Admission Criteria for Graduate Programs in HMD
Graduate faculty members in HMD have carefully considered factors which predict success in graduate study, and have set the following guidelines for admission to the graduate program. These criteria comprise the guidelines used in assessing an applicant’s materials. Each person’s application is considered as a total package and on its own merits. The applicant not meeting all of the criteria may be denied admission or recommended for probationary or provisional admission as defined below. The number of new students admitted is also influenced by the number of students already in the program and the advising load of each graduate faculty member.
Probationary admission: For those whose grades do not meet the standard, probationary admission may be granted, provided there is other evidence that the applicant has the ability to do satisfactory graduate work. Such evidence might include an excellent record of postgraduate work at another institution, or high scores on the Graduate Record Examination or the Graduate Management Aptitude Test.
Provisional admission: Students may be admitted provisionally if there are undergraduate deficiencies which must be removed or work experience requirements which must be met.
Students admitted on probation or provisionally will be advised of other conditions to be met to attain full standing. Full standing is attained automatically upon completion of at least 9 hours of course work for graduate credit with a grade of B or better, and upon the removal of any deficiency which was specified at the time of the admission. Students admitted on probation may be denied continued enrollment if they do not achieve full standing within the specified time period.
Academic Course Requirements
Individuals applying for admission to graduate study must show evidence of completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of B or better
- A course in marketing
- A course in accounting
- A course in general management concepts
- A course in quantity food production and service
In addition, current Serv-Safe certification from the National Restaurant Association is required.
A student may be admitted provisionally to the graduate program with the understanding that these prerequisites would be completed as soon as possible upon arrival. Since these are considered prerequisites, these courses may not be taken for graduate credit. Documentation of completion of these prerequisites must be on file before a student may file a program of study.
Grade Point Average Requirements
Individuals applying for the master of science program in HMD should have a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) on the last 60 credit hours of the undergraduate degree program. Individuals applying for the Ph.D. in HMD should have a 3.5 grade point average or higher in their master’s degree program.
Standardized Tests
HMD requires submission of scores from either the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT).
You may submit a photocopy of your GMAT or GRE score report to expedite your application process. However, an official score report must be received directly from the testing agency to finalize any offer of admission.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
OR International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
International applicants to HMD’s Master’s program must score at least 230 on the computer-based testing version, 88-89 on the Internet-based testing version, or 570 on the pencil-and-paper version of the TOEFL exam.
International applicants to HMD’s Ph.D. program must score at least 100 on the Internet-based testing version, 250 on the computer-based testing version, or 600 on the pencil-and-paper version of the TOEFL.
As an alternative to the TOEFL, applicants may submit scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The applicant must complete the “academic module.” A score of 7 is required for regular admission to the Ph.D. program or a score of 6.5 is required for regular admission to the M.S. program. Applicants with an IELTS score of between 6 and 7 are required to complete English Proficiency Testing and successfully complete any courses recommended as a result of that testing. Those applicants with a score of less than 6 may be admitted provisionally, but must enroll in the English Language Program at KState and successfully complete recommended courses before enrolling in any HMD courses.
Applicants who have received a degree from a United States college or university do not have to present a TOEFL score. However, they must take an English Proficiency test upon arrival to Kansas State University. Please refer to the graduate school web-site (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/gsprospective/viewbook/intrnl.htm) about the English proficiency test.
Industry-Related Work Experience
HMD graduate faculty members believe that industry-related work experience greatly enhances a student’s graduate study. Students who have worked in some facet of the hospitality or dietetics industries can more fully participate in class discussions. Students with work experience are often more confident in their selection of their topic for research if they have dealt with industry challenges.
Master’s Degree Work Experience Requirement
Students applying for the master’s degree in HMD should have a minimum of 1000 hours of industry-related work experience prior to applying for the program. However, if an applicant is strong in other areas of admission criteria but does not have sufficient work experience, he or she may be admitted on a provisional basis. The individual would be expected to obtain at least 1000 hours of industry-related work experience during the master’s program. This experience may be obtained by working during the academic year or in the summer in foodservice, hotels or other types of industry work settings. Documentation of completion of the 1000 hours of experience must be submitted before the student would be allowed to file his or her program of study.
International students may be prohibited by their visa status from being employed off-campus unless such work experience is required by the degree program. In this situation, international students would enroll in HMD 785 Field Experience and would find appropriate work experience which would be pre-approved by the major professor. Written and verbal reports of the work experience must be submitted to the major professor, who will then notify the graduate school that the prerequisite work experience requirement has been met.
Ph.D. Degree Work Experience Requirement
Applicants for the doctoral program in HMD should provide documentation of a minimum of two (2) years of industry-related work experience, preferably at a supervisory level. Questions as to whether an applicant’s previous work experience meets admission criteria should be directed to , HMD Department Head and Graduate Program Director.