HMD 313 Practicum in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism ...

HMD 313 Practicum in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management

Spring 2016 Syllabus

Instructor: Julie Lee, MBA, RD, LD, CDE, MLDE, CSC, CWPC, CHE

Office: Academic Complex, 209E

Fall Office Hours: MWF 10:15 AM – 12:30 PM

Spring Office Hours: MWF 10:20 – 11:20 AM; TR 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

E-Mail: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)

Office Phone: 270-745-3990

Mailing Address:

Attn: Julie Lee

Western Kentucky University

Dept. Family & Consumer Sciences

1906 College Heights Blvd. #11037

Bowling Green, KY 42101

Department Secretary: Lauri Warden, 270-745-4352

Course Information Website: https://blackboard.wku.edu

Office Hours

As posted on my door during the fall and spring semesters. During the winter and summer

semesters, specific office hours will not be maintained. However, e-mail will be checked

regularly. If you need immediate assistance, send an email and I will get back to you as soon as

possible. In an emergency, you can leave a message with the department secretary during normal

business hours.

Course Description

This course provides a forum where students can acquire entry level knowledge and skills in the

hospitality industry while in a performance setting. Students apply the knowledge and skills

acquired at Western in an appropriate hospitality establishment approved by the instructor.

Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, HMD 171, HMD 251

mailto:[email protected]

https://blackboard.wku.edu/

Required Text: None

Course Objectives

Terminal Performance Objective: To provide a forum where students can apply the management

concepts learned in class and to acquire the hands-on experience necessary to qualify for an entry

level position in hotel, restaurant/food service and/or tourism management.

1. Acquire entry level practical experience within a business environment in the hospitality

industry.

2. Develop a more complete understanding of various hospitality managerial functions.

3. Develop the ability to analyze and propose solutions to business problems.

4. Develop a greater understanding about career options while defining personal career

goals.

5. Develop an understanding of the activities and functions of hospitality managers.

6. Refine written communication skills.

Course Requirements

1. All students must register for the course on Topnet, and then go to the blackboard

site to obtain the syllabus and take the syllabus quiz. You must pass the syllabus

quiz with 100% before all of the forms and assignments for the practicum will

become available on blackboard. The information on blackboard contains the syllabus,

syllabus quiz, assignments, practicum reports, evaluation forms, and an orientation on

writing a resume and cover letter. You must begin this process before you start

working/counting hours for the practicum and before the start of the term, whether

you have a job yet or not.

2. All students will meet with the course instructor during the semester prior to the

practicum. All practicums must be approved, in advance, by the course instructor

before you start counting the hours towards this practicum.

3. Each student is responsible for finding his/her own practicum site, however, the course

instructor will provide as much help as possible. Additionally, the Career and

Professional Development on campus is also a source for internship opportunities and/or

writing your resume [http://www.wku.edu/career] of visit them at Downing Student

Union Room 2001.

4. The practicum must be completed during the summer semester unless the practicum site

requires the student to do the practicum during the fall or spring semesters (for example

some Disney practicums). An exception to this policy is for those students desiring to do

their practicum in the meeting, convention, and exposition management field with WKU

http://www.wku.edu/career

Conferencing and Catering at the Knicely Center. WKU Conferencing and Catering will

provide "practicum" experiences for up to two interns per semester and these practicums

can be completed during either the fall or spring semesters. Students must first obtain a

practicum position with WKU Conferencing and Catering then obtain permission from

the practicum instructor. All questions regarding this exception should be directed to the

practicum instructor.

5. The practicum can consist of full-time or part-time employment. Full-time employment is

defined as a minimum of 40 hours per week for a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks. Note

that there are two minimums that must be met: (1) a minimum of 40 hours per week and

(2) a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks. There are two part-time alternatives. The first

alternative would be a minimum of 27-35 hours a week for 12 weeks; or the second

alternative is a minimum of 20 hours a week for 16 weeks. Note: Once you decide on one

of the three alternatives above, you cannot change without prior approval from the

instructor. Regardless of whether you choose full-time or part-time, all totaled, you must

complete a minimum of 320 hours to successfully complete the practicum.

