the proper tools and documents needed to control food and beverage costs and analyze sales. Additionally, the course introduces a practical approach to managerial accounting through the exploration of labor and overhead expenses, as well as an introduction to the income statement as a method of evaluating a business’s success.
Prerequisite(s): MATH0010 (or concurrent) or math placement, sophomore status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM2055 Beverage Appreciation

This intermediate course refines the student's knowledge of beverages served in a variety of hospitality operations. Emphasis is on beverage sensory perception and food pairings. Students develop and analyze strategies to effectively manage, market and set standards for beverage operations. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are examined.
Prerequisite(s): Online students must be of legal drinking age -21 years of age in the US- or of minimum legal drinking age in the country where they are attending the course. Please note that we periodically ask students to provide us with a government ID showing their date of birth.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM2080 Food Service Operations

This intermediate course is designed to complete the student's foundation in purchasing as well as food and beverage operational controls. Emphasis is on mastering the purchasing cycle functions and back-of-the-house menu management systems and operations. Students also develop income statements using current technology and utilize spreadsheet applications to analyze food and beverage operations. Students have the opportunity to achieve two industry-recognized certifications.
Prerequisite(s): ACCT1210 or ACCT2150 (or concurrent).
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM2110 Food and Beverage Operations in the Sports, Entertainment and Event Management Industry

This course introduces students to the management of different areas of food and beverage operations within the sports, entertainment and event industry. Emphasis is on food product and preparation types, beverage types, food and beverage delivery systems, costing and pricing strategies, and food and beverage pairings as they apply to the different divisions of the industry. Students obtain approved Food Safety Handler and Food Allergy certifications.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM2130 The Businesses of Non-Commercial Foodservice

This course examines the non-commercial segment of the foodservice industry from the unit manager, client, guest and employment perspectives. Students explore how the operational cycle of control and the use of technologies are applied in a wide variety of businesses. The principal companies and the available career paths in the segment are discussed.
Offered at Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM2210 Operational Management in Healthcare

This course introduces students to the responsibilities of a food service operations manager within healthcare organizations and other adjacent career paths. Through the examination of financial and human resource management principles, as well as organizational structure and governance, the student will be able to demonstrate and apply the functions expected of an operations manager.
Prerequisite(s): FSM2045.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3035 Supervision for Food Service Professionals

This course is designed to allow students the opportunity to learn and explore human resource management theory and procedures as they apply to the food service industry. Students learn proper procedures to hire, train, motivate and discipline employees, as well as to perform employee appraisals. Current human resource management issues and labor legislation law are discussed as they apply to preparing future chefs and managers for successful leadership roles in the food service industry.
Prerequisite(s): Junior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3040 Food Service Financial Systems

This course allows students the opportunity to learn and experience an in-depth analysis of financial information within the food service industry. Emphasis is placed on exploration of accounting, sales, purchasing, inventory and budgetary systems. The course offers an overall view of financial management and its related areas through manual applications and the use of computers in the food service industry. Students recognize business problems, provide viable solutions and evaluate the effect of those solutions.
Prerequisite(s): FSM2025 or FSM2045.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3060 Front of the House Operations Management

This intermediate course focuses on the comprehensive study of dining service management within the food and beverage industry. Emphasis is placed on service theory and delivery, current technology and its application, customer feedback and process improvement, human resource development and training, staffing, physical space and layout, marketing, and fiscal accountability. Students have the opportunity to obtain industry-specific certification.
Prerequisite(s): Junior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3075 Food Service and Hospitality Strategic Marketing

This upper-level course provides students with a broad scope of food service and hospitality marketing. Emphasis is on the analysis, structure and strategy of food service and hospitality marketing; departmental budgeting; allocation of resources; market research; media selection; and effectiveness of the marketing plan. Case studies and assigned readings examine current marketing issues. A directed work project may be incorporated into this course.
Prerequisite(s): Junior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3080 Food & Beverage Marketing and Distribution

