Evolution of Food and Beverage Studies in Hospitality Degree Programs: An Australian Case Study

This paper reviews approaches taken to the inclusion and focus of food and beverage studies in hospitality degree programs. This is achieved by tracking the evolution of food and beverage studies in the curriculum of one of Australia's longest running undergraduate hospitality programs, offered by The University of Queensland School of Tourism (UQST). A convenience sampled content analysis approach was adopted to review the program's evolution over the past 35 years. This determined the proportion of food and beverage content relative to the overall program, ascertained the teaching modes, and identified course objectives at various stages of the program development. Findings suggest the emphasis of food and beverage studies in the UQST program has shifted downwards in quantity, evolved from a practical delivery mode to classroom based learning, and changed from an operational to business management teaching focus. This study should be of interest to industry managers, hospitality educators, and tourism/hospitality undergraduate program directors. It contributes to the debate highlighting how shifting priorities in food and beverage studies reflect internal priorities and broader environmental debates regarding hospitality education, thus informing interpretation of the various educational paradigms and models currently employed by institutions delivering hospitality programs.