6. All students must register for the course during the prescribed WKU registration period

and pay applicable tuition and university fees. The practicum must be completed

during the semester the practicum was registered for. Students may not register for

the practicum in one semester and start it in another semester.

Note: The practicum for the summer session will be listed as the last July/August session

in the summer to give students ample opportunity to find and complete their practicum.

However even though you are registered for a July/August session, the practicum

actually starts in May (or as soon as possible) -- the day after the spring graduation

ceremony. If you have a job when school ends for the spring, you will start the practicum

in May -- don't wait (unless you take a short vacation after finals). If you don't have a job,

you will start the practicum as soon as you get one. Remember, the practicum is either 8,

12, or 16 weeks and you need time to complete it before classes start in the fall.

7. All students must attain a 100% on a multiple-choice syllabus exam on blackboard in

order for the remainder of the blackboard site to open up and then allow the student to

start the practicum. The exam will be over the elements in this syllabus. This must be

completed prior to starting to work and log hours for the practicum.

8. If the student does not have a job, The Center for Career and Professional Development

Center can help them put together a resume and cover letter and help them launch a job

search. The instructor will also provide guidance on preparing a resume and cover letter

at the student's request. Your resume is one of the required components of the course, and

should be submitted to blackboard before your first report is due (it will be considered

late after your first report is filed).

9. The student will develop objectives for the practicum and negotiate these objectives with

their employer. These objectives must be submitted to the instructor no later than the

first report using the “Objectives Form” provided on blackboard. The original form

should be scanned and posted to blackboard, handed in to the instructor (AC 209E), or

sent (via U.S. Postal Service mail) to the instructor (address listed above) -- faxes and

photocopies are not acceptable. Keep a copy of your objectives for yourself -- you will

need it to write your final report.

10. All students must provide the instructor with a valid address, phone number, and email

address where the student can be reached during the practicum. The "Address and

Housing Report" provided is to be used for this purpose. The form must arrive (or be

posted to blackboard) no later than the first report sent to the instructor -- this

requirement is for everyone regardless of where you do your practicum. It should be

posted to blackboard.

11. For students working full-time, a report must be written for each two-week period of the

eight weeks of the practicum (a total of four bi-weekly reports). For students working

part-time, a report must be written for each three weeks if you are working 27 - 35 hours

per week or each four-week period if you are working 20 - 26 hours per week (a total of

four reports). Whether you are working part-time or full-time, each report covers a

minimum of 80 hours of work time.

12. The first four reports must be typed and should be at least 825-words in length (1.5

spacing, with 1" margins, 12 point font, using the Times New Roman typeface -- no

fancy, decorative or large type). The report must have a cover page with the following

information: Your name, where you are working, the report number (e.g. Report # 1), the

dates of the weeks covered by the report, the due date for the report, and the number of

hours you worked during the report period. See the examples below for the appropriate

formats at the end of this syllabus. Note: The information on the cover page must not be

included on the first page or any other page of the narrative report. Papers must be well

written using good English composition and grammar. It is to be written in essay format -

- not a conversational style, not bullets, and not a question and answer format.

Included in the report should be a section on how you feel you are achieving your

objectives. Topics to be included in the reports will include (but are not limited to) the

suggestions below in “Report Format.”

13. Reports will cover weeks beginning on a Sunday and ending on a Saturday -- there are no

exceptions. They are to be sent to the instructor as an attached file posted to blackboard.

All reports, including the final report, must be posted to blackboard -- do not fax, hand-

carry or send reports in the regular mail. A total of four reports plus the final report

will be submitted. All reports are to be emailed to the instructor no later than midnight

the Thursday following the report period -- reports can come sooner, that is the latest

time before being counted late. For example, if you are working full-time, your report

period ends on the Saturday of the second week -- the report would be due no later than

midnight on the following Thursday.

14. The student must have a valid e-mail address where he/she can receive messages in case

there is a transmission problem. Students are required to check their preferred email

address at least once per day for messages from the instructor.

15. All reports must be either typed or saved in Word or Rich Text Format -- no other format

is acceptable. I can only read Microsoft Word files -- not Works, nothing from Apple

unless saved as a word document. If you use Works or any other word processor (which

is not a problem) just be sure to save the file in Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text (.rtf)

format. If you don't know how to do this, contact the instructor for assistance. Please

note, if you send a file in Works or other non-approved format, it will not be accepted.

