# Food Service Management **Institution:** Culinary Institute Of Virginia of ECPI University **College:** Culinary Arts **Sub-Program:** Culinary Arts **Degree:** Bachelor of Science in Food Service Management **Canonical URL:** https://www.ecpi.edu/college-of-culinary-arts/programs/food-service-management-bachelor-degree **Last Updated:** 2026-10-07T18:21:03+00:00 ## Food Service Management Overview Any successful restaurateur or food service manager knows that there’s more to running a great operation than serving delicious food. It requires solid business knowledge. If you like the idea of blending cuisine, hospitality and management skills, consider a career in Food Service Management. ECPI University’s College of Culinary Arts, Culinary Institute of Virginia, offers a year-round schedule so you could earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Service Management in as litle as 2.5 years. Students who have already earned an Associate Degree in a culinary related field could earn their Bachelor’s degree in as little as 15 months! - **15 Month Degree Completion Program** — 60 Credit Hours - **5 week terms** — 1 - 2 Courses Per Term ### Possible Career Paths Graduates of this program pursue many different career paths. Some of the most common are: - **Restaurant Manager** Oversees daily operations, staffing, and customer service in corporate or independent restaurants. - **Hospitality & Resorts** Focusing on customer experience, lodging food service, and banquet operations. - **Institutional/Contract Food Service** Managing dining services in corporate cafeterias, schools, and healthcare environments. ## Program Structure and Learning Formats ### Locations - [Norfolk, VA](https://www.ecpi.edu/college-of-culinary-arts/locations/norfolk-va) - [Virginia Beach, VA](https://www.ecpi.edu/college-of-culinary-arts/locations/virginia-beach-va) - [Richmond, VA](https://www.ecpi.edu/college-of-culinary-arts/locations/richmond-va-glen-allen) ### Program Requirements To receive the Bachelor of Science in Food Service Management, students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours, which includes 60 transfer credits from the required associate’s degree or diploma in a culinary arts or hospitality related field. The degree completion program consists of 63 semester credits, which can be completed in a minimum of 4 semesters, which is equivalent to 15 months of instruction. The program requirements are as follows: #### Core Courses 43 semester credit hours **Complete ALL of the following Courses:** | Course ID | Course Name | Credit Hours | |---|---|---| | [ACC101](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/ACC101 "View ACC101") | [General Accounting](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/ACC101 "View ACC101") | 3 | | [FSM310](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM310 "View FSM310") | [Leadership in Foodservice](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM310 "View FSM310") | 3 | | [FSM320](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM320 "View FSM320") | [Food Service Financial Management](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM320 "View FSM320") | 3 | | [FSM330](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM330 "View FSM330") | [Communication for Food Service Professionals](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM330 "View FSM330") | 3 | | [FSM335](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM335 "View FSM335") | [Menu Engineering](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM335 "View FSM335") | 3 | | [FSM340](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM340 "View FSM340") | [Hospitality Marketing and Social Media](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM340 "View FSM340") | 3 | | [FSM355](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM355 "View FSM355") | [Wine and Beverage Management](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM355 "View FSM355") | 3 | | [FSM360](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM360 "View FSM360") | [Managing Outstanding Customer Service](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM360 "View FSM360") | 3 | | [FSM380](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM380 "View FSM380") | [Food Service Cost Controls](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM380 "View FSM380") | 3 | | [FSM410](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM410 "View FSM410") | [Operational Ethics and Legal Issues](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM410 "View FSM410") | 3 | | [FSM424](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM424 "View FSM424") | [Facility Management](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM424 "View FSM424") | 3 | | [FSM430](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM430 "View FSM430") | [Case Studies in Food Service Management](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM430 "View FSM430") | 3 | | [FSM440](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM440 "View FSM440") | [Project and Special Event Management](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM440 "View FSM440") | 3 | | [FSM452](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM452 "View FSM452") | [Developing Your Career in Hospitality Leadership](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM452 "View FSM452") | 2 | | [FSM490](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM490 "View FSM490") | [Food Service Entrepreneurship](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM490 "View FSM490") | 2 | #### Arts and Sciences Courses\* 15 semester credit hours **Complete ALL of the following Courses:** **\*For allowable substitutions of arts and sciences courses, see the Arts & Sciences Department page.** | Course ID | Course Name | Credit Hours | |---|---|---| | [CAP480](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/CAP480 "View CAP480") | [Arts and Sciences Capstone](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/CAP480 "View CAP480") | 3 | | [ECO201](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/ECO201 "View ECO201") | [Macroeconomics](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/ECO201 "View ECO201") | 3 | | [ENG120](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/ENG120 "View ENG120") | [Advanced Composition](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/ENG120 "View ENG120") | 3 | | [MTH131](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/MTH131 "View MTH131") | [College Algebra](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/MTH131 "View MTH131") | 3 | | [MTH140](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/MTH140 "View MTH140") | [Statistics](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/MTH140 "View MTH140") | 3 | #### Self-Integration Course 2 semester credit hours **Complete ALL of the following Courses:** | Course ID | Course Name | Credit Hours | |---|---|---| | [CIS108](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/CIS108 "View CIS108") | [Office Applications](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/CIS108 "View CIS108") | 2 | #### Elective Courses 3 semester credit hours **Earn at least 3 credits from the following:** | Course ID | Course Name | Credit Hours | |---|---|---| | [FSM498](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM498 "View FSM498") | [Food Service Externship I-a](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM498 "View FSM498") | 1.5 | | [FSM499](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM499 "View FSM499") | [Food Service Externship I-b](https://www.ecpi.edu/course/FSM499 "View FSM499") | 1.5 | ## Food Service Management Outcomes The objective of the Food Service Management degree program is to educate and train prospective food service professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities to compete for employment in the hospitality field. Graduates of the program will be expected to: - Establish and maintain high standards of professionalism across all dynamics of foodservice operations. - Conform to a code of ethics when making business and operational related decisions. - Communicate effectively to diverse groups utilizing professional verbal and writing skills. - Implement strategies to effectively manage and improve foodservice performance. - Demonstrate a working knowledge of operational cost controls and its relation to the overall financial success of a foodservice establishment. - Understand how trends across the hospitality industry may affect operations from a service, people, product, and facilities perspective. - Cultivate habits of continuous learning and improvement in foodservice managerial practices. - Implement effective leadership techniques to enhance operational decision-making processes. - Create operational policies and procedures to effectively manage staff and guest relations.