Course Synopses

HOME ECONOMICS COURSE SYNOPSES

BHE 211-3       Introduction to Design

The essence of design, the design process; (steps, structural and decorative.)

Elements of design. Principles of design, Design in materials; wood, metal clay, glass, food, fibre, plastics, painting, prints, apparel.

BHE 212-3       Introduction to Clothing and Textiles

History of clothing/reasons for wearing clothes.). Physical factors influencing appearance: (your body, your diet, skin nails hair). Textile evolution; history, progress of manufactured fibres. Textile Fibres Construction of fabrics, Finishes. Selection of Textile fabrics. Sewing equipments. Starting to sew: hand and Machine sewing stitches, Seams and seam Finishes, disposal of fullness, neckline finishes, sleeves and sleeve finishes, Hems and edge finishes, Openings and fasteners. Pattern drafting and Designing of garments for children, adolescents and adults.

BHE 213-3       Food and Nutrition 1

Food as source of nutrients, Nutritional terms, and functions, basic food groups, dietary guidelines, the role of nutrition in health and interventions for improvement of health.

BHE 214-3       Home Economics Profession

Historical background of Home Economics, Home Economics today, Changing patterns of interaction, Philosophy, values and goals. Careers in Home Economics, New professional dimensions. Future of Home Economics.

BHE 215-3       Human Anatomy and Physiology

The living cell: evolution and structure. Properties, functions of cells, tissues, organs, and systems of the human body. The role and functions of muscular, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, digestive and reproductive systems

BHE 221-3       Clothing and Laundry

Design applied to clothing. Consumer clothing considerations; Wardrobe strategies, family clothing needs and buying guides, fit in clothes. Fashion in clothing. Future of clothing. Care of clothes. Introduction to laundry symbols and processes.

Laundry equipments and materials: selection and use. Laundry processes of various article and fabrics. Stain removal. Ironing, pressing and storage of different household articles. Dry cleaning. Construction of children or adult garments.

BHE 222-3      Food Technology I

Principles of food composition, preparation, selection and storage with emphasis on physical and chemical changes that occur during normal food handling and processing.

Practical experiences, which illustrate the principles of ingredient functionality, methods of food preparation, preservation and storage.

BHE 223-3      Family Life Education

Marriage and personal happiness. The family life cycle and resource management, sex and happy marriage, sexual dysfunction. Aids and STDs. The family and community: Community institutions and resources and their effects on families.

BHE 224-3      Food and Nutrition II

Life cycle nutrition: This course addresses physiological and social basis for nutrient needs for health and diseases prevention during the different stages of life; pregnancy, lactation, infancy, preschool, middle childhood, adolescence, adulthood and later maturity.

BHE 225-3      Introduction to Parent and Family Development

Readiness for parenthood, Effective parenting. Theoretical approaches to understanding parent/child relations. Dysfunctional parenting styles, mechanisms of behaviour change. The role of parents, effective parenting, Teenage parenthood, Parental intervention in drug use and prevention. Parenthood and family planning. Aging and the family: the elderly: their physiological and environmental needs. The relationship between the elderly and family members.

BHE 226-3      Biochemistry

Biochemistry of food, chemical nature and role of nutrients. Nature, action and properties of enzymes. Photosynthesis, metabolism of food. The chemistry of living processes. Practical laboratory experience that includes: Biochemistry of food, chemical nature and role of nutrients. Nature, action and properties of enzymes. Photosynthesis, metabolism of food. The chemistry of living processes.

BHE 311-3       Apparel Design I

Mass clothing production: the designing process, the production process and clothing distribution. Free hand cutting techniques and construction of Seshoeshoe outfit. Pattern drafting and design. (Construction of an appropriate garment from pattern drafting).

BHE 312-3       Housing and Family Management Skills

Family life cycle and housing needs, home ownership: financing, building renting purchasing, Furnishing, equipment. House keeping management. Family: types, functions. Role of the individual in the family, role of the family in communities. Family life cycles and resource management, Family crisis and its management. Mate selection, types of marriage, marriage annulment.

BHE 313-3       Appropriate Technology

Historical background. Crop and vegetable drying, preservation and storage, water supply: small water supply system, pumps and water lifters, tanks and pods for storage, Filtration and treatments, sanitation: low cost options, water re-use, soil and waste management. Energy; Improved coal stoves, fuel management. Use of solar energy, and biogas. Housing construction with focus on indigenous material, The practical would focus on the use of local and appropriate technology in crop and vegetable drying, preservation and storage, water supply: and each storage considerations, (small water supply system, pumps and water lifters, tanks and pods for storage,) Filtration and treatments, sanitation, water re-cycling and waste management.

BHE 314-3       Food Service Management I

Menu planning, production management. Recipe standardisation, service systems, organisation, (division of labour, delegation, coordination, communication and organograms. Personnel management and administration, productivity and financial administration. Food presentation and garnishing. Practical application of knowledge of the different types of courses in a planned menu. Difference between stocks, sauces and soups. Advanced techniques applied in preparation and storage of eggs, fish, poultry and other types of meat and vegetables.

BHE 315-3       Institutional Management and Tourism

Principles of Institutional management Tourism: safe working environment for customers, staff and visitors, personal health and hygiene, create and maintain effective working relations with members of staff, receive and assist visitors. Deal with booking enquiries, confirm, cancel and amend bookings. Deal with communications and book external services: handle mail, messages and written communications, exchange service information inside the organisation. Operate organisational systems on behalf customers: Maintain customer records. Explain products and services offered by institution to customer. Deal with arrival of customers: prepare for the arrival of customers with and without advance bookings. Maintain and deal with payment, customer’s departures.

BHE 316-3       Child Development

Human Development: development from conception through adulthood. Influences of the family on child development. Institutions in the environment and their impact on children well being. Children and Poverty: The impact of poverty on children and their families. Child development practicum: supervised practicum in child development at attached departmental nursery school.

BHE 317-4       Field attachments Practicum for Food Service Management

There would be one period of attachment lasting three month during the long vacation of the third year for Food Service management course which will best benefit from this type of practical Students will be exposed to practical field experience in local food service establishments, where they will learn the operations of food service systems from procurement to service. Participation and demonstration would be undertaken by the students. Written reports would be assessed as part of fourth year examination.

BHE 321-3       Apparel Design II

Commercial patterns: selection and use: Figure types, pattern catalogue, selecting right size, pattern envelope. Fitting patterns, alterations, laying out, cutting-out and sewing of and a two-piece outfit based on commercial patterns. Special fabrics handling: plaids, stripes, geometric designs, diagonal designs, and unusual prints

BHE 322-3      Food Preservation and Processing

This course will present students with theoretical concepts that include chemical changes in food found during various methods of preservation. The practical component will include laboratory work, which focuses on: the theoretical concepts that include chemical changes in food found during various methods of preservation. A practical experience in food preservation methods on different food commodities.

BHE 323-3      Food Service Management II

Research studies on menu planning, Planning a kitchen, layout of a kitchen, equipment used, and cost. Suitable equipment for planned menu, Budget control on the menu. High range equipment used in large industries, labour policies and legislations used in the food industries today.

BHE 324-3      Food Technology II

Theoretical knowledge of vegetables, classification, quality and preparation. Preparation and uses of salads, salad dressing. Identification of standard principles and techniques needed to produce good desserts, dessert sauces. Different types of cheese marketed in South Africa, their storage and usage. The practical component would focus on laboratory work on vegetables, classification, quality and preparation. Preparation and uses of salads, and salad dressing. Techniques needed to produce good desserts, dessert sauces.

BHE 325-3      Family Resource Management

Management processes with emphasis on goal identification, value clarification and decision-making. Resources of the family and management. Family budgeting, Banking, hire purchase, Housing, furnishing. Consumer behaviour: protection, policies, and impact of market.

Population and food planning. Basic methodology of collecting and organizing demographic data.

BHE 411-3       Fashion and Socio-psychological Aspects of Clothing

The nature of fashion, characteristics and influencing factors. Changes in fashion, Fashion adoption theories. Self-concept, development of self-concept, clothing and self-concept, expression of individuality through clothing.

BHE 412-3       Home Economics Extension

Exposure to Home Economics extension and rural development. Wants and need assessment. Organisation of training programs. Educational principles in adult education and psychology. Filed practical in relevant extension areas for hands on experience and illustration of extension teaching, administration and evaluation in various areas of Home Economics.

BHE 413-3       Introduction to Crafts

Application of element of design in crafts, natural and synthetic yarns, fabrics, clay, grass and wood. Traditional and foreign crafts. Hand and machine knitting, crocheting and embroidery.

BHE 414-3       Environmental Health

Emphasis on family and environmental health. Special health problems that people encounter. Health programmes Personal sanitation and control of communicable diseases. Environmental sanitation: refuse disposal, VIP latrines and safe water supply.

BHE 421-3       Introduction to Interior Design

Interior Design: Planning the interior; application of elements and principles of art. Furnishing of rooms; Analysis of needs, floor plans, guidelines for arranging furnishing. Interior materials; wall coverings, floor coverings, lighting, furniture, window treatment, decorative accessories. Interior Decorating Styles, Developing a home room by room. Design for living: Relationships in interior design, interior design and individuality. Influences in interior design. Community and environment: community design.

BHE 422-3      Consumer Education

Consumer behaviour, needs and motivation. The consumer’s attitude formation and change. Interaction between consumers and the economic system. Communication and consumer behaviour. Influence of culture on consumer behaviour Consumer goods and services. Consumer buying behaviour and protection. Consumer rights and responsibilities. Effective buying practices. Consumer decision-making.

BHE 423-3      Gender Studies

Definition of gender. Development of gender, Gender identity. Gender sensitivity Stereotyped concepts of femininity and masculinity and interpersonal relationships between men and women. Societal expectations. Marital satisfaction. Individual psychological well-being. Gender role reversal.

BHE 424-3-Program Planning and Evaluation

General concepts and principles of program planning and evaluation. Programme planning for diverse programmes in Home Economics and related profession; needs identification for individuals, families and society; the role of the programme in programme development; involvement of people in programme development Evaluation of programme planning.

BHE 444-6      Home Economics Research Project

Students would investigate an identified Home Economics related problem in Lesotho or the sub region. Students would be required to do an independent literature review and collection of data. Analysis, interpretation of data will be under the guidance of a supervisor. Presentation of results would be both written and oral.

AES 666-12      Students’ Seminar/Thesis