This course introduces students to the many facets of food marketing in commercial applications. Students explore the various segments of the food and beverage marketing industry, including marketing for food and beverage manufacturing and distribution companies. Special emphasis is placed on the integration of food service and marketing competencies.
Prerequisite(s): Junior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3111 Catering: Sales and Operations Management

Catering companies provide food and beverage services for clients who are hosting events, such as weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, anniversaries, graduations, rehearsal dinners and organization meetings. Catering managers meet with clients to plan events and are responsible for menu development, cooking and serving food in a variety of locations. This upper-level course examines the unique aspects of planning and executing various catered events for both on-premise and for off-premise locations. Students explore the managerial and entrepreneurial aspects of developing a business model, building and maintaining a client base, operating and analyzing financial performance, and applying food and beverage management operational best practices.
Prerequisite(s): Sophomore status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3175 Advanced Food Safety, HACCP and Special Processes

This course provides students with advanced training in food safety concepts and special processes while simultaneously developing workplace skills that are highly valued by employers. Students explore the framework and imperative steps of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) as a control for safe food production. Students also explore safe food processing and recognize proper food safety practices utilized to keep food safe through the flow of food. Common special processes and template HACCP plans are analyzed to ensure safe production of these special processes, thus keeping the consumer from risk. At the completion of this course, students are prepared to sit for a nationally recognized HACCP certification exam.
Prerequisite(s): (CUL2510, CUL2610, CUL2710, CUL2810) or (CUL2510, CUL2810, CULN2020, CULN2230) or (CUL2010, CULS2010, CULS3035), FSM1165.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM3215 Culinary Operations and Facility Management

This course is designed to enhance the student’s understanding of how a foodservice operation’s concept and menu influence back-of-the-house functions and costs. A task analysis is performed to design a workflow and identify the equipment and smallwares needed to receive and store product, and to produce and serve the menu. Overhead costs including direct operating expenses, furniture, fixtures and equipment (FFE), repairs and maintenance, and facilities layout and design are explored and evaluated to determine costs and the effect on profitability.
Prerequisite(s): FSM2025 or FSM2045.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM4061 Advanced Food Service Operations Management

This upper-level capstone course concentrates on integrating critical competencies of management in a small food service setting. Emphasis is placed on menu development, marketing, staff scheduling, production planning and implementation, service, and fiscal accountability. Students manage the food and beverage service operations.
Prerequisite(s): ((FSM2080 and FSM3060) or (Completion of Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry Arts associate degree)) and senior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM4070 The Business of Alcohol Distribution, Retail and Sales

This course offers the student a comprehensive overview of the costs of producing, distributing and selling licensed alcoholic beverages in the U.S. and the relationship between costs, profit margins and sales. Each segment of the three-tiered distribution system is analyzed and the legal aspects of producing, distributing and selling licensed beverages are examined. Internet sales and the challenge it poses to the current system are also evaluated. The impact of the current system on the consumer and how the consumer's needs are addressed is the focus of the course.
Prerequisite(s): Junior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM4160 Food and Beverage Strategies and Logistics

This senior-level capstone course is designed to give students insight into strategic management and decision making in the food and beverage industry. Students develop critical-thinking and decision-making skills by employing a variety of methods to examine the strategies of a number of food and beverage organizations. Special emphasis is on the impact of internal and external factors on strategy, current market conditions in the food and beverage industry, and the unique importance of the supply chain as it relates to food and beverage organizations.
Prerequisite(s): (FSM3075 or HOSP3053 or MRKT1001), (ACCT3150 or FISV2000), junior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

FSM4880 Beverage Operations Management

This upper-level course examines the creation and management of a beverage operation. Planning topics include concept, identification of target market and bar business creation. The creation of a business plan is discussed. Management topics include bar layout and operations, trend identification and product selection, basic production methods, costing and pricing, inventory methods and human resources management. The creation of wine lists, beer lists and cocktail menus is also discussed. Responsible Beverage Service is stressed.
Prerequisite(s): Junior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits