Bachelor of Science Hospitality Management: Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Major

Nationwide, the food industry is thriving with 60,000 job openings annually resulting in an upward demand for qualified individuals. But more importantly, the food industry is looking for well-rounded candidates who have the knowledge of new food product development as well as innovation management skills. This major in Food Innovations and Entrepreneurship is an industry-facing program designed to train students to meet this demand.

This major is designed for hospitality, business management, and other non-STEM students to give them an opportunity to explore the wider food industry in managerial roles. The major blends science and management skills necessary to cater to the needs of today's rapidly changing job market. The syllabus is designed innovatively using an experiential learning approach without the need for hardcore science-based pre-requisite making it suitable for non-STEM students.

Job Outlook

The industries with the highest levels of employment in food scientists and technologists, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, include food manufacturing, management of companies and enterprises, dairy product manufacturing, grain and oilseed milling, scientific development and research services.

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Food Scientists and Technologists:

• Grain and Oilseed Milling
• Other Food Manufacturing
• Dairy Product Manufacturing
• Animal Food Manufacturing   
• Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing

Salary averages for food scientists and technologists range from $72,050 to $107,560, depending on the industry and location. States with the highest employment level in Food Scientists and Technologists include California, New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota. 

Career opportunities include:

• Director of R&D
• Research and Development Scientist
• Food Product Development Manager
• Food Safety Team Leader
• Food Innovation and Research Scientists

Partnerships

The Chaplin School, in partnership with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, supports the annual production of the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capitol One (SOBEWFF®). The event, which is the largest of its kind in the U.S., generates experiential learning opportunities for as many as 1,200 FIU students each year. Additionally, the Chaplin School has developed many other long-standing relationships with major global hospitality and tourism corporations such as Sandals Resorts, Carnival Corporation & PLC (founder of the Carnival Gold Scholars and the Carnival Student Center on our BBC campus) and Marriott International (namesake for the school’s Marriott Tianjin China Program). The school also has partnerships with some well-known names like the Fontainebleau Miami Beach which hosts the world renowned nightclub, LIV® and food and beverage producers such as Bacardi USA, and Badia Spices. 

A total of 120 credits are required for the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management: Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Major. The prospective hospitality students will have the opportunity to take 4 specialized courses, an internship, and a capstone project in addition to the hospitality common core syllabus.

The Required Courses for This Major: 12 Credits 

FSS 4015 Principles of Culinology: 3 

FOS 4206 Sanitation in Food Service Operation: 3

FSS 4364 Innovative Food Analysis and Quality Management System: 3

HFT 4833 Culinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship (GL): 3

University Core Curriculum (UCC): 36 Credits

SLS 1501 First Year Experience (for students with fewer than 30 transfer credits only): 1 

ENC 1101 Writing and Rhetoric I*: 3

ENC 1102 Writing and Rhetoric II* (Prereq: Enc 1101): 3

Any____ Humanities – Group 1: 3

Any____*Humanities – Group 2 – GRW * (Prereq: Enc 1102): 3

Any____*Mathematics – Group 1* (At Least One Math Must Have MAC, MGF, MTG Prefix): 3

Any____*Mathematics – Group 2* (At Least One Math Must Have MAC, MGF, MTG Prefix): 3

AMH 2020* Social Science – Group 1: American History Survey Since 1877 – GRW/GL* – Civics: 3 

ECO 2023 Social Science – Group 2: Microeconomics: 3

Any____Natural Science With Lab – Group 1 (Coreq: must be taken with corresponding lab): 3,1

Any____Natural Science With Lab – Group 2 (Coreq: must be taken with corresponding lab): 3,1

SPC 2608 Art: Public Speaking: 3

For A List of Approved UCC Courses Please Visit: 

https://Exploratory.Fiu.Edu/University-Core-Curriculum-UCC/

 * Grade “C” Or Better Is Required

Hospitality Pre-Core Courses: 14 Credit

HFT 1000 Introduction to Hospitality & Tourism Management: 3

HFT 2220 Human Resources Management: 3 

HFT 2401 Accounting for the Hospitality Industry: 3

HFT 2441 Hospitality Information Technology: 3 

HFT 3072 Hospitality Pathway to Success II (Prereq: HFT 1070 + minimum 60 credits earned): 0-1 

Hospitality Work Experience Requirement: Work Hours + 1 Credit

Minimum 500 Hours Work Experience (submit employment verification form for completion): N/A

HFT 4945 Advanced Internship – 300 hours to be completed while enrolled (Prereq: HFT 3072 + completion of 500 hours + offer letter to enroll): 0-1

Hospitality Core Courses: 33 Credits

FSS 3230C Introductory Commercial Food Production: 3 

FSS 4234C Advanced Food Production Management (Prereq: Fss3230c): 3

HFT 3263 Restaurant Management: 3

HFT 3453 Lodging Operations Control: 3

HFT 3503 Hospitality Marketing Strategies – GL: 3

HFT 3603 Law for the Hospitality Industry – GL: 3

HFT 4323 Hospitality Facilities Management – GL: 3

HFT 4413 Hospitality Analytics and Revenue Management: 3

HFT 4464 Financial Analysis in the Hospitality Industry (Prereq: HFT 2401): 3

HFT 4474 Management Accounting for the Hospitality Industry (Prereq: HFT 2401): 3

HFT 4294 Senior Seminar in the Hospitality Industry (must be taken last semester): 3

Hospitality Elective Courses: ____Credits

HFT/FSS 3/4XXX Hospitality Elective: 3 

HFT/FSS 3/4XXX Hospitality Elective: 3

HFT/FSS 3/4XXX Hospitality Elective: 3

HFT/FSS 3/4XXX Hospitality Elective: 3

To ensure every student’s success, we have certain admissions requirements for each of our programs. To help you through the application process, our enrollment advisors are available to answer your questions and guide you every step of the way.


FIU Admission Requirements

Applications are accepted for Spring, Fall and Summer terms.

Steps to Apply

Freshman Students

 Please submit the following:

• Online application
• $30 application fee.
• Official SAT, ACT and/or CLT scores.
• Official high school transcripts.

Transfer Students

Please submit the following:

• Online application
• $30 application fee.
• Official college transcripts.
• If you have less than 60 transferable college credits, you must also submit official high school transcripts and SAT, ACT and/or CLT scores in addition to any transcripts from postsecondary schools to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

International Students

In addition to the above requirements, international applicants should submit:

• Official English Language Proficiency exam scores (TOEFL or IELTS).
• NACES official course-by-course evaluation and translation of college transcripts.
• If you have less than 60 transferable college credits, you must also submit official high school transcripts with translation.

Program Admission Requirements 

Applicants to the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management must submit an Undergraduate Application for admission to the University and must follow the regular University admissions procedures described in the FIU Undergraduate Admissions website (click "How to Apply"). Applicants must be eligible for admission to the University before being accepted to the School.

• A minimum paper-based TOEFL score of 550, an internet-based (ibT) score of 80 or a minimum IELTS of 6.50 overall is required for international applicants.

Any student who has completed two years of college (60 transferable semester hours) may apply for admission as a transfer student to the upper division program.  A minimum 2.0 GPA is required for transfer students. Admissions will review your official transcripts for transfer credits upon submission of your application. Domestic students may enroll on either a full-time or a part-time basis; International students must enroll full-time (at least 12 credits per semester). Students with less than 60 transfer credits are subject to freshman admission criteria.

All students are required to meet the university’s core curriculum requirements prior to graduation. It is not necessary to have been previously enrolled in a hotel, restaurant or tourism, or environmental studies program. The curriculum will provide the specialized professional education to equip the student for a career in sustainable hospitality and tourism management. Students with training in liberal arts, business, education, or technology, for example, are qualified to enroll in the program.

A maximum of 60 lower division undergraduate semester credits may be transferred from a junior or community college program. More credits may be transferred from a related upper-division program at a four-year institution.

Undergraduate applicants are advised to respect the Admissions Deadlines of the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Thank 

Admission Documents

To complete the online undergraduate programs admissions form, select your program from the application form. You may complete the online application and submit it, even before taking any entrance exams. All supporting admission documents may be sent to:

Florida International University

Office of Undergraduate Admissions


P.O. Box 659003


Miami, FL 33265-9003


USA



FIU also accepts transcripts electronically via:

•     Faster (All FL public institutions)
•     Naviance (Typically used by private high schools)
•     SMART/Joint Service Transcript – Military records

*Meeting the university minimum requirements does not guarantee admission

We’re thrilled that you’re considering online education and want you to know exactly what to expect for tuition and fees. Education is an investment in your future. Use the following student tuition and fees calculator to determine your costs.

Faculty members teaching in the B.S. in Hospitality Management: Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship Major combine strong academic credentials with excellent teaching skills and extensive, executive-level industry and organizational experience that will inspire students to become leaders in their fields. They value student exploration, serving as mentors and models who challenge and inspire students while preparing them with sound approaches to help encourage opportunities and innovation.  

Dr. Michael Cheng: Dr. Cheng is the Dean at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University, where he is transforming hospitality, starting with the learner experience. He was previously a tenured Associate Professor and Director of the Food and Beverage Program. Dr. Cheng has subject matter expertise in competency-based learning, hospitality management, Culinology®, food product development, restaurant development, sensory analysis, and food and beverage management. Prior to joining Florida International University, Dr. Cheng served as founding Director and Department Chair, Director of Global Studies and MBA Programs, and Professor of Culinology® at Southwest Minnesota State University.

Dr. Cheng received both his B.S. and M.S. in Restaurant/Foodservice Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his Ph.D. in Hospitality Management from Iowa State University. He brings over 20 years of experience in teaching and learning in Culinology® and Hospitality Management, and established the world’s first and only academic discipline that blends culinary arts and food science—Culinology®. The Vilcek Foundation recognized his achievements by placing Dr. Cheng as a finalist in the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in the Culinary Arts in 2010. He has been honored three times by the Research Chefs Association (RCA) with the President’s Award for his continued innovation, dedication, leadership and extraordinary contributions to the RCA community. Since the inception of the first Culinology® degree program at Nebraska, Dr. Cheng has been involved with establishing other Culinology® programs, including University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Southwest Minnesota State University and Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Dr. Cheng was invited by the National Restaurant Association to be on a panel of Culinology® experts at the 2006 Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago, has presented at various national and international conferences, such as the Molecular Gastronomy Workshop at University College Cork, Ireland, the Research Chefs Association Culinology Expo, the League for Innovation, and the National Institute for Staff and Institutional Development. In addition, he has also been invited to judge several culinary competitions in Florida, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Dr. Cheng is also the Editor-in-chief of the Journal of Culinary Science and Technology as well as a published author of several peer-reviewed articles on Culinology® competencies and has been awarded over $1 million in public and private funded research. He continues to chair the Higher Education committee, and serves as the Board Member-at-large for the Research Chefs Association. Dr. Cheng is a native of Malaysia.

Dr. Imran Ahmad: Prior to joining FIU, Dr. Ahmad served as an affiliated faculty member at the Biosystems Engineering Program (undergrduate), Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand) where he lectured and developed new courses such as;

• Food Analysis and Quality Assurance,
• Engineering Properties of Food and Bio-materials
• Biosystems Engineering Applications,
• General Chemistry and Workshop Techniques

During the years 2008-2015, Ahmad served as instructor at the Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology (FEBT) program, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand) and co-lectured 3 graduate laboratory courses per year (Food Processing Laboratory, Engineering Properties of Foods, Bioprocess Practica). In addition, he spearheaded Graduate Research Laboratories (i) Food Processing Lab., and (ii) Bioprocess Lab. for 8 years.

Dr. Ahmad has a total 16 years of experience of food industry and graduate level academic research. He has served as a Project Manager (manufacturing) in Dutch Mill Group – Thailand’s largest dairy company. His core areas of research interests are quality management in fresh produce, agri-food supply chain management, application of artificial intelligence in food industry, predictive modelling etc.  He has co-supervised a number of research projects in the areas of postharvest of cereals, fruits and vegetables, dairy and value-added food production. He has authored 9 original research papers published in high impact (ISI) journals, 7 conference papers and co-authored 5 book chapters and served as one of the Editors of the textbook ‘Functional Foods, Dietary Supplements: Processing Effects and Health Benefits’ published by Wiley-Blackwell (UK). He has provided professional services in Thailand, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Laos PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia through AIT outreach activities, sponsored research and training projects.

Rossy Ambe Cohen: Ms. Rossy Ambe Cohen is a Visiting Instructor/ Director of the Food & Beverage Program at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management (CSHTM) at FIU. As a subject matter expert in restaurant management and development, Ms. Ambe Cohen primarily teaches classes in the Food and Beverage program, most notably, Introductory Commercial Food Production, Advanced Food Production Management, International Baking and Institutional Food Service Production, a course for Dietetics and Nutrition majors.

A native of Mexico, Ms. Ambe Cohen holds a Master’s and a Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management from Florida International University. Her career in the culinary industry began when she decided to pursue a degree in Pastry and Culinary Arts. During this time, Ms. Ambe Cohen worked in many positions in foodservice, ranging from Prep Cook to Executive Chef. While working as an Executive Kosher Chef, she developed innovative Kosher recipes using Classical French technique to create new and exciting dishes. She has held Culinary Management roles at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival since 2014. Ms. Ambe Cohen is passionate about teaching and wrote her thesis, entitled Hospitality Education Assessment: A case study on the learning experience of Chinese students in a 4-year program at a U.S. institution in an effort to understand the needs of Chinese students in an American program. She worked as an Instructor for FIU’s Marriott Tianjin China Program from August 2016 to May 2017. In addition to managing the Food and Beverage Program, teaching and research responsibilities, Ms. Ambe Cohen provides Mentorship and Technical Assistance for StartUP FIU FOOD, an initiative focused on developing traditional and social entrepreneurship among students, faculty/staff, alumni and the South Florida community in the local food and beverage industry. This initiative provides expert support, assistance and advice to South Florida's food entrepreneurs to help build and grow successful, long lasting restaurants companies.

Dr. John D. Buschman: Dr. Buschman teaches global hospitality, tourism, and events management courses at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and is a co-director of the GST program.  His three decades of professional experience in the global hospitality and tourism industry included working in everything from an island eco-lodge in Brazil, to major resort hotels in Mexico, the Caribbean and California, to global tourism companies throughout Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean. Dr. Buschman has served on the industry advisory boards of Maritz Travel and Networld, Inc. and on the boards of directors of the Florida Food Policy Council, the Society of Incentive Travel Excellence and the Sustainable Events Network, Florida and Caribbean.  Since coming to FIU, Dr. Buschman’s work has centered on food waste reduction and recovery from hospitality, tourism and events operations, and the redistribution of food to people in need.  Students in his course Social Responsibility for the Hospitality Industry have recovered more than 250,000 meals from events like the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and the NFL Super Bowl, served more than 50,000 meals to the homeless and redirected over 1 million pounds of food toward food-insecure populations.  Drawing from his global industry experience, Dr. Buschman created the new course Destination Marketing and Management for Cultural & Heritage Tourism specifically for the GST degree.

Dr. Miranda Kitterlin: Dr. Kitterlin is an Assistant Professor in the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University, where she teaches graduate level Hospitality Management courses.  She received her doctoral degree in May of 2010 in Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  She holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources and a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.

Prior to beginning a career in academia, Dr. Kitterlin worked for 11 years in the lodging and food and beverage industries in Louisiana, Michigan, and Las Vegas.  What began on a whim as an entry-level front-of-house position quickly developed into operational management, sales, and human resources management roles, and a lifelong passion for Hospitality Management.  During her industry career, Dr. Kitterlin encountered a number of employee issues that led her to seek answers in academic research.  Each scholarly investigative venture fueled the desire to begin another, resulting in her decision to pursue a terminal degree and a future in academia.

Her first educational venture was as an instructor at St. Landry Accelerated Transition School, where she designed a Hospitality and Tourism curriculum and skills certification program for the vocational educational program.  During her university level academic career, Dr. Kitterlin has taught both traditional and online Hospitality Management classes at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, James Madison University, and now Florida International University, where she teaches Master’s degree classes in Hospitality Industry Organizational Behavior, and Case Studies in Hospitality Management.

Dr. Kitterlin’s research focuses primarily on Food and Beverage, Human Resources, and Organizational Behavior issues.  She has published on topics of food service industry employee selection and screening, employee behavior and perceptions, training needs of hospitality employees, food-safety education, and hospitality student learning styles. Much of her work centers on employee substance abuse and employment drug-testing in the hospitality industry.