Also, reports must be sent as an attached file, not typed in the text box, nor sent as an

email message.

16. Keep a copy of all reports and forms until you finish the course and receive a grade for

the course.

17. All students are required to submit a 1200-word final report (typewritten – 1.5 spacing,

1 inch margins, 12 point, Times New Roman font) covering the entire practicum. This is

the fifth and final report. The report must be posted to blackboard as an attached file - do

not use regular mail, hand-carry, email, or fax the final report to the instructor. The final

report is due two weeks after the fourth report for both full-time and part-time. For

example, your fourth bi-weekly or monthly (part-time) report is due on a Thursday -- the

final report is due on a Thursday two weeks after the due date for the bi-weekly or

monthly report. Topics to be included in the final report should include (but are not

limited to) the topics listed below in Report Content.

18. The student is required to print and provide the Supervisor Evaluation Form to their

supervisor for completion, and then submit the original form to the instructor within two

weeks after the last complete week of the practicum (the same time as the final report).

The “Supervisor Evaluation Form” on blackboard must be used for this purpose. Please

note, the instructor must receive the original form of the evaluation -- the form that the

supervisor actually filled out -- photocopies and faxes are not acceptable. The form may

be scanned and posted to blackboard, dropped off at AC 209E, or sent via U.S. Postal

Service mail.

19. Students must also complete the "Data Report Form" which is your evaluation of the

practicum experience. The Data Report Form must be scanned and posted to blackboard,

dropped off at AC 209E, or mailed via U.S. Postal Service to the instructor to arrive no

later than the final report.

20. If you wish to take a family vacation or become sick during the practicum, this is not a

problem as long as your work supervisor approves your time off. It is your work

supervisor, not the instructor, who approves any time off from the practicum. However,

you must give the instructor advanced notice of the dates that you will be away from your

practicum. This means that you notify the instructor BEFORE any absences, not when

the instructor is questioning why your report was late. If you fail to notify the instructor

of time off because of vacations or illness, any reports received late will be considered

late.

21. If you should lose or quit your job during the practicum, you may start your practicum at

a different location. However, if you change employers, you must start all over again

with the Objectives Form and Written Report One for the practicum -- not where you left

off from the previous employer. The bottom line is that when you change employers, you

lose the hours you had with that employer.

Grading Procedure

1. Students must attain a grade of "C" or better in order to receive credit for this

course. See grading criteria below.

2. Grades will be determined based on the quality and timely completion of all

required reports and the employer's evaluation of work performance. Reports will

be graded in the following manner: 75% content; 25% grammar, sentence

structure, punctuation etc. The paper will be read, graded and critiqued by the

instructor and sent back to the student before the next paper is written. The

student should review the comments and make appropriate adjustments to correct

content and writing style problems. Note: If your reports are not being returned,

contact the instructor immediately because there is a communication/blackboard

problem that needs to be fixed.

3. Late papers will lose 10% for every week, or part of a week, they are late. If

papers must be returned for reformatting, they will automatically lose 5 points for

each formatting error.

4. The final grade for the course will be determined using the following points:

Assignments Points Percentage

Written Reports (4) 400 57%

Final Written Report 100 14%

Supervisor Evaluation Form 100 14%

Timeliness, Professionalism 75 11%

Syllabus Quiz 5 1%

Address & Housing Report 5 1%

Resume 5 1%

Objectives Form 5 1%

Data Report Form 5 1%

Total Points 700

5. The grade for this course will not be determined by how hard you had to work or

how many hours you had to work. The grade will be determined by how much

you learned, and equally as important, how you translated that learning into

writing. Even though you might have had a very good learning experience, if you

are unable to convey that learning in an appropriately written report, you will not

receive a top grade. Additionally, the final grade will be partly determined by how

well you follow directions and your attention to details. If you submit papers late,

get confused on your due dates, or fail to submit your objectives, resume, local

address etc. in a timely manner, you will be downgraded. It is incumbent on the

student to keep track of all forms and reports to be submitted and when they are

due.

6. Grades when submitted are final and will not be changed unless there was a

computational error or other error on the part of the instructor. If you need a

certain grade in this course to maintain or increase your grade point average, you

must put the appropriate amount of effort into the reports and course requirements

to earn that grade. If you do the minimum required, just to get by, you will

receive a grade which reflects your minimum effort.

7. If a contingency arises which precludes the student from meeting deadlines, it is

incumbent on the student to discuss the problem with the instructor before the

deadline elapses.

Address to Send Documents to the Instructor

Attn: Julie Lee

Western Kentucky University

Department of Family & Consumer Sciences

1906 College Heights Blvd. #11037

Bowling Green, KY 42101-1037

Office phone: 270-745-3990 (leave a message on voice-mail if I am not in the office.)

Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact for questions)

Summary of Documents to be Completed for the Course:

Address and Housing Report (posted to blackboard) [Note: This report must

arrive no later than the first report]

mailto:[email protected]

Resume (posted to blackboard) [Note: This report must arrive no later than the

first report]

Objectives Form -- signed by both the supervisor and the student (the original

form only mailed, hand delivered, or scanned and posted to blackboard -- no

faxes or photocopies) [Note: This report must arrive no later than the first report]

Four (4) - bi-weekly [monthly for part-time] Written Reports -- (posted to

blackboard as an attached file -- do not fax, mail, or hand deliver)

Final Written Report (posted to blackboard as an attached file – do not fax, mail,

or hand deliver) [Note: This is the fifth and final report]

Supervisor Evaluation Form (the original form only may be mailed, hand

delivered, or scanned and posted to blackboard -- do not send faxes or

photocopies) [Note: This report must arrive no later than the final report]

Data Report Form for Coop/Intern Experience -- (the original form only may be

mailed, hand delivered, or scanned and posted to blackboard) [Note: This report

must arrive no later than the final report]

Report Format

1. All biweekly reports must have a cover page with the following information: Your name,

where you are working, the report number (e.g. Report # 1), the dates of the weeks

covered by the report, the due date for the report and the number of hours you worked

each week during the report period. See the examples below for the appropriate format.

Note: The information on the cover page should not be included on the first page of the

narrative report. All biweekly (full-time) or monthly (part-time) reports are to be posted

to blackboard, no later than midnight on the Thursday following the report period. Again,

all files must be in Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) -- no other format is

acceptable.

2. The final report must have a cover page with the following information: Your name,

where you are working, the words Final Report, and the due date. The final report is to be

posted to blackboard, as an attached file, no later than two weeks after the due date for

the fourth report. This requirement is for both full-time and part-time.

3. All reports must be typed with 1.5 spacing, with a standard 12 point font, using the Times

New Roman font, and one inch margins all around. No other fonts or font sizes are

acceptable. Papers with inappropriate fonts and/or margins will be returned for

reformatting and/or will lose five points for each formatting error. Note: Older Microsoft

Word programs (Word 97 and 2003) defaults to 1.25 inch margins all around and also

defaults to the Times New Roman font, with 11 point size. You will need to change the

defaults!

4. The biweekly/monthly reports must be a minimum of 825-words and the final report

must be a minimum of 1200-words.

Report Content

Included in the report should be a section on how you feel you are achieving your

objectives. Topics to be included in the reports will include (but are not limited to) the

following:

a. Report Number One -- Description of the Operation 1. Describe the owners of the business, chain affiliation and information

about the chain and/or parent organization.

2. Description of the location and local trading area

3. Describe the business/venue where you are working including:

4. For restaurants/food service operations

a. Type of restaurant such as fast food, casual dinner house, etc.

b. Square footage of the restaurant/food service

c. Number of seats/booths, total capacity

d. Approximate dollar volume per week/month (if available to the

student)

e. Food cost percentage, beverage cost percentage, labor cost

percentage, amount of inventory on hand, etc.

f. Number of people to operate the facility

g. Any other information the student finds necessary to adequately

describe the operation

5. For hotels and lodging operations

a. Type of lodging operation such as budget/economy, limited

service, full-service, etc.

b. Number of rooms

c. Approximate dollar volume per week/month (if available to the

student)

d. Occupancy percentage, ADR, RevPar, number of rooms cleaned

per housekeeper every day

e. A brief description of services and amenities provided

f. Number of people to operate the facility



6. For tourism venues

a. Describe the tourism venue including what it is

b. Square footage if appropriate

c. Indicate the number of guests per day, or any other "counts" that

would be appropriate performance indicators for the venue

d. Approximate dollar volume per day/week/month, as appropriate

e. Cost of admission, entrance fees, etc.

f. Number of people to operate the facility/operation



7. Describe the function of the department/area where you are working and

how it relates to the entire organization.

