Des Moines Area Community College.

Hospitality Business Skills Guide

Recommended High School Level Background Courses

  • *General Math
  • Home Economics
  • *Psychology
  • *Composition
   

* Courses available in the Academic Achievement Center or High School Completion Center

Basic Skills in the Program and on the Job

Reading

Textbooks are a central part of the courses in this program. Students must have read their assignments in order to participate in class discussions about the material. The reading level for these texts is approximately ninth to tenth grade. Both in their classes and on the job, students will be using professional cooking texts, recipe books, and trade journals. They can expect to use the library to locate references for class reports.

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Language

Communication Skills (COM 703) is required in this program. In their other courses, students will be expected to present short oral and written research reports and to take essay tests. The emphasis in these assignments is on content rather than mechanics. In labs students must be able to communicate clearly with one another on their cooking projects. Graduates of this people-oriented program can expect constant interaction with other staff members in a team environment. They must be able to give specific written and oral instructions in situations such as detailing the steps in a recipe.

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Math

In their second semester, students complete their math requirement by taking Business Math (BUS 112). Many students find this math requirement a stumbling block; therefore, a solid general math background prior to program entry would be very helpful. Whole numbers, fractions, and per cents are the typical skills used in the program coursework and on the job. Typical math activities include increasing and decreasing recipes, converting measurements (pounds to ounces, gallons to cups), and figuring markups.

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Learning

Sequential thinking is a key process in this program. Students must follow steps in recipes accurately and create recipes of their own. They must be able to use cause-effect reasoning to recognizing that an alteration in one part of a recipe will require corresponding changes in other parts of the process. They must also be able to visualize both the process and the finished product as they read directions.

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Computer

In the program, computers are used primarily for word processing. On the job, graduates may also use computers for ordering and for searching data bases such as recipe files and nutritional data.

View more information on computer skills in the Hospitality Business program.