8. Describe the function of your job in relation to the department as a whole.

9. Discuss the flow of authority and the assignment of responsibility within

the organization.

10. What incidents have occurred while you were on duty? Who handled the

incident(s) and how effective were they handled? If you were the manager,

how would you have handled the situation?

11. Provide your analysis of any relevant situation that occurs in the

organization.

b. Report Number Two -- The Physical Plant 1. How large is the facility in square feet?

2. What computer equipment to include hardware and software is used in the

facility?

3. Identify the brand names of all major equipment used in the facility? This

would include kitchen equipment, guestroom furniture, washers/dryers etc.

4. Identify the brand names and uses for all chemicals used in the facility?

5. Discuss with the general manager the frequency that equipment and

chemicals are ordered. How expensive are they?





organization.

c. Report Number Three -- The Management Structure 1. Who is the boss and who reports directly to him/her?

2. What are the department or sections in the facility?

3. Are there other supervisory or quasi-supervisory positions such as "lead

server", trainer etc.?

4. Which of the workers are most influential in the organization (informal

leaders)?

5. How much influence do these influential workers have?

6. How does management deal with the informal leadership structure?





organization.

d. Report Number Four -- Quality of Service 1. How would you characterize the style of service in your organization?

2. What are the good points regarding the service rendered to guests in your

facility?

3. What areas need improvement in the service delivery system in your

facility?

4. If you were the general manager, what would you do differently?

5. Overall, how would you rate the quality of service received by the guests

at your facility?





organization.

e. Final Written Report – Reflection

1. The degree to which you feel you accomplished your objectives.

2. How your practicum contributed to your professional goals. Did your

career goals change as a result of the practicum?

3. Did what you learned in your practicum parallel what you learned at

WKU?

4. Have you acquired any special skills in the practicum that you didn't

already have?

5. What are some of the most important management skills you feel are a

must for a successful hotel or restaurant manager?

6. What are some personal characteristics which you feel are necessary for a

successful hotel or restaurant manager?

7. Summarize what you feel were the most important learning experiences

during your practicum.

8. From your experience and observations of the hospitality industry thus far,

what changes can we make in the curriculum at Western which you feel

would better prepare you for an entry level management position.

9. Would you recommend this practicum site to another student in Western's

Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Program?

Cover Page for Practicum Reports

Template

Your Name

Name of Property Where You are Doing Your Practicum

The Report Number (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.)

Weeks covered by the report (Week # plus dates)

[Remember weeks start Sunday, end Saturday]

Number of hours worked during the report period

Report Due Date:

Example -- Working Full Time

Sandra Dee

Hampton Inn, Bowling Green, KY

Report #3

Week #5 -- July 8 - 14, 2012 -- Worked 46 hours

Week #6 -- July 15 - 21, 2012 -- Worked 36 hours

Report Due Date: July 26, 2012

Example -- Working Part-Time -- (27 - 35 hours per week -- covers three weeks)

Sandra Dee

Olive Garden, Bowling Green, KY

Report #3

Week #9 July 8 - 14, 2012 -- Worked 32 hours



Report Due Date: Aug. 2, 2012

Example -- Working Part-Time -- (20 - 27 hours per week -- covers four weeks)

Sandra Dee

Hilton Garden Inn, Bowling Green, KY

Report #3




Week #12 July 29 - August 4, 2012 -- Worked 16 hours

Report Due Date: Aug. 9, 2012

Date this syllabus was last Modified: January 8, 2016

HMD 313 Practicum in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism ...

Documents

Transcript of HMD 313 Practicum in